Warning: House of Cards season one spoilers ahead. If you haven’t watched the incredible series yet, leave now and forever hold your head in shame!
Throughout the first season, we followed Frank as he dealt with various crises that threatened his power, or worse, his ego. One of the major story arcs throughout the first season was the plight (and boy was it a plight) of hapless US Representative Peter Russo, whom reluctantly agrees to run for Governor of Pennsylvania under the tutalge of Frank. As we learn, getting ensnared in Frank Underwood’s web is a big mistake for anyone who isn’t Frank Underwood. Russo has alcohol and drug problems, which only get worse under the pressures of running for Governor. In a moment of weakness, Russo gets loaded and becomes the laughing stock of the country. His campaign in tatters, he further slides down the slope towards a full-on relapse. Guess who saw that coming?
“Cheers”
At rock bottom, Frank takes Russo home and then… kills him in his car, making it look like a suicide. WTF, man?
With Russo’s campaign (permanently) over, Frank uses the opportunity to convince the current Vice President to step down and run for the Governorship previously assigned to Russo – a post the Vice President had formerly held and still secretly desired to return to. Frank humbly agrees to take the Vice President’s place: the job he “coincidentally” wanted from the start.
All the while, Frank has been engaging in a campaign of media misinformation and manipulation through his eager, yet naive reporter acquaintance Zoe Barnes. For a while she plays the part that Frank has given her, but she slowly begins to rebel, much to the dismay of Frank. By the end of the season, he has lost control of her and she will certainly threaten his power in season 2.
Take a breath, there’s more.
The other Underwood has proven to be just as vicious. Kevin Spacey’s performance is incredible, but Robin Wright’s could arguably be considered even better. Her portrayal of Claire Underwood is icy and complex. You may love Frank for his skills at manipulation, but you’ll respect Claire for her depth. It can’t be easy being married to a guy who has strangled a dog and murdered a US Representative in the same year, yet Claire has no delusions about her husband’s character. They are a power couple that you do not want to cross.
Frank has been sworn in as Vice President and is now ready to consolidate his power. In the previews for season 2, we see Frank at his most comfortable when he is exercising his control over everyone in his sphere of influence. He states enigmatically: “For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy.” It appears Frank isn’t quite satisfied with his position, even at the right hand of the President. Perhaps, he will never be satisfied. Claire is shown as the doting wife, but as we’ve learned from season 1, that is a mask that Claire wears always. She has secrets of her own. Finally, we get several shots of Zoe and her loyal band of journalists looking terrified or broken. That tends to happen when you cross Frank Underwood.
Just because things seem to be coming together for Frank and Claire doesn’t mean it will be smooth sailing from here. The end of season 1 leaves a lot of unanswered questions that season 2 will have to deal with:
Zoe has become a celebrity reporter, but at the cost of eating out of the palm of Frank’s hand. By the closing of season 1, Zoe has broken things off with her sometimes sexual partner, sometimes father figure, and seems to be finding her own voice. She has also uncovered a lot of the details about Frank’s rise to power. What will she do with this information? How will Frank try to stop her?
We left with Zoe finding love in all the right places when she begins a healthy relationship (probably the only one that exists on the show) with her former co-worker Lucas. Will that last? Will Frank use the relationship against them? Will Zoe find a way to sabotage things like she’s done in the past?
Things appear to be looking up for Frank. He has a brand new job – Vice President of the United States, no less! – and has dominated everyone who has gotten in his way. But all that success came with a lot of baggage. Frank has done something that would not only derail his political career but also definitely land him in prison for quite some time. Having pulled everyone’s strings, Frank has made some powerful enemies. It’s up to him to keep them from coming back.
Just because neither Claire nor Frank would ever be the winner of a “parent of the year” award, doesn’t mean that Claire isn’t still kind of longing for a little Underwood. She also still has that unresolved fling with the rugged photographer, Adam. If she ends up pregnant, who’s the baby daddy?
If you still aren’t excited about House of Cards, you aren’t human. Season 2 looks like it will be a wild ride.
