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House of Cards Season 4 |OT| Anything for America. Netflix March 4th

W

Walpurgis

Banned
GavinGT said:
Not sure how this season got the same Metacritic score as last season. There's a world of difference.
Click to expand...

They can only watch the first four episodes but even then, I find that Metacritic can sometimes be wrong. For example, Breaking Bad season 1 has a 73, Game of Thrones season 1 is 80 and Mad Men season 1 is 77. Meanwhile, The Walking Dead has been pretty consistent at around 80 for 6 seasons.

It's definitely rare for them to screw up mid-series but it's happened before. For example, Sons of Anarchy season 2 (best one, imo) has an 86 and season 3 has an 84 (very boring season, imo - might be most hated by fans).

I wouldn't put much stock into them when it comes to House of Cards. They're definitely useful though, generally speaking.
 
G

GK86

Homeland Security Fail
The critics watched six episodes. So I can understand the scores. Especially since episodes five and six were the weakest and the biggest mindfuck
(Frank seeing things)
.
 
S

spuckthew

Member
GavinGT said:
Not sure how this season got the same Metacritic score as last season. There's a world of difference.
Click to expand...

The critic scores for seasons 1, 3 and 4 are the same, but there's a big variation in user score.

But it's still interesting. My girlfriend was very critical of season 3 while absolutely loving the first two. She enjoyed the fourth a lot and rated it above season 3.
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
Awesome season. During season three I thought maybe the story was simply done unless they raised the stakes further and it was just waiting for it to jump the shark. But either they had a writers change, or the writers simply can't really handle geopolitics, because as the show moved Underwood back to a whip role, with all the subsequent scheming and backstabbing in Washington, it started firing on all cylinders again. Moments like that, this is easily my favorite TV show. The final shot and the way it juxtaposed
everyone being appalled, but the Underwoods looking completely impassive
was just perfect.

I agree with the others that Doug is problematic though. He's too much an extension of Underwood, but less interesting.
I had the same problem with Meechum and don't mind him being gone now. First, it's weird how anyone would know about Francis' real character and still risk anything for him, and secondly, their unselfishness is at odds with the theme of the will to power
.
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
I really liked what happened to Dunbar.

She does the one right an honorable thing. Exposes the corruption and takes a stand of great moral righteousness. Next shot you see Doug 'yep she's done'. And you don't hear from her again for another eight episodes.
A nice microcosm of the entire show.
 
K

Kard8p3

Member
Regarding Tom Yates

The whole open affair thing reminded me so much of Rick and Morty, Jerry's Dad likes to watch his wife have sex with a younger man

lol

spekkeh said:
I agree with the others that Doug is problematic though. He's too much an extension of Underwood, but less interesting.
I had the same problem with Meechum and don't mind him being gone now. First, it's weird how anyone would know about Francis' real character and still risk anything for him, and secondly, their unselfishness is at odds with the theme of the will to power
.
Click to expand...

Well,
Frank saved Doug's life, literally. He was addicted to what? Pain pills, or was it alcohol? Either way, Frank turned Doug from nothing into somebody, he feels he owes him everything, kind of like in anime/manga where a character has a loyal right-hand man who would die for him/her. I was also really sad about Meechum.

edit 2: Episode 13, Doug,
Frank unleashing the hound, kreygasm
 
W

Walpurgis

Banned
I just finished it and it was a great season - much better than the last two. It was truly great to see Francis talking to the viewer again. I still can't understand why they stopped doing it in season 3. Also, that [episode 13:]
ending that included Claire in the fourth wall breaking
was a nice touch.

I wasn't too keen on the idea of having the [episode 13:]
entire season be the election
but they did a lot of interesting things with it. I hope they wrap it up quickly in the first episode of the next season though. Also, [episode 13:]
Doug needs to die
. He's basically Kalinda from The Good Wife now (except he was never cool).

[episode 13:]
I'm looking forward to the war in Syria/Iraq next season since that is basically a guarantee of more Petrov. They should introduce Turkey and cover the EU refugee crisis as well.
I'm worried about the showrunner's departure but there is some cool stuff that they can do with this next season. Hopefully the replacement doesn't much things up and hopefully they end the show next season.

I almost forgot, when [episode 13:]
those ISIS guys cut the Miller's throat, their accents were laughably bad.
I know it was on purpose but damn. Claire read my mind when she told them to mute it.
 
V

Vicetrailia

Member
spekkeh said:
Awesome season. During season three I thought maybe the story was simply done unless they raised the stakes further and it was just waiting for it to jump the shark. But either they had a writers change, or the writers simply can't really handle geopolitics, because as the show moved Underwood back to a whip role, with all the subsequent scheming and backstabbing in Washington, it started firing on all cylinders again. Moments like that, this is easily my favorite TV show. The final shot and the way it juxtaposed
everyone being appalled, but the Underwoods looking completely impassive
was just perfect.

