User reviews

The moment I heard they are gonna drop Kevin Spacey, I knew season 6 is going to lose its soul & suck hard... But they re-defined sucking in season 6... Although it started even before that announcement when Claire Underwood broke the 4th wall and stole the intimacy between the audience and Frank Underwood... Yeah that was when all the charm and anticipation went out of the window for the next season... This sets a new precedence where a stark contrast between season 1 & season 6 shows the greatness and ridiculousness of a good show exhibiting itself... The ones who made the the decisions to completely ruin the legacy should be ashamed & retire... I would love to give this show 1/10 because of season 6 but I am keeping my original rating intact for all the goodness of previous seasons... PATHETIC...

I loved this series, Kevin Spacey made this show awesome. As soon as he was gone the show just went from brilliant to bad. The plot didn't work and the character chemistry was gone. So unfortunate - this could have been one of the most iconic tv series in history.

House of Cards is about a ruthless politician (Kevin Spacy) and his wife (Robin Wright) who go to any lengths and do anything to get what they want. It really is as good as everyone says and I now understand why it won so many awards. I just watched this recently with all the free time because of the pandemic and I'm mad at myself for waiting so long. I originally gave it a try years ago but was got bored during the first few episodes so I stopped watching it, this time I powered through and next thing I knew I couldn't stop watching and binged the show pretty quickly. I do have to agree with most others here that the show dropped off a lot after Kevin Spacey left (or was fired and for good reason). It's really not even worth watching once he leaves. Spacey and Robin Wright were perfect for these roles and were both brilliant!

House of Cards really is as good as everyone says and I now understand why it won so many awards! I just watched this recently with all the free time because of the pandemic and I'm mad at myself for waiting so long. I originally gave it a try years ago but was bored the few episodes and stopped, this time I powered through and became addicted to the show. I have to agree with most others here that the show dropped off a lot after Kevin Spacey left (or was fired). Spacey and Robin Wright were perfect for these roles and were both brilliant!

I love spectacular TV-shows with amazing production values like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, but I have to say: although House of Cards has little interest in jaw-dropping images or gruesome make-up effects, it delivers just as many dark thrills to keep you glued to your seat as the action-heavy flagships of HBO and AMC. It's a testament to the writers', directors' and actors' talents that a show which mostly consists of people talking is as much a prime candidate for binge- watching as the shows I've mentioned before, so for those of you who haven't started watching it yet, be warned: House of Cards is highly addictive.

The show is based on the acclaimed BBC mini-series of the same name from 1990, but while the original show focused on the inner workings of British politics, the remake is entirely US based and concentrates on the rise of power-hungry congressman Francis Underwood who is played by Kevin Spacey. On the surface, the show might appear to be a political drama - which it certainly is - but it's also so much more than that. House of Cards combines a vast number of genres; it's a thriller, a love story, a black comedy and a satire - and a very interesting lesson in US politics, which, given creator Beau Willimon's profound knowledge on the subject (he used to work as a campaign aid for Hillary Clinton, Bill Bradley and Howard Dean), is probably a lot more accurate than what we would like to believe.

It's also worth mentioning that House of Cards was heavily inspired by certain works of William Shakespeare. The character of Francis Underwood is a combination of Richard III and Macbeth, and in true Shakespeare manner, he often addresses the audience directly to inform us of his evil schemes. As in the bard's two famous plays, the villain is also the protagonist and - to a certain degree - the person you root for. And what makes him so much fun and so compelling to watch here, is - regardless what you think of him as a person - Kevin Spacey's performance. Spacey's portrayal of a charming but deadly predator is simply perfect; despite the character's obvious willingness to go to extreme lengths to get what he wants, Spacey always keeps him believable and avoids the temptation of making him appear like a caricature or as over-the-top as Richard III in the play. But many of his co-stars are just as impressive; some of them actually downright outshine the famous oscar-winner, and especially Robin Wright gives an amazing performance as Underwood's equally ambitious wife and partner in crime (yes, season 6 is a let-down, especially the final episode, but that's not Wright's fault).

To sum up my overall impressions: Under the guidance of David Fincher (who serves as an executive producer on the show and also directed the first couple of episodes), Beau Willimon has developed one of the smartest and most entertaining TV-shows - with one of the most impressive casts - contemporary television has to offer. Seasons 1-5 are highly recommended.

