House of Cards (TV Series) Chapter 14 (2014) User Reviews

Holy moley!

[ChilaDappa · 10/10 · 14 February 2014]

Talk about the perfect way to start off a season.

I did not see that coming. Is it me or is TV better than cinema these days?

The writing is brilliant. I have a sneaky feeling I will be wasting my whole weekend away.

Netflix has hit this one out the park again. No letdown.

Never realized until to today what Frank's initials where. LOL. Way too funny.

I thought Zoe was going to be a crucial part of the cast going forward. I guess not!

Wow!

"For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy"

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 26 April 2019]

Season 1 was a more than solid season, even with a slight and understandable finding its feet feel that a lot of shows have when they first start, all the episodes ranged from good ("Chapter 8") to brilliant (a vast majority of the season, all but five out of thirteen). So as consistent as can be. So of course there was always going to be big interest in how Season 2 was going to start and turn out.

Regarding "Chapter 14", now this is how to start off a season. Future season openers should learn from this. An episode that sets things up for what is to come, follows on from previous events and builds upon them, all without being repetitive, introduces new conflicts and such and it does feel like the storytelling and characterisation is advancing. It has lost none of what made Season 1 as solid as it was, and actually consider it the best episode up to this point of 'House of Cards' and that is no easy feat. A fond reminder of back when 'House of Cards' was such a great show that was among the most watchable and addictive, before it declined so drastically in the past two seasons.

"Chapter 14" was utterly riveting and gripped me from the get go. It didn't feel contrived or over-convenient and the cynical edge has always been an interest point of the show rather than a problem. The pace is again just right, the deliberate feel of it never was a problem for me when 'House of Cards' was in its prime. After directing the very good "Chapter 10" and the brilliant "Chapter 11" in the first season, Carl Franklin returns as director in his penultimate episode for the show, the last being the next episode "Chapter 15". Again providing alert yet accomodating direction and showing that he had a sure hand and knew what he was doing.

Visually, as ever "Chapter 14" looks slick and stylish, with lots of atmosphere and no trouble with cohesion, so there is nothing to complain about on that front. The music knew when to have presence and when to tone things down to let the dialogue and characters properly speak, with again some very clever sound quality.

Once again, there is plenty of sharpness, bite and probing thought in the writing. Can never get enough of the writing for Frank and his as ever chillingly cynical monologues (those last lines). The story is always absorbing and rich in tension between the characters, there is a lot to digest but it comes together and doesn't feel bloated. The characters never cease to fascinate, or so when 'House of Cards' was in its prime that is, and the character interaction blisters. The acting is without complaint, Kevin Spacey particularly.

In conclusion, brilliant. 10/10

House of Cards - Speechless

[emilsn91 · 10/10 · 27 August 2014]

This short review is written right after the episode ended and I am speechless.

This episode is the best opening of a season, I have ever watched. It picks up right after season 1, and at the end you have no idea where this will end. I am speechless

The script was well written and the pacing of it was magnificent. Following Zoey and the other two journalists trying to uncover the story about Peter's death. Frank finding a replacement and getting ready to be announced as the next VP. It all climaxes in something I would declare as TV history.

I believe that this episode will go down in history as one of the best. I even believe it was stronger then most of Breaking Bads episodes. House of Cards is in the run to become one of the ten best shows in history.

And I am ready to watch TV history unfold before my eyes.

Setting the Table

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 1 February 2015]

Frank offers the job of majority whip to a relatively inexperience young woman, potentially disrupting the Washington pecking order. This would give him direct control. Russo's murder is on the table and Zoe is getting too close. She finds some incriminating evidence. Underwood tells her to get rid of all phone communications and offers her a connection to the Presidency once he is confirmed for Vice President. Claire wants to become pregnant and is investigating, but Frank is still mulling over the possibility and is his usually cold self. Doug is hiding Rachel and she has no say in her future. Zoe and her cohorts are piecing things together. They suspect murder and are going to the limit. Then something happens that comes as a total shock to anyone who has been viewing this series from the start.