I agree with the others that Doug is problematic though. He's too much an extension of Underwood, but less interesting.
I had the same problem with Meechum and don't mind him being gone now. First, it's weird how anyone would know about Francis' real character and still risk anything for him, and secondly, their unselfishness is at odds with the theme of the will to power
.
Click to expand...

Meechum is food for the strong.
 
W

Walpurgis

Banned
neoism said:
yeah i legit hate that dude fucking terrrrrible actor.. plus Conway reminds me of a older brother of Hayden Christiansen but an even worse actor...
Click to expand...

I actually kind of like Yates's character since he has interesting conversations with the Underwoods. However, I cannot stand his actor. The way he looks, the way he moves, the way he speaks, all of it. The dude is a lame ham (just like Lucas, actually he's worse). They should have used the actor of that older journalist that retired.
 
Kadayi

Kadayi

Banned
Just wrapped up now. Major turnaround versus the meandering ramble that that season 3. Good to see Frank back to his formidable self and Claire coming into her own. Good stuff and now the long wait until the next season.
 
KyanMehwulfe

KyanMehwulfe

Member
Finished it last night.

Overall liked it a lot. Episodes 4, 6, 10, and 13 were highlights for me. Sometimes it lacked a bit of focus though I also appreciated seeing so many characters addressed. I thought Doug, Remy and Jackie, etc were all reinvigorated fairly well. Combined with the ending, I think it makes the 'next season' the most interesting since probably season 1 for me. The ending was great because I thought the series, for the first time, made it actually believable that the 'house of cards' could come tumbling down. Underwoods has such a sense of inevitability and invincibility for me but there was genuinely a moment there where I felt, daaaamn... this is really going to end, ain't it. And it was reinvigorating for the series in a season 1 sort of way to see both of them say, f-it, we're not going down without a fight, we'll go scorched earth.
 
K

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
Finished watching season 4 today. It was great, I loved it. The only bad point about it is the actor who plays Conway. He's like the opposite of the role he is suppose to play and has no charisma.

Otherwise (spoiler for the whole season)
great dynamic for the Frank and Claire through the whole season. I liked the hallucination shots and all the Zoe-Claire overlapping and damn good cliffhanger scene at the end of episode 13. Gave me chills.
 
D

Draconian

Member
Episode 8

Oh good grief, this writer character again. Really guys? This dude is the definition of a pointless character, and I didn't need any kind of closure on him at all. I just don't understand why this guy exists and who thought he was a good idea.
 
A

Apt101

Member
Amazing season.

Frank threatening his SoS was Shakespearean.

When the Underwoods and their political opponents were sharing the White House: fantastic television.

Pretty cynical conclusion.
 
P

PapaJustify

Member
I don't understand why this show isn't cherished more. I just saw S4E10 and I am pretty sure I haven't seen that good television in a very long time.
 
O

OldRoutes

Member
Amazing season, amazing cast, some plots were weak but that whole
convention/Cathy Durant
plot was just perfection.

It's incredible how the current election is crazier than this, though.
 
G

gutter_trash

Banned
Walpurgis said:
I actually kind of like Yates's character since he has interesting conversations with the Underwoods. However, I cannot stand his actor. The way he looks, the way he moves, the way he speaks, all of it. The dude is a lame ham (just like Lucas, actually he's worse). They should have used the actor of that older journalist that retired.
Click to expand...

Yates is full of crap, he just tells them what they want to hear.
 
D

Draconian

Member
gutter_trash said:
Yates is full of crap, he just tells them what they want to hear.
Click to expand...

I still want to know what planet Frank was living on when he came to the conclusion the public would support America Works because of some book this dude would write. It's so far out of left field and has no basis in reality at all. Some of the beats of the series have been goofy, but this one takes the cake.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
Just finished the new season, but I'm gonna have to re-watch the finale. I had a buzz going at that point. It was a great season imo. When I first watched this show I thought it would be a one and done thing, but they keep pumping out new seasons which is awesome. However, I have a strong suspicion the next is the final season. Everything is in place if you know what I mean.

Also, we all know Kevin Spacey is a great actor, but man he nails the asshole roles.
 
C

civilstrife

Member
Tom Yates is a total writer stand-in/mary-sue isn't he?

I mean, I love the character, but I think the writers love him a little too much.
 
J

jayu26

Member
Just finished the season. That last scene...
giphy.gif


Edit: I like it, but it's not even close to...
knocks_breaking_bad.gif


This is still GOAT for me.
 
A

Asbel

Member
I liked the first half of this season more than the second.
I think threatening death on the Secretary of State, an important well known person, and getting away with it so easily was weak writing. Why not threaten everyone in their way with death then? Just seems like the writers wrote themselves into a corner and couldn't come up with a good way for Claire to win. Fantastic acceptance speech by Claire though. Also, it's pretty stupid how both Frank and Claire didn't have a translator around when dealing with the terrorists. And when did Doug suddenly care about killing someone. Seems like an out of character excuse to give him a subplot.
 