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I firmly believe that one of the major aspects of what makes House of Cards so good is the ability to watch all the episodes back-to-back with no commercials or programming schedules to get in the way. This small but hugely significant idea will be an industry game changer and I am certain that this is just the beginning

To me, the biggest advantage that this idea contributes to House of Cards is that it frees up significant time during episodes because it makes things like flashbacks or repeats of events almost completely redundant. There's simply no need for them because everything is so fresh in your mind, which leaves all that extra time for more story, more action, more conspiracy, more drama, more of the stuff that viewers really want to see. However it must be said that it does take a few episodes to get used to this, and you have to be really switched on and completely focused to ensure you don't miss a beat, because you really will pay a price if you do because what's said is never repeated, only referenced further down the track

As for the show itself, I can't sum it up any better than by saying it's incredibly good to watch. The one aspect of the show I enjoy the most is the monologue, or removal of the fourth wall, between the viewer and Underwood. It's an incredibly effective method of storytelling as well as the expression of emotion or opinion, and Kevin Spacey does a superb job at pulling it off, along with every other aspect of his complex and intriguing character.

The quality of writing, directing, and storytelling is as good as you'll ever see on the best shows in the world right now. Underwood has a massive ship to steer, and it is fascinating watching how he does it, through manipulation, blackmail, greed and determination. Each and every character has a critical role to play - there's no characters you could cast aside as being irrelevant or unnecessary to the story. That is a very difficult feat to achieve, and House of Cards easily passes that test

If you're going to pioneer something, like Netflix have with how viewers can watch House of Cards, you have to do it well. Everything has to be perfect, otherwise it will flop. A top quality show in House of Cards coupled with the worlds best internet streaming service is a very very good place to start. Netflix and the House of Cards team deserve a huge round of applause for daring to go places where no one has gone before. The $100 million gamble has definitely paid off, and I cannot wait for more

Needless to say, House of Cards earns a 10/10 rating, and an absolute must-watch from me

No way around it, Season 6 was awful ...in every respect that the first few seasons excelled this fseason 6 failed.. Preposterous and confusing storylines, awful script, poor directing, the episodes had a soap opera like energy, as the saga provided empty thrills, and culminated in the most bizarre and ridiculous finale I've ever witnessed on television.... The first few seasons were great and deserved the highest of ratings; unfortunately Season 6 was a complete waste of time.

It's not the same without Kevin, he is one of the best actors out there and I'm so pleased to see he's got upcoming films coming out. This show is Kevin, unfortunately Robyn can't pull it off without him. A real shame too that the producers didn't back Kevin up.

This series was an exceptional political thriller, until Robin Wright destroyed the last season. This series didn't work without Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood. I gave this a 10 for the seasons Frank Underwood was the lead.

I've reviewed all the episodes for Season 6 but feel the need to respond to the entire season. There were moments where I felt engaged because of the clashes of evil that took place here. With the exception of the press people, I can't think of a single person I could admire. I know politics is often corrupt, but without Frank's leading us through his various enterprises. Claire is a psychopath, not much different from Doug, and the two of them basically cancel each other out. The sad thing is that I don't care what happens to them. Finally, I wonder how much fun this season would have been if Spacey hadn't screwed up. Claire's posturing throughout is really tiresome. She's sort of Lady Macbeth. She's sort of Cersei from "Game of Thrones." But what is missing is a developed plot. I still don't know what she wanted. Was it power or a godhead or what. Or was it just to punish men. This whole thing was a mess.

There should be a petition to reshoot s06 now Spacey has been cleared of any wrongdoing. The 6th season was already written with Sir Spacey as the main character. Netflix owes all the fans of this show some closure. I have refused to watch the 6th season for years now, waiting for the real life trial. One of the greatest actor in history was outcasted without a trail. Now 6 years, 2 presidents and a couple of wars later the fans deserve some closure. How many Netflix subscriptions were bought because of house of cards? Spacey was not the first and will not be the last victim of Netflix their cancel culture, it is time to right a wrong!

Simply not worth it anymore after Kevin Spacey left... the series lost all heart and soul...

I cannot recall ever watching a series ending in such a horrible manner. The plot was confusing and the entire storyline was ridiculous. How they drew this nonsense on for eight shows was amazing. The annoying background music throughout the entire series may the watching of this disaster even worse. My advice, watch Seasons 1-5 and then walk away.

I enjoyed every bit of HOC 1-5.. Both the lead actors and the supporting cast were excellent.. Season 6 is Dull as Ditchwater.. A painful watch.. If they did this so that the hundreds of workers on the show wouldn't lose their jobs that's sad.. The show which IMHO was the shining star of the Netflix stable has crashed and burned.. Robin Wright is a great actress but without Kevin Spacey, her acting is insipid and boring to say the least.. For HOC fans, stay with the happy memories of Seasons 1-5.this leaves a bitter aftertaste

Frank Underwood is what this show was all about. Its a sin to imagine this show without Kevin Spacey... Netflix, you destroyed such a wonderful show..

