Season 6 is uniformly considered the worst 'House of Cards' season, and near-universally maligned for reasons more than understandable. Personally completely agree with this consensus and the reasons given for the negativity, and this is coming from somebody who felt this way before reading any reviews to begin with but didn't know how to articulate them in the way they have been very well. That was before reading some and seeing how they felt the same way and don't have much to add.
"Chapter 70" is to me the best, or at least the least bad, episode of Season 6 generally. It is the least dull pace-wise, it at least attempts to move the story forward in a major way and it is the one that is the most eventful and least muddled. It is still majorly problematic however, with the writing and characterisation still the dubious same. For the same reasons as with the previous four episodes and some of what is revealed is some of the most ridiculous of the season.
One of the few assets that was consistently fine, until the very end that is, was the production values. Namely the photography, which has not lost its slickness and class. The lighting and setting are also atmospheric. It is the best acted episode, generally, of the season, Michael Kelly particularly.
It has to be said though that Diane Lane comes off reasonably well too, mostly for her stunned expression when seeing the all-female cabinet. Pace-wise, "Chapter 70" is the least dull of the season's eight episodes and moves things forward the most of the eight too. Or at least attempts to.
However, Claire by now has lost everything that made her a great character when with and against Frank, the appropriate iciness of before now completely robotic. Robin Wright is a pale shadow of what she showed in the first five seasons, here and throughout the season it was like she had grown tired of the role. The dialogue continues to be awkward and the fatigue and contrivance is present throughout the whole duration. For example, the dialogue and delivery of Claire's 4th wall breaking is very wooden, painfully so.
Despite appreciating the attempts to progress the storytelling, any revelations are ridiculous and borderline implausible and shoe-horned in. Instead of really intriguing me or entertaining me, the few politics went over my head. Claire's decision making is quite illogical, while appreciating again that she finally makes a move it is sadly to me not a remotely buyable one. Despite the pacing being the best it was all season, the story still doesn't engage and the clarity generally isn't there. Duncan has got to be the dumbest character in 'House of Cards' history, while the music score is far too over the top and more akin to a Gothic horror or something rather than a political drama.
Summing up, the best of a pretty poor season but a million light-years away from being top-'House of Cards' standard. 4/10
