Netflix's House of Cards is out today... *SPOILERS* thread to talk about it?

[diabeticman]

Yeah, I know kind of sad but this is how the wife and I are spending Valentine's day.
Anyone want to talk about it... Check in.



OMG ZOE


We have seen the British version and figure it would stay true but wow

[LynneSin]

1. I just finished it 5 minutes and I'm absolutetly PISSED!!!

I'm going to have to wait another 364 days to find out what happens next??!!!

This season was so much better than last and the ending was amazing. It reminded me a bit like watching the first season of Survivor - back when no one had any clue what to do with the game. And you could see Richard playing all the contestants perfectly against each other until the end he came out the winner.

What's worse is I truly think Garrett was always innocent.

And you think Zoe was a shocker wait til you get to the end of Chapter 24

WOWZA

[Flaxbee]

3. We'll probably be through most of it this weekend..

I'm already stunned, 4 episodes in.

This show is just riveting. Love it.

[Flaxbee]

2. Husband and I just watched the first 4 episodes.

The first episode of this season was more ruthless than almost the entirety of the last season combined... you could see the hesitation over Peter, but not a single second thought about Zoe.

I was stunned.

[LynneSin]

4. As ruthless as Frank is I still think Claire is more ruthless

She makes Macbeth's mother look like Mother Theresa.

[sarge43]

5. "I don't know whether to be proud or terrified. Maybe both?"

Buttercup is now a long time ago in a ...., well, you know.

(Macbeth's wife. His mother was probably equally bloody minded)

[LynneSin]

6. Sorry that was Hamlet who had the crazy mother

Been ages since I've read my Shakespeare.

But you get the jist of it. Claire is ruthless and I love her. If anything the Underwoods are a modern day MacBeth and I look forward to both of them getting their comeuppance - but not at least for another 4-5 seasons.

It's weird - I am torn whether or not in the end of HoC when they stop making new seasons should the Underwoods finally pay for all of their crimes or allow them to get away with it.

[sarge43]

7. I think we'll have one more season

It's following the British version fairly closely

At least Claire had the humanity to have some remorse

[NV Whino]

32. Claire scares the shit out of me

Frank is predictable. You never trust him. He's always out for Frank. Fool me once... and all that. Claire, on the other hand, is not predictable. Do not tangle with Claire on any level!

[LynneSin]

38. I honestly believed up until the end of the 2nd episode of season #2

that Claire really wanted to have a baby.

Turns out she was just trying to trap Gillian into a corner where she either had to take the money or allow her baby to die.

That was just fucked up Claire.

Even the subtle things that she does - like getting the First Lady jealous of Christina. Next thing you know the First family is in therapy and it comes out the Prez was taking valium. You know that in a way Claire had that all planned. She's killer like that.

[nytemare]

8. I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you!

I think I jumped off the sofa a little bit with the Zoe thing. The previews made it seem like she would be a big part of the season.

And episode 11 of the new season!

[LynneSin]

9. She was a big part of the show

But that's because her death helped build new plotlines

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I can't figure out what's going on with Claire.

I mean, first she wants to have a baby, then she doesn't.

And why is she threatening her former pregnant employee?

I just have no clue.

Any of you all know what's the deal?

[sarge43]

11. The web Claire wove Possible spoiler

1. The employee, Gillian Cole, didn't like the political deals Claire cut to secure funding for her pet project Clean Water Initiative. Went to the mat and Claire booted her.

2. Gillian sues Claire, claiming discrimination re the pregnancy

3. Claire goes through the medical drill about a middle age first pregnancy to secure information. She did this (1) leave no traceable trail and (2) the info is correct. There are vague hints Claire regretted not having children, but that was probably a McGuffin

4. She has Gillian's med records and knows she has to have an expensive med. Claire (read the small print) pulls Gillian's health insurance.

5. Claire then tells Gillian drop the suit and you have your meds and the Clean Water Initiative. Keep going and suffer a still birth.

Neither Frank nor Claire are sadists; they are stone cold ruthless. Borrowing the Body Heat meme, they do what is necessary.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Ah, thank you, my dear sarge43!

That is very helpful. And it all makes sense.

[Duer 157099]

17. Spoiler

When Claire visited Gillian at her home and Gillian admits to lying, and that she "learned it from her" (Claire) -- I for sure thought Claire would have recorded that conversation. Why didn't she? It would have been a slam dunk then. Sloppy for an Underwood.

[sarge43]

18. Quick and dirty, but it could have involved unwanted publicity.

Gillian still might have taken the suit to court. Claire may well have recorded the conversation as backup. However, threatening Gillian's baby was guaranteed to make her back down. Plus, Gillian learned a very important lesson -- don't take on the Underwoods. Further, good story telling -- underlines what Frank and Claire are capable of. Any player can record a conversation. Only a sensei threatens at that level.

[LynneSin]

24. She never wanted a baby

She wanted to make the lawsuit go away and knew that normal means would not work. Gillian was not willing to settle even though her lawyers strongly recommended it. By threatening Gillian's unborn child she had the tools to end the lawsuit. But Claire wasn't totally dirty - she did give Gilluan control of CWI. Claire knew she had to step down.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Can someone explain how Netflix episodes work?

They dumped ALL the season 2 episodes on the same day? Or did I miss it the first time they ran?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. I believe that's what they did: all the episodes are available on the first day.

They did the same thing with Season one.