SOOO GOOD

[eoghanf-47187 · 10/10 · 25 March 2021]

This is starting to remind me of some Breaking Bad moments and I absolutely love it.

Just WOW

[gabrielandresbrancol-594-922308 · 9/10 · 4 May 2014]

I cannot stop watching at it. It has some "imperfections" but nothing to be worry about. I didn't know about this series until I have been tell by a friend of mine living in US, and I just watch the first season in just 3 days, and now Im watching the second one. All characters has a very rich content, the power as a major price against the money and Frank character, just an amoral (not moral neither unmoral, just amoral) with a particular view of facts to take decisions... it blow my mind. I want more! please people keep doing this great series!

Thanks a lot!

In order to begin a new chapter on a clean slate, you need to annihilate the indelible mark that you once created.

[eldreddsouza · 10/10 · 21 January 2021]

This is the episode you don't just watch, but one which you completely grasp and study. This will make you revise the entire story till date. It won't show you a recap or anything, but will make you do the hard work. This is the kind of episode that gets the word around the world that there's something so, so great you can't help but check out. This is the kind of episode where you do not want to go give how much ratings you are allowed at Max to give. I wish I could break that star button of IMDB and score this 10 times more than the max permissible limit. I've never been more invested in any other show than I have been in HOC. I can't wait to explore the characters and fInd out just exactly who is this guy Francis. What the hell is he going to do next. Why is what he's doing so damn significant for him and what more is he willing to do in order to achieve his goals. And one more thing, F U.

FU (cuffs) Kids

[bobbybits · 14 February 2014]

What the hell are they selling here? I Had my hopes up now not convinced. What a lazy way for Zoe to go. The thought process behind that was exactly? A smart phone doesn't have a SIM or hard drive because a simple delete gets rid of all data/information. There is no such thing as any recovery. The text message, calls, wouldn't be tracked in a questionable profession, murder/suicide from a public face. Forgetting all stations have CCTV, even blind spots are monitored, showing suspicions behaviour as everything is recorded. The VP likes to get his hands really dirty in public places. Cmon now if this opening spells out the beginning of this season we are in trouble on what was a reasonably intelligent show previously.

I am sure that the attention span is captivated by squealing for more thoughtless carnage, explained in such fine words. Kitties purr, cats meow, but tigers are endangered, having suicidal tendencies, it is coming right at me, because real power comes from having the bigger gun.. Moo, you don't say so.

I hate Frank Underwood (and Claire)

[scorpiusflame · 8/10 · 19 October 2021]

Why is this the highest rated episode ? So many people enjoyed Frank killing Zoe. So sad. I like a surprise too but Frank is just horrible person who can do whatever he wants without facing consequences. Probably the most villain main character can be, using power and status to do whatever they want (including covering up these murders). I'm not really sure they covered them up or the police is just idiot. I mean if you really want to be a corrupt politician, at least don't kill innocent people! (and get away with it). So frustrating to watch. I don't think he ever gonna be convicted with these murders. Tell me I'm wrong. If I'm not, then maybe I should stop here. The only way I'm continuing this is Frank facing murder charges in this season or early next season at the latest. If not, it's not worth it.

House of cards(séries 5).

[lasloudjikamel · 10/10 · 26 May 2019]

Wonderful movies(series 5).I enjoy it a lot and I'll hope got more series of the same one.

😘

You had me then...

