Netflix hits it out of the park with its first meaningful foray into original programming. As the first highly anticipated and heavily promoted series produced by Netflix, House of Cards has a lot to live up to. Thankfully Executive producer David Fincher (The Social Network) and star Kevin Spacey have crafted one the most engrossing political dramas since the West Wing. House of Cards marks a fascinating direction in the distribution of programming. Advertised as a 13 episode season, Netflix's instinct to release every episode on the same day allowing someone to theoretically watch the entirety of the show at once with no wait time is bold though not unprecedented. The way people consume television has changed drastically in the past 10 years or so as streaming services and DVR have allowed people to catch up at their own pace without having to worry about airtime or dates. Netflix has always been one step ahead of the curve getting into DVD by mail simply to sustain their venture into online streaming, so it wouldn't be a reach to think the notion of releasing what is generally a several months worth of television in a single day is the next step in television consumption.
But what really matters here is the quality of the show and House of Cards does not disappoint. Telling the story of Frank Underwood the House Majority Whip who is denied his promised seat as Secretary of State after the election. In turn Underwood sets in motion a plan to not only regain control of his seat but to brilliantly usurp the power structure within the White House. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as Underwood and gives an engrossing sadistically charming performance making his success and failures immensely engaging. The supporting cast also elevates the show with individual stories spiraling out from Underwood's revenge plot that eventually envelops a Pennsylvania congressman a young ambitious journalist and a power hungry cold-hearted wife. The cute fourth wall breaking moments are incredibly charming and Spacey sells it in a show that typically wouldn't call for it. The show never loses focus and maintains the same high caliber of performances and constant power struggle throughout its entire season even going so far as to making simple legislation interesting. House of Cards has to be commended for making a plot filled with characters you want to see through, from Underwood's manipulation of those around him, to a journalist willing to cross ethically boundaries to rise to the top. A feat made even more addictive by having the entire season available to you from the start.
The buzz around the shows first season has been incredibly high, and while a lot of the media attention can be attributed to it being a huge new venture for Netflix, House of Cards stands as one of the best political dramas regardless of its delivery mechanism. Hopefully House of Cards nets Netflix more subscribers and shows how much people want great new original content, we are living in a new age of television, it would be fantastic to have yet another avenue for fantastic original content. House of Cards is a wonderfully produced engrossing political drama filled with fantastic performances that may very well be a stepping stone in the possible future of television programming, its a must see for all the above reason and completely justifies a Netflix subscription.
(5 out of 5)
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