[Baitball Blogger]

15. Dang! There goes my productive week.

[NV Whino]

33. Netflix is attempting something new by dumping an entire season at once

I think it will change TV.

[Baitball Blogger]

36. It will change it.

[Duer 157099]

16. I watched the BBC version instead and enjoyed it immensely

Much more than the American version. Three seasons and they are all on Netflix too.

[NV Whino]

19. Here's something that is puzzling me

Claire and Frank's sexuality.

1. They are affectionate and appear deeply in love.
2. But, I don't recall them ever participating in the sexual act with each other.
3. Frank screwed Zoe. No question there.
4. Claire screwed Alan–but did we actually see the act? I don't remember. Somebody correct me if I missed something.
5. Claire and Frank and Secret Service agent get it on, but we don't see who screwed whom.

I'm thinking Frank is sexually active, but Claire isn't. (Possibly because of the rape and abortions.) But she accepts Frank's needs and takes pleasure when he is satisfied, whether it be porn or an affair. Frank is indulgent of her need for love (Alan), whether or not it is consummated, and in fact hopes that it is.

Anybody have thoughts on this?

[Myrina]

20. Frank also had a college tryst with a male roomie.

Remember the eppy in S1 where they met at a reunion or somesuch & sat around afterward, alone, "reminscing" about how they felt for each other?

I think Frank is a carnivo-sexual ... he does who/what he needs/wants as a means to an end.

[NV Whino]

21. I had forgotten about that

He certainly has a means justifies the end approach, but that doesn't explain the secret service guy. Yet.

[Myrina]

22. I'm on S2 eppy 7

And I honestly have no fucking clue what's going on this season. Am I getting too old to follow along?

[NV Whino]

25. Hang in there

It comes together.

[LynneSin]

23. I wondered about the roomie from the Sentinal

I thought the could have been a male lover in Frank's past when the showed that conversation between the two. But I dismissed it by the end of the episode since nothing more came of it. Now at the minimum Frank is a bisexual but I sometimes question if he is gay and uses Claire as his beard.

[NV Whino]

26. This may be their downfall

Frank as a homosexual.

[nytemare]

27. Thoughts...(spoiler)

I believe there were a few instances in season 1 where it was implied that Claire and Frank were about to "get busy", so to speak. I believe the same was implied with Claire and Alan, not sure if they actually showed it like Frank and Zoe, but was implied.

I am remembering the episode in season 2 where Edward, the SS Agent, walked in on Frank watching the porn video, and Frank later discussed it with Claire so openly, perhaps forecasting the later encounter in Episode 11. It seemed to me they were all very interested in each other. The tension was palpable.

I think Frank is bisexual, and his relationship with Claire is very sexual. I think Frank had the relationship with Zoe as a means to an ends, and that Claire knew about everything that went on, although you could see some jealousy on her part there. She went back to Alan so she could feel in control of herself again. I also think that Frank was jealous of that relationship, but realized that it was somewhat of a payback to him over how he was acting.

The episode in season 1 with Frank's reunion was pretty interesting, and the portrayal of his relationship with his old friend added a lot of depth to his character.

I enjoy how the characters of Frank and Claire fluctuate between being completely ruthless to almost likeable, where you almost root for them. Halfway through the new season, I wanted to reach through the screen to punch Tusk..lol.

I'm going to have to do another binge view of season 2 now.

[NV Whino]

28. Tusk is truly a snake.

God, I think this series may be a documentary.

[nytemare]

29. Yeah, he's like the Koch Brothers, but trying to play both sides of the fence

I think Frank Underwood is my favorite TV villain ever.

[NV Whino]

30. The thing is...

Everything about the sexual congress between Claire and Frank is implied. Which begs the question, do they really "do it"?

[nytemare]

31. I'm pretty sure they do

The statements that Frank makes to the camera, saying that he loves her more than sharks love blood and so forth, and the manner in which he said those things, led me to believe that they have a very physical relationship.

[NV Whino]

34. I still find that hard to believe

They have shown other "explicit" relationships, but never Claire and Frank. Why not?

And love and sex are not necessarily inclusive.

[LynneSin]

39. I just rewatched the episode with the 'threesome' and here's my thoughts...

It wasn't a threesome. I think Claire was giving Meecham and her husband the ok to go ahead and have sex.

I think the big secret is that Frank is gay. We see alot of sex in HoC but we never see sex between Frank and Claire.

Now I know that some will say 'But Frank had sex with Zoe' - yes he did. But look at her body shape - she was slim and didn't have alot of curves going on with her body. Zoe was never about Frank having sex but Frank having control over this reporter that could benefit him.

[NV Whino]

41. You're right about Zoe

It was never about sex, whether or not Frank is gay or heterosexual.

[charlie and algernon]

35. looking ahead to Season 3

who do you think ultimately assassinates President Underwood? Rachel? Lucas? Or hell, Claire?

[NV Whino]

37. I think Lucas is broken.

Rachel is still in play. And gawd only knows what Claire will do. But, I'm not sure assassination will be the end result. Disgrace, defeat, perhaps suicide, but not assassination.

[charlie and algernon]

40. With the enemies he's created

Assassination would be a fitting way to end the series. But I could see it ending a couple other ways. Certainly suicide is possible, as is him being arrested. Actually, I could also see it suddenly flash forwarding 10-15 years to show him still as the President/Dictator and fighting a brutal, bloody war against an insurgency, having successfully brought down the house of cards that is our country.

[Myrina]

42. How did the UK original end?