'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