When I thought about Francis Urquhart of the original House of Cards series, I could not help but imagine Kevin Spacey in a way that was similar but a role of his own making. Spacey's role of Francis Underwood, in Netflix's original series, is nothing short of a tour de force. The convenience of being able to watch the whole season right away is also something to mention as a new, fresh and exciting method of television excellence. No longer do we have to wait and be fed slowly the episodes as we wonder what might happen and find ourselves somewhat disappointed -- now we can be swept away. And that's exactly what will happen to you when you sit down to watch this. 13/10.

This is one of the best shows; excellent story, good script, exceptional acting by everyone, and good cinematography. The fifth season was a bit slow, but, what's disappointing is Spacey's departure (removal, rather) from the show. No matter how good the others were, Spacey is what made this show perfect. Without him, there is no way the show can survive. The series has ended for me.

I was so looking forward to this, having been a big fan of the original BBC series, with its masterful central performance by Ian Richardson. In fact when I logged in to Netflix (like a lot of people, this show is my sign-up moment), I realised that my expectation level was really high.

Within the first 30 seconds, Kevin Spacey's character Frank Underwood has killed something- in this case dispatching an unfortunate dog which has been hit by a hit and run driver. And as the political intrigue starts to develop around him, Spacey just fills the screen. By the end of the first episode, it isn't so much that you have forgotten Ian Richardson as Urqhuart, Underwood's British cousin, but realised that Spacey is taking us somewhere different.

With Francis Urqhuart you got the impression he was always a psychopath, waiting for the trigger to start his Macchiavellian and murderous rise. Underwood seems to be just a more clever, more ruthless and less hypocritical politician than those around him. The fundamentals of the show - the scorned and bitter political back room fixer, the Lady Macbeth figure of Francis' wife, the ambitious young woman journalist, but all updated.

Mrs Underwood is no Tory wife, waiting "in the country" while her husband charts his rise to power. She is the one giving him the backbone to do it. And as we see her brutally wielding the axe at the charity in which she works, it becomes clear she is no slouch in the ruthlessness stakes herself.

The character of Zoe Barnes, the young reporter, is in a lot of ways more rounded than Matty Storin in the British version. Here she is ballsy, ambitious and a bit ruthless herself. While she retains the innocence of the character, she gives the impression she thinks she knows what she is doing. Which will make later episodes much more juicy as she realises she is way over her head.

The show is shot beautifully, as you'd expect from the calibre of the team behind it, and the production values are excellent. Supporting roles are great. It looks like a movie or The West Wing before they ran out of money.

But the undisputed joy of this series is Spacey, who is a more world-weary, more cynical Francis, and who is setting about his task of revenge and ambition much like he destroyed the unlucky dog at the start of episode 1: its an unpleasant task but someone has to do it.

Spacey is every bit as good as Ian Richardson in this show and Netflix's big gamble deserves to pay off.

If television series were ships, then "House of Cards" is without a doubt The Titanic. Both had their origins in the U. K. Both were launched amid much fanfare and had an amazing and fruitful beginning and middle run. And both slammed into an iceberg and ended in disaster! Of course this proverbial iceberg for "House of Cards" is Season 6.

It's sad to see how Netflix likes to launch amazingly popular and brilliant series only to stab them to death or just dump them far too soon. And, in the case of "House of Cards", it was because of the "Cancel Culture" bullcrap that is spreading like a cancer throughout our society.

Fortunately, seasons 1 through 5 can stand on their own, and they are a worthwhile watch. Kevin Spacey is one of the most talented actors out there, and what he did or didn't do 3 decades ago really doesn't matter. He made and carried "House of Cards", and without him, the show became pointless.

Enjoy the first 5 seasons. Then move on.

N. B. The 9/10 review is for Seasons 1 through 5 only.!

Just watched the first episode. It is outstanding in every sense of the word. Fist of all I'd like to say, Kevin Spacey is amazing. He's not the dull politician we're used to seeing, he's a deeply written character with nuances to his actions and speaking. You can definitely see Fincher's style in the first episode, at least. It contains some of the similar themes he has tackled before in his film and adds to those. He crafts the story very tightly woven and complex. Kate Mara is also great, she adds to the list of modern Fincher characters. I love the points of satire in Spacey's character and some of the symbolism used. The show is outstanding in every aspect, unlike a lot of other political dramas on TV, can't wait to watch the next episodes.

Definitely a must watch for any fan of TV or Fincher or anyone interested in this.

Fans of David Fincher and Kevin Spacey have been eagerly looking forward to House of Cards. Not only is this an opportunity to see an elite Hollywood director and actor take on a new medium, but it represents Netflix's first attempt at original programming (I guess Lilyhammer came first, but House of Cards is a much bigger investment for Netflix). The CEO of Netflix has said that House of Cards is meant to be a show on the quality level of the top cable stations, such as HBO, and the final product delivers on this promise.

