In House Of Cards season 3 has Frank Underwood lost his devilish USP?
Michael takes a spoiler-filled look at a show in transition…
The analogy is imperfect, I admit, but its all academic now anyway.
As soon as Frank rapped his knuckles on the desk in the Oval Office, he entered uncharted territory.
Or perhaps there isnt.
Like its protagonists rise, this development takes a little while to complete, perhaps even thirteen entire episodes.
Its not a decline.
Well, not exactly.
The asides to camera are much reduced in number and are less expository than they were in earlier seasons.
The result is that it makes the viewer less of an accomplice and more of a confidant.
This too is largely a function of position.
Furthermore, as president, he has far less privacy from which to pull his strings.
There is nowhere for him to hide.
It means that Underwoods domestic political enemies are, once again, his fellow Democrats.
Theres an obvious hierarchy of dramatic importance and the global-political issues are secondary to the private ones.
However, none of that really matters, especially when the results are this entertaining.
Its an unedifying spectacle but it proves thatCardscan be angry and meaningful when it wants to be.
The difference in their status is played with ironically.
If he is more casually attired, its because he can afford to be.
Their ultimate break was the denouement of a story arc that again proved this to be a transitionary season.
It seems that whatever legend they have chosen to build about themselves, this was ever the case.
These are increasingly people without a hinterland, absent of any other interest than politics.
These are people who no longer even have truth and probably never have.
If it can no longer supply that, well maybe there really is only one way to go.
