House of Cards - A political thriller of murder, corruption and deceit
by Robbie Shaw
Published Tue 3 Mar 2015
Issue No. 2443
Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood
It’s also a comment on the Democratic Party’s “triangulations”. At the begining of series three Underwood appears to have achieved his goal.
It’s an imaginative but perfectly plausible portrayal of deception, corruption and murder. The first season kicked off with president-elect Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) snubbing congressional majority whip Underwood for the prized secretary of state job.
Underwood and his equally ruthless wife Claire (Robin Wright) plot to get their revenge and climb to the top.
He recruits ambitious but overlooked reporter Zoe Barnes as a mole. Then he contacts Pennsylvania congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) and gets him off a drink driving charge.
After Underwood gets him off the charge he convinces him to clean up his act and run for governor.
But when Russo’s plans clash with his lobbying interests, Underwood plots to derail his campaign.
Through a series of ruthless and violent manoevres Underwood makes it to the presidency.
But with many powerful enemies and murder to hide, there’s a long way to fall.