House of Cards follows several characters involved in the political scene in Washington D.C., including politicians of various rank and influence (Kevin Spacey is a House Majority Whip in the House of Representatives) and an upcoming reporter played brilliantly by Kate Mara, who you may recognize from the first season of American Horror Story. The cast in uniformly excellent and thrives under Fincher's direction. Occasionally, Kevin Spacey's character will talk directly to the camera and offer some narration, which is the only area where the show stumbles, but it isn't too distracting. Speaking of Fincher's direction, it shouldn't come as any surprise to know that House of Cards looks great. The atmosphere is moody and resembles a tone somewhere between The Game and The Social Network. The music is equally good, complementing the mood of the show without becoming overbearing.

Being a political drama, one could be understandably weary of taking the plunge into a 13 episode season if they don't find politics interesting, but that shouldn't be a concern. The writing is sharp, engaging and clear, and the characters are interesting and well developed. The editing helps: it is tight and keeps the plot moving briskly, making the political intrigue both exciting and easy to follow.

Netflix has really created something impressive with House of Cards. When hearing that an online streaming service was creating an original show, some may have been concerned that it would be cheap looking and generally not on par with what AMC, FX, Showtime, and HBO are offering. Well, Netflix got some talented people and gave them the money to make something good, and the product speaks for itself. House of Cards comes highly recommended.

From the start, Kevin Spacey captivates & impresses with his his portrayal as the Machiavellian chief whip. The dialogue is superb, the editing tight, & the plot moves at just the right pace.

I'm 7 episodes in at the moment & so far it hasn't missed a beat. I remember the original house of cards on the BBC in the early 90's, & at first hearing there would be a US remake, had some concerns, how would they ever match up to the quality & acting, would they still do the Jacobean theatre style breaking of the 4th wall speaking directly to the audience? I needn't have worried, Kevin Spacey handles the role with aplomb, although Ian Richardson originally had a hint of a twinkle in his eye when about to pull peoples strings, Kevin Spacey is far more emotionless, cold blooded & menacing. Both work equally for the part.

Launching on Netflix was a brave move & I really appreciate being able to binge on episode after episode, of this exciting intelligent new drama.

'House of Cards' much of the time was one of the most compelling shows. Sadly, it has also become one of the most frustrating. Not since 'Once Upon a Time' and 'The Walking Dead', and before that 'Lost' has such a brilliant show of great promise declined so rapidly.

Lets start with the many great things first. For the first four seasons, 'House of Cards' was seriously addictive, must-watch television and very quickly became one of my favourite shows. Throughout its run, it's one of the most stylish and most atmospheric shows personally seen, with cinematic-quality photography and production design. The direction was smart and intelligent, especially the first two episodes with David Fincher's, to me one of the better directors of the last twenty five or so years, involvement (the first episode earning Fincher a Primetime Emmy) and the music knew when to have presence and when to tone things down to let the dialogue and characters properly speak.

Also smart is the writing. Biting, thought-provoking and tightly structured, the writing in Seasons 1 to 4 was an example to all television. The political elements were intriguing and not heavy-handed, a problem so common in film but avoided in 'House of Cards'. The stories didn't go at a "fast" pace but it never dragged in the show's prime days, and they were also very layered, had variety and were suitably complex without being convoluted.

The characters engaged and intrigued, Frank being another example of one of contemporary television's most fascinating lead characters. 'House of Cards' throughout has been so strongly acted, with Kevin Spacey on tour-De-force form and Robin Wright giving career-best work.

So it just feels incredibly frustrating that a show of such brilliance in its prime declined so rapidly in Season 5, to the extent that it feels like a completely different show altogether. The production values and acting have remained top notch, but even they can't save the show being the complete anti-thesis of what it used to be.

Pace became incredibly draggy, thanks to flabby writing, simplistic characterisation that is suggestive of the writers not knowing what to do to progress the characters and stories that have become repetitive, both devoid of complexity and confused, ridiculous and like the writers have run out of ideas.

It to me was no surprise when it was announced that Season 6 would be 'House of Cards' last season, but it is somewhat saddening that production has now been suspended/cancelled following the Kevin Spacey sexual assault allegations that have now cost Spacey his future on the show (and done serious damage to his career). Season 5 cried out for another season, so that the show has ended on an incomplete note because of the controversy is a real pity, despite Season 5 being such a disappointment 'House of Cards' as an overall show deserves better than that.

Overall, brilliant for the first four seasons but Season 5 was so disappointing, enough to bring down the rating considerably. 7/10 Bethany Cox

How do you go from 10 to zero in sixty seconds? Kevin Spacey WAS the show. You should have just cancelled if you wouldn't bring him back! So I guess he really wasn't acting after all?