It could have almost passed off as a finale for House of Cards' season number one, but no, the intense, main-character-dispatching eleventh chapter is merely a set-up for the last two instalments in the Netflix series's first year, proving an interesting thing once again: that it's all about Frank on this show.
And he, played perfectly by Kevin Spacey, does some stuff in this episode that I believe to exceed the routine actions of the average American politician. Killing a man, for example. The seven minutes the conversation between dead drunk Peter (pardon) and vicious Frank takes up are intense to watch and excellently constructed, part of that being because of its length – I can hardly think of any other scene lasting as long in House of Cards' first season, which shows the emphasis that is laid on these seven minutes – but also because of the downright phenomenal acting performances by Spacey and Corey Stall. The first, examining his location for every little detail before he makes his deadly move and lulling the second, dozing off on the passenger seat while slurring apologies, to sleep in the style of an insanely creepy meditator, establishes himself as a pure villain with this move and sets up a great storytelling opportunity for the following episodes. The final events in Peter's life are of similar sad greatness, his drunken goodbyes to the people he loves most are painful to watch and make his demise even more tragic.
Whenever the episode cut away from this story arc though, to show Zoe using her new boyfriend Lucas as a psychiatrist or Claire and Adam photographing strangers in the park and hoping they don't catch them (if they do, it still makes for a phenomenal shot), I couldn't help but feel out of place. Romantic sub-plots are simply bound to turn pale in comparison to the series's heaviest moments yet and even if these scenes aren't bad filmmaking at all, they were not what I wanted to see when watching the episode. Other than that, chapter eleven excludes big flaws and is a well-written, thrilling hour of filmmaking.
Memoranda: It must be fun to set up an apartment as if it had just been rearranged by a drunken man if you're a set designer. Whenever Britons and Americans converse, I feel as if they're subliminally teaching the other how to correctly pronounce the words they are saying. What a great change of roles from the last episode with Frank and Stamper discussing the current events in the Underwood residence. "Pick up.", "Answer me." – Maybe Frank should try smileys in his text messages to persuade his wife of returning home. Who sleeps with necklaces and bracelets on? Probably no one but Adam Gallaway. I've always considered her to be one of the most three- dimensional and interesting supporting characters in the series and Rachel's reaction to Peter's death is by far the most touching. No "hearts going out" to Christina in Frank's press statement about Peter's death at the end of the chapter? Best quote: "I make a habit of considering all trajectories in any given situation." – His wonderful way of expressing himself is really one of the few positive features of Frank.
And he, played perfectly by Kevin Spacey, does some stuff in this episode that I believe to exceed the routine actions of the average American politician. Killing a man, for example. The seven minutes the conversation between dead drunk Peter (pardon) and vicious Frank takes up are intense to watch and excellently constructed, part of that being because of its length – I can hardly think of any other scene lasting as long in House of Cards' first season, which shows the emphasis that is laid on these seven minutes – but also because of the downright phenomenal acting performances by Spacey and Corey Stall. The first, examining his location for every little detail before he makes his deadly move and lulling the second, dozing off on the passenger seat while slurring apologies, to sleep in the style of an insanely creepy meditator, establishes himself as a pure villain with this move and sets up a great storytelling opportunity for the following episodes. The final events in Peter's life are of similar sad greatness, his drunken goodbyes to the people he loves most are painful to watch and make his demise even more tragic.
Whenever the episode cut away from this story arc though, to show Zoe using her new boyfriend Lucas as a psychiatrist or Claire and Adam photographing strangers in the park and hoping they don't catch them (if they do, it still makes for a phenomenal shot), I couldn't help but feel out of place. Romantic sub-plots are simply bound to turn pale in comparison to the series's heaviest moments yet and even if these scenes aren't bad filmmaking at all, they were not what I wanted to see when watching the episode. Other than that, chapter eleven excludes big flaws and is a well-written, thrilling hour of filmmaking.
Memoranda: It must be fun to set up an apartment as if it had just been rearranged by a drunken man if you're a set designer. Whenever Britons and Americans converse, I feel as if they're subliminally teaching the other how to correctly pronounce the words they are saying. What a great change of roles from the last episode with Frank and Stamper discussing the current events in the Underwood residence. "Pick up.", "Answer me." – Maybe Frank should try smileys in his text messages to persuade his wife of returning home. Who sleeps with necklaces and bracelets on? Probably no one but Adam Gallaway. I've always considered her to be one of the most three- dimensional and interesting supporting characters in the series and Rachel's reaction to Peter's death is by far the most touching. No "hearts going out" to Christina in Frank's press statement about Peter's death at the end of the chapter? Best quote: "I make a habit of considering all trajectories in any given situation." – His wonderful way of expressing himself is really one of the few positive features of Frank.