House of Cards

Over the next year, with HOUSE OF CARDS and the new season of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, Netflix is making a very aggressive push to become more than just a streaming service. Netflix has apparently spent $100 million on the first season of HOUSE OF CARDS, a remake of the British show of the same name, which they will launch all at once on their streaming service, rather than slowly parcel it out as most TV shows do today (they intend to do the same thing with ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT).

Netflix is hoping to seriously shake up the state of television program distribution. It's a big risk. While everyone can see that this is the future of television distribution, Netflix may be a bit ahead of the curve. For this to pan out, HOUSE OF CARDS has to become a big phenomenon that, along with ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and other future programs, will draw new subscriptions and reinvent the Netflix brand.

Anyway, here's the trailer:

Interesting. I'll give it a shot for Spacey tearing up Washington. Seriously, the thought of Spacey with a TV show is exciting.

Good move for Netflix, considering most of their movie selections suck.

There are some good ones on Instant, but I usually already own them and/or have seen them.

An American House of Cards. Curious.

But it's got Spacey.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

But it's got Spacey.

So's the Old Vic. Still draughty.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

But it's got Spacey.

But it doesn't have Ian Richardson.

Pass.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

There are some good ones on Instant, but I usually already own them and/or have seen them.

Maybe I haven't looked around enough. I like having instant access to CHARLEY VARRICK, though.

Netflix has plenty of awesome movies. But, as Tux said, many of them I've seen before or own.

I wish Netflix's streaming catalog was a bit beefier than it is. It's great for TV -- between Netflix and Hulu Plus, I really have no need for cable -- but its movie selection is a bit lacking.

This doesn't really catch my eye but I'll sure as hell be watching that entire new season of Arrested Development.

FWIW, the original BBC HOUSE OF CARDS is on Netflix Instant right now.

Harmsway wrote:

FWIW, the original BBC HOUSE OF CARDS is on Netflix Instant right now.

I'll have to catch it.

The other two series that followed aren't too bad, To Play the King has a sterling turn by Michael Kitchen (as HM the King)

I'll probably check this out.

The only thing that kept me from watching the BBC version is that Netflix Instant matted the damn thing into 16X9 and it looks awful on my TV.

I love this show.

I'm gonna catch it real soon. Spacey and Wright, good stuff. I was mostly unaware of this Kate Mara person. Yum.

I had to throw in something salacious.

I've watched the first episode and absolutely loved it. Spacey is diabolical. This is the kind of show that I have wanted to see. I enjoy watching ruthless people. Very excited to see that Season 2 is a go as well. I hope an older Pete Campbell will team up with Spacey's Frank Underwood.

Yeah. I'm through three episodes and Spacey is a treat to watch.

I posted this in the Last TV Show You Watched thread, but alas ...

One thing that grinds my gears about a lot of shows is that they get bogged down in these ultra-soapy side arcs that serve no real purpose other than to make a TV show a "TV show." (If that makes any sense.) From what I've seen so far -- I'm through six episodes -- House of Cards doesn't really have that, and I love it. Instead, it's a vehicle for Kevin Spacey to power through every second of screentime he has without much of a distraction, and it truly is something to behold.

The writers deserve a lot of credit. House of Cards isn't light or even simple, but more lean and focused, I'd say. In the interest of full disclosure, I haven't seen the British version to make any kind of comparison, but I can say without a doubt that, barring some kind of debacle in the back half of the season, this show is stellar.

Netflix done good.

Yeah, I'm 9 episodes in. It'll be interesting to see if this stands up as well to a rewatch, which I will do before S2 is released next year (or whenever).

The show is panning out well. I'm seeing if it lives up to the promise held by it's opening episodes.

Spacey holds the spotlight and will be getting most of the praise, but Wright is a pitch perfect match for him. Their marriage relationship is truly fascinating to watch, and just when I thought Wright was by far the better half.... she does something in a hospital that I found more fucked up than what Spacey did in the beginning of the pilot.

Some other great characters like Russo, the coke-head congressman. And I really enjoy Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper. He's really interesting to me for some reason.

On a perv note, that Kate Mara. Oh boy. I love her long time.

Can't get the damn song outta my head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbWcdaeYrsI

The credits are cool. I like the shot of the lion statue from behind.

Might have to check this out.

Vesper wrote:

Might have to check this out.

Do it.

Watched the pilot. I'm sold, gonna try to watch the rest with the folks because I know they would love this one.

Python wrote:

Watched the pilot. I'm sold, gonna try to watch the rest with the folks because I know they would love this one.

Watch out for Kate Mara's ass in whatever episode.

And for Joel Schumacher's name. He directs a couple episodes. No tight ass shots of Spacey in his episodes.