[dalefl · 7/10 · 3 February 2021]

This is strictly a review of the (ahem) murder. Firstly, I like this show. A lot. But that was really an "oh brother" moment. My wife and I just shook our heads. Raise your hand if you've ever been in a DC Metro station. I have many, many times. There is CCTV literally everywhere. Even in out of the way corners. Even if Underwood wasn't on camera committing the crime he surely would have been on 25 others as he entered and exited and he would have stuck out like a sore thumb to anyone reviewing the footage due to the cloak and dagger get up he was wearing. If that didn't do it then someone would have recognized him since he's been all over the tv for quite awhile. If that didn't do it then the fact that he was quickly walking away from the "accident scene" while everyone else was running toward it. Yet no one saw him and (spoiler for next episode) the only footage was from one camera with a bad angle when there should have been enough to see everyone on the platform from every angle imaginable. And if that doesn't do it then ask yourself why a US Congressman would pick such a public place for a meeting to find out whether she had enough info to finger him for murder. He could have picked a million out of the way places for that meeting but instead he wants to have it on a metro platform? All Mark Felt did was leak information about Watergate to the Post but he had enough sense to meet in an out of the way parking garage at night and nobody ever knew it was him until he actually came out and said it himself. I can't believe that the writers couldn't come up with a better way for that to happen and I'd be willing to bet that, in retrospect, they probably can't either.

An unearned finale to a pointless plotline.

[morosezaragoza · 3/10 · 4 January 2019]

"Chapter 14" was terrible. Probably the worst episode yet. And I've just learned that people ate it up, because it seems they love when writers waste their time, have their characters commit to nonsensical actions, and then rub the audience's noses in it afterwards. A common defence of the show I see from people is something along the lines of, "People hate this show because it's cynical". Maybe that's why certain people hate it, but that's not my reason. If anything, that's one of the show's assets.

No, I'm starting to hate the show because they think that being cynical is good enough on its own to carry a show. It's not. When Game of Thrones punishes the audience, it feels earned. When Breaking Bad punishes the audience, it feels earned. Even something lighter in tone like Orange is the New Black accomplishes this fairly well in its first few series. But when this show punishes the audience, it feels like it's because the writers believe this tool in itself has value, when in reality the true goal of punishing the audience is to make them feel emotionally torn for investing in characters and to make them hate the villains enough to stay tuned. I don't feel foolish for investing in these characters so much as for investing in the writers. And my hate is not directed at Frank; instead, it's directed at them.

The finale directly tells the audience "F. U." for being upset at what just happened, but the actual issue with this is that nothing I just watched made any sense and logically it would have just made everything worse for Frank. It has a built-in defence of, "If you hate this episode, you're playing into our hands". That's cheap, and it's lazy. In one fell swoop, it discarded 4 previous episodes of plot, and did it in such a way that felt completely unearned, and only there to incense the audience. It's as if they think being alienating is the same thing as being provocative - that they think people will be talking about this moment, and it will make people want to watch the show. Maybe that worked back when the episode first aired, but it's bad writing through and through, and premised on the idea that the writers toying with the audience is charming because Frank lampshades it with one of his patented monologues.

No, I didn't believe for a second that you forgot about us, Frank, because these writers are predictable, superficial, and fall back on the same formulae again and again. But thanks for checking in, you moustache-twirling cliche.

Cold blooded murder ?

[mrwb77 · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

The murder scene is ridiculous. In a public place with CCTV and potentially hundreds of witnesses. Makes no sense at all. More so since the other journalists knew she was meeting Frank. Deleting contacts isn't going to fool anyone.

Unless the show becomes a court room and prison drama after this episode... Such sloppy writing will ruin the show.

It's pretty inconceivable Franck won't have killed before when he's managed two murders in the space of a few episodes which is a few weeks or months at most in the timeline of the show.

Why is it so hard to get good writing in this TV era. Most shows end up going down because of it!

wow black and white

[clistlondon · 15 February 2014]

I think this is a great series and I love watching the show but I think the costumes are BAD. Everyone was wearing black or white. Like maybe someone should tell the costume designer that we all have color TV. It just seems completely boring and soul -less to have all the characters wearing no color at all. Maybe the costume designer doesn't have a soul? And Robin Wright looked like a sausage in those tight tops. She is way too old for that kind of look and she has no waist at all. If you have no waist its not very flattering to wear a skin tight top in white with a black bottom, just cut off at the middle like that....makes you look too chunky. Older women should never dress so harshly.