J

jey_16

Banned
better season then the third but
the stuff with Claire's mother just bored me to tears, and the Yates storyline is getting a bit too much. Claire being the VP nominee also made me roll my eyes but i guess it was one way to escalate it and i could see them ending it in a similar way to the original british version now. The rest of it was a return to form though, loved all the scheming and i thought Conway was great, only thing is now i actually really want the Underwood's to lose which is completely different to how i felt with the prior seasons. I know it won't happen but would love to see all the dirty laundry come out and have Frank & Claire face it all....maybe this is just the start
 
F

Fliesen

Member
great season.

Some filler storylines imho (like the whole
Daddy Underwoos Ku Klux Klan
thing), but overall really great.

I didn't mind, at all, that the season didn't make any huge 'political progress'. It was entirely set during
primaries season
.

There was a weird change in pace / tone after the first half of the season. (
Durant being out of the race, Robocop being introduced as GOP candidate, out of nowhere, and the whole search-engine angle felt out of place.
but it got better over time.
 
C

crisdecuba

Member
Fliesen said:
great season.

Some filler storylines imho (like the whole
Daddy Underwoos Ku Klux Klan
thing), but overall really great.

I didn't mind, at all, that the season didn't make any huge 'political progress'. It was entirely set during
primaries season
.

There was a weird change in pace / tone after the first half of the season. (
Durant being out of the race, Robocop being introduced as GOP candidate, out of nowhere, and the whole search-engine angle felt out of place.
but it got better over time.
Click to expand...
Conway was introduced during the first half of the season.
 
C

Clefargle

Member
God I can't stand Claire, I guess that's by design. Great season but is it just me or is frank sounding more like foghorn leghorn every season?
 
O

oti

Banned
euphemism said:
God I can't stand Claire, I guess that's by design. Great season but is it just me or is frank sounding more like foghorn leghorn every season?
Click to expand...

Claire is a terrible human being and yet whenever she enters the room powoooooowza I melt away.
 
F

Fliesen

Member
crisdecuba said:
Conway was introduced during the first half of the season.
Click to expand...

well, yeah, you're right. Must have missed it. He was in Episode 1.

House of Cards (TV Series)
Will Conway
- Chapter 52 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 51 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 50 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 49 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 47 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 48 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 46 (2016) ... Will Conway
- Chapter 40 (2016) ... Will Conway
Click to expand...

Still, almost 5 hours later, you see this guy about to get busy with his attractive wife, being all playful with their kids, and i seriously had no idea who that was.
Also, at first he really felt miscast.

oti xero said:
Claire is a terrible human being and yet whenever she enters the room powoooooowza I melt away.
Click to expand...

well, she is, after all, Frank's equal.
Nobody has to like Claire, nobody has to sympathize with her. It doesn't make her any less of a fantastically empowered character.

I was so happy that the
Yates
arc didn't lead to her
seriously jeopardizing everything she's worked for, her entire life, just so she could be with that one cute guy who totally gets her and makes her feel like a woman again. Fuck Yates.
 
K

KooopaKid

Banned
Will not watch unless the feedback is unanimously positive. Season 3 was very forgettable bar the Russian president and the gay activist episode. Doug Stamper subplot is just awful and unrewarding.
 
B

BudokaiMR2

Member
KooopaKid said:
Will not watch unless the feedback is unanimously positive. Season 3 was very forgettable bar the Russian president and the gay activist episode. Doug Stamper subplot is just awful and unrewarding.
Click to expand...

I recently marathoned the entire series since I was out with the flu and it seemed like a great time to get into it.

Season 4 was easily better than 3 and probably even 2. There were not very many subplots, and when they do pop up they get nowhere near as much time as the stupid shit with Stamper in Season 3.

I honestly think Season 4 was my favorite one overall.

Last ep spoiler
As others have said that moment when Claire also looks down at the camera when Frank has his final 4th wall moment gave me legit shivers. I almost feel like everything up to this point has been a way to bring Claire up to his level 100%. Although I should hate her, I can't help but be mesmerized by her presence most of the time. Can't wait to see where things go in Season 5.
 
A

Aquavelvaman

Banned
Just finished the season. Really good return to form, a lot better than S3 in my opinion.

My vote for most underrated character is Cathy Durant. It's fun to watch her navigate all of the Underwoods' nonsense in a way that makes sense for her situation, without being blindly loyal to them like most of the other members of their crew.
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
Robin Wright plays Claire so well. I legit thought she would be 1.80m / 5'11. Turns out she's only 1.68 / 5'6. She's probably sporting a lot of heel, but it's also her entire aloof demeanor, chin always pointing upwards, which makes her look much taller than she is.
 
B

BudokaiMR2

Member
Fliesen said:
I really liked the Doug / Seth / LeAnn power dynamics. Especially Doug / Seth.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I felt like the sub-plots this time were more watchable because they were not completely disconnected from the main plot.

One of the stupidest things from Season 3 was how Doug's plot had absolutely nothing to do with anything else going on.
 
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