Via Netflix.
Have you finished season two of House of Cards yet? You have? That’s cool I guess, I’m still on episode two, taking my sweet time, so as to digest all the tawdry antics, and ludicrous plot twists slowly and contemplatively, like Frank Underwood smoking a long cigarette.
At any rate, in this season’s second episode, power plays are in motions: Frank is working his massive chessboard to try and fill his seat as Majority Whip, while figuring out ways to manipulate the President; Claire is pretty much doing the same, but in her own world; Lucas is coming off as pretty looney to his peers trying to find evidence linking him to Zoe’s death; and Zoe is, well, still pretty dead. Here’s the thing about House of Cards, it’s terrible television, but it’s damn entertaining terrible television.
Let’s take a look at where all the power plays rank in Chapter 15, shall we?
1. Frank Underwood: Frank is settling in quickly in his new role as Vice President, despite not much support outside of the Oval Office (Rachel Maddow was not happy about the decision), but that’s not deterring him. Naturally, he’s scheming to get Congresswoman Jackie Sharp to take over as his Majority Whip successor, and doing so by using some eager Congressmen as pawns. Even as second-in-command, Frank is still planning out his next moves to climb in power.
2. Jackie Sharp: Jackie is sure coming off as a worthy Frank Underwood protégé, no? She showed just how ruthless she really is after she obliges Frank’s request to throw her mentor, Congressman Ted Havemeyer, under the bus by outing his illegitimate child to the press.
Via Netflix.
3. Claire Underwood: At a military ceremony, Claire becomes rattled when she reunites with a newly commissioned military general, Dalton McGinnis, who raped her in college. Disturbed and distraught, she lets it go and talks down Frank from making a scene. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Underwoods, it’s that no crime goes unpunished. Watch your back, General McGinnis.
4. Catherine Durant: The Secretary of State finds herself in some hot water after she fumbles a trade meeting with Chinese diplomats, thus pushing the U.S.’s relationship with China into tense waters. Disobeying the President Walker’s direct orders to push them “softly,” she grills them hard as per her secret agenda with Frank, in order to frustrate Raymond Trusk, President Walker’s billionaire confidant, who has much to lose from a strained U.S.-China relationship. It’s hard to tell whose side Catherine is on, but I’m curious to see how Frank manipulates her more.
Via Netflix.
5. Lucas Goodwin: Poor Lucas. He’s the only one that knows Frank is responsible for Zoe’s death (other than Janine, who totally bailed). Unfortunately, his quest to try and get people to believe him only makes him seem crazier. But, at the end of the episode, he tracks down some hackers who may be able to hack into Frank’s phone. Vindication for Lucas coming soon? We’ll see.
6. Raymond Trusk: The billionaire friend/advisor to President Walker finds himself at the short end of the stick for once, as Frank succeeds in screwing him over in the U.S.’s trade meeting with China. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Trusk, it’s that he doesn’t take shit easily.
7. Zoe Barnes: Still dead.
Quote of the Week: “One heartbeat away from the Presidency and not a single vote cast in my name. Democracy is so overrated.” – Frank Underwood
Washington, D.C. Accuracy-o-Meter: Not many D.C. exterior shots to judge this week, but the opening credits are pretty accurate, right?
