Chapter 7

House of Cards is extremely consistent about its episodic quality, at least in its first season, and the seventh chapter blends into that right away. The writers know how to push the story forward without spelling everything out loud in capital letters, the actors make the most out of usually not highly demanding scenes, and everything is shot beautifully – most of all the smoking, looking way too beautiful for something that unhealthy.

However, and even though this might be something that is actually planned to be this way, I'd like to point it out, the series is too positive in these 50 minutes. Frank, Stamper, Peter, Zoe, and all the others just do what they want to do and everything works out well, which is quite the exact opposite of what you hear from actual politics on an everyday basis. This not only gives the series a touch that is slightly above the ground of reality, but, considerably graver, makes House of Cards less entertaining.

Yet, that isn't the hugest of criticisms and I very much enjoyed the episode, especially the story part of Stamper and Rachel, giving more insight into their respective characters and showing that, while they're not the biggest do-gooders, they can be pretty nice.

Memoranda: • Very well-made panning shot with the President and the VP encountering in the White House hallway by cinematographer Eigil Bryld! • Zoe playing The XX at her home – plus ten sympathy points for her! Oh, and another ten for that heart-phallus drawing of hers on the window. • I've never been to one myself, but I highly doubt you'll see that many smiling people at the beginning of an AA meeting. • The White House on this series just has the most phenomenal set design; it's a pleasure seeing it in every single scene. • Sebastian Arcelus is another amusing addition to the House of Cards actors who are really talented at playing their characters in a drunken state. • Yes, Kevin Spacey was creepy in that last scene of this chapter, but once you've seen Se7en, this scene basically becomes the epitome of creepy. • Best quote: everything coming out of the mouth of Kenneth Tigar as Walter Doyle, Frank's associate who dissects Peter's shady past as smoothly as possibly. It really would have been great to see more of him on this series.

'House of Cards' was one of those shows that was sheer brilliance in its prime, so the first four seasons. Unfortunately it went downhill dramatically in Season 5, have made no secret of feeling that it felt like a different show entirely here, and the pointless (at least Season 5 had Frank and Kevin Spacey, without them a gigantic hole has been left) Season 6 has been even worse.

Directing his first of two episodes, he also directed the next episode (very like with David Fincher, James Foley and Joel Schumacher did before him in directing two episodes each), Charles McDougall acquits himself really quite well. The previous six episodes compelled more from personal opinion and directed with more distinction generally, especially Fincher's contributions, but this is not saying that as a knock, just in comparison. "Chapter 7" is still a very good episode all the same, although for me the weakest episode of 'House of Cards' at this early and consistently strong stage, much of it great actually thanks to what was so good previously still present.

It is agreed that parts of "Chapter 7" are a touch pat and other parts on the forced side.

Occasional suspension of disbelief is needed, which was not a problem in the first five episodes ("Chapter 6" had moments of it).

Conversely, "Chapter 7" cannot be faulted in the production values, am continuing to love the stylishness and the ending is especially well shot. 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. The dialogue is intelligently and structured tightly, all flowing smoothly without ever being cheesy or childish. Frank and Zoe have some mini-masterpieces of exchanges here. Again, the politics don't preach and didn't leave me confused, and this is coming from somebody who is not really a political animal in real life.

Much of the storytelling is very absorbing, it is suitably intricate and not hard to follow, and the balance of characters and storytelling is getting better all the time and more equal. Also really liked how well it sets things up while progressing what one already knows, without resorting to repetition, and advancing the characterisation in a way that is actually the most personal the show was at this point. Frank is still a juicy character and Zoe, Doug and Peter are becoming meatier all the time. Once again, have no issues with the acting with Kevin Spacey and Kate Mara both terrific and sharing a chemistry that's tense and witty.

Summarising, very good episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The House of cards is getting more personal here in this episode. We get to see more personal side of every character.