Series Review: "House of Cards" (2013-18).

"For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: hunt or be hunted." Frank Underwood's words are at the heart of House of Cards. This political thriller series created by Beau Willimon. It is an adaptation of the 1990 BBC miniseries of the same title and based on the novel of the same title by Michael Dobbs. When the newly elected President reneges on a promise, Frank and Claire decide to sever all allegiances and toss the rules out the window.

Media Rights Capital (MRC) purchased the rights to House of Cards. While finishing production on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), David Fincher's agent showed him the BBC miniseries. Fincher became interested in the project. MRC approached different networks about the series, but Netflix, hoping to launch its own original programming, accepted. In finding a writer to adapt the series, Beau Willimon, who has served as an aide to Chuck Schumer, Howard Dean and Hillary Clinton, was hired. In March 2011, the project was first announced with Kevin Spacey attached to star and serve as an executive producer, and Fincher as director for the first two episodes. Netflix ordered 26 episodes to air over two seasons. In June, Robin Wright was cast. Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly, Constance Zimmer, Michel Gill, Sebastian Arcelus, Mahershala Ali, Boris McGiver, Nathan Darrow, Rachel Brosnahan, Molly Parker, Gerald McRaney, Jayne Atkinson, Jimmi Simpson, Mozhan Marnò, Elizabeth Marvel, Paul Sparks, Kim Dickens, Lars Mikkelsen, Joel Kinnaman, Neve Campbell, Dominique McElligott, Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson, Damian Young, Korey Jackson, Diane Lane, Greg Kinnear, and Cody Fern ultimately rounded out the cast. With a total budget of $60 million, principal photography took throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and New Mexico, and was filmed on the Univisium 2:1 aspect ratio. In January 2016, Willimon's departure following season 4 was announced. He was replaced by Frank Pugliese and Melissa James Gibson. In December 2017, Spacey was fired from the series during production of season 6 due to multiple allegations of sexual harassment against him. Netflix announced that it will film an eight-episode final season without Spacey's participation. Initially, Season six was slated to star both Wright and Spacey and was to contain 13 episodes, like the previous five seasons. Since its release on February 1, 2013, the series was released to critical acclaim and received several award nominations, including thirty-three Primetime Emmy Award and eight Golden Globe Award nominations in total.

Terrifically morally ambiguous but charming performances were given by the ensemble cast. Though, in the last season, the charm of their characters were lost as they underwent drastic and uncharacteristic changes. In addition, Spacey was surprisingly missed, without a doubt.

There may be no show more profitable to its network than House of Cards was to Netflix. Fully produced by the streaming titan and a cultural sensation after only one season, the political thriller was a gamble that paid off handsomely despite the final season.

Simon says House of Cards receives: