Is House Of Cards Ending After Two Seasons?

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Beejoli Shah

10/10/13 02:49PM

Filed to: House of Cards

With its 9 Emmy nominations and 3 wins, Netflix's House of Cards didn't just shatter the fourth wall, it shattered records for online content as well. But is it going to call its own government shutdown after just two seasons?

Executive producer Rick Cleveland had some choice words at the Vancouver International Film Festival last week:

“'House of Cards' is only going to go a second season and I think that’s it. Kevin Spacey likes to do movies and Robin Wright likes to do movies."

Showrunner Beau Willmon tweeted back in August that he'd like to keep writing more seasons of House of Cards, but if exec-producer Cleveland is right, the show may very well be going the route of you-know-who, murdered in his you-know-where.

LikeHumansDo Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 03:52PM

I hate to be that annoying contrarian, but am I the only one who thinks that this show is kinda overrated? I thought Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, and Corey Stoll in particular were good, but the acting was weak (Kate Mara anyone?). Also, the plot was pretty contrived. It was the same every episode. Obstacle to Kevin Spacey's grand plan (I'm still only half clear what the plan is even is) emerges. He seems to overcome these obstacles really, really easily because his character is leagues smarter than EVERYONE else on the show. It's kind of boring to watch. Even if I were to accept that he is more clever than the president, the president's chief of staff, the vice president, congress, all of their staffs, etc., it all just seems a bit contrived. I don't know, it's ok, I just don't think it's great. I think it'd become ridiculously strained with more than two seasons.

Beejoli Shah LikeHumansDo 10/10/13 03:59PM

Honestly, I'm on the fence about it too. I enjoyed it for sure, but certain moments—and I won't spoil any here—really jumped the shark for me, particularly in an episode that did not take place in D.C. Kate Mara is a low point for me, I find she plays the same characters in nearly all roles and doesn't show much range (though for a loathsome character, she's making me loathe her quite well, so perhaps points there).

And Spacey's plan!!! That's my biggest issue of all. The first few episodes really harken to the plan, but as the season twists and turns it's hard to tell if it's part of the plan, or just happenstance. Given that they built up this big plan so much in the pilot, it seems odd to never bring it up again. I'm on board with Spacey being savvier than the others around him, but I could use a little more to sink my teeth into before I extoll it for being the greatest show ever, like many people have done lately.

Tabitha Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 05:46PM

Hm. For me, I saw Frank's "plan" as what drove him the entire season, and I didn't expect a resolution until at least the end of the series. He is out for revenge because he didn't get what he wanted, and I expected that the show would end when either he did or didn't get it. We just aren't there yet.

I loved the series, and I eagerly look forward to the new season, but I think I can understand that it's good to stop when it's still good. It would be awful for it to drag on and on and become stale. I want Kevin Spacey to get that Emmy, though.

Beejoli Shah Tabitha 10/10/13 05:55PM

Oooh interesting. I'm definitely coming back for season 2, I just felt like the first few episodes laid out such a clear cut plan for a specific wrong, but then Frank's own goals changed throughout the season. Though one can argue that that is particularly the nature of the beast, so perhaps much more realistic than a Congressman swearing years of revenge over a single slight.

Agree with you—super excited for Season 2, and Spacey was ROBBED of the Emmy.

Tabitha Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 06:00PM

I think Frank's plan definitely got away from him because he entrusted someone he thought he could trust but it got out of hand and derailed everything, but only for the time being. I think Season 2 we see him and Claire really team up and keep going. I definitely didn't see Frank Underwood giving up, just because of a few roadblocks.

LikeHumansDo Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 09:54PM

Yes! He seemed to be making the "plan" up as he went along. I kept expecting it to all come together somehow, but it really didn't. I think it would be more interesting if he had a worthy adversary. Not only were the other characters not that smart, they were complete assholes. I don't necessarily need someone to cheer for, but I hated them all so much by the end, that I didn't even really care what happened.

Also, I know which episode you are referring to and it was a mess. I'd been binge watching it up till there, and that episode was the point where I cursed David Fincher for tricking me with those first couple of episodes.

Still, because I hate myself, I'll probably be back for season 2.

FudgesicleUyghur Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 03:05PM

As long as Kate Mara gets pushed off a roof and screams "daddy!" going down I don't care when it ends.

Beejoli Shah FudgesicleUyghur 10/10/13 03:56PM

Dear god, please, yes.

Blue_Pulaski Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 03:12PM

Still haven't seen House of Cards, but does it really break the fourth wall? Like Kevin Spacey freezing a scene and addressing the camera a la Saved by the Bell?

TeenaBurner Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:16PM

Yes. He'll turn to "you" and narrate as if he's showing you the ropes at work, sitting across from you at dinner, gossiping with you at a fundraiser, etc.

ny34mike Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:17PM

haha yes, and that's the best thing to compare it to.

dehumanized Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:17PM

Yeah, there are out-of-scene monologues and they're a very important part of the show's presentation and feel.

TheReverendFreshmaker Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:18PM

Yes.

FudgesicleUyghur Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:23PM

so did the UK original (which is on Netflix for when you get done binging on their version)

MDP310 Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:30PM

Exactly that. But it's great.

I actually just started watching House of Cards today.

Tibbers Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:33PM

it's more like Iago in Othello. He just turns and talks to the audience while the actors are still moving around him as if nothing is happening. Other times he's by himself. It's wonderful, a really great way to get into the mind of his character. In fact i tell everyone that this show answers the question: What if Iago had married lady macbeth. Good God! lol. It's so delicious, i LOVE it.

here's a clip, doesn't spoil the plot in any way.

Donald Pump Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:35PM

Yep. And Spacey is fucking fantastic in it.

GregSamsa Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:41PM

Well, the scene doesn't freeze. It's more organic than that, and a shout-out to Shakespearean asides.

NoBusinessLikeHoBusiness Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:47PM

Yes. At first, the asides are very serious, but there are some legit crack-the-fuck-up moments deeper in the firsts season.

AnneBronte Tibbers 10/10/13 03:48PM

That's how I saw it too. The first time he did it, I gasped. I couldn't believe it. Kevin Spacey is simply awesome in this role. Laurence Olivier couldn't have done it better.

bologneseplease Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:51PM

In the first episode it is quite jarring, but by the time you get to the third episode you want MORE. Please! Turn! Say something sassy!

diasdiem Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:52PM

It constantly breaks the fourth wall.

Beejoli Shah Blue_Pulaski 10/10/13 03:55PM

The scene continues on behind him, but yes, Spacey turns to the camera and addresses the viewers multiple times throughout the episode. It's slightly more organic than Zack Morris' "Time Out!"'s but fairly similar. Oddly, it works well here.

Blue_Pulaski Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 04:07PM

Thanks all! I'm still working my way through Friday Night Lights, but this is next in my queue. In the months that everyone's been raving about this show nobody seemed to mention this aspect of it, but now my interest is piqued.

TheReverendFreshmaker Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 02:58PM

This is a good thing. I'd like to see Netflix put a cap on the duration of their projects. It seems like a 4 season maximum has served British television well.

Beejoli Shah TheReverendFreshmaker 10/10/13 02:59PM

I was just going to say, I love the BBC model of just a few excellent seasons. But 2 seasons is 2 little Spacey. Sorry. I had to.

TheReverendFreshmaker Beejoli Shah 10/10/13 03:01PM

Is 2 seasons 2 little Spacey, or 2 much like Spaced?

Do you see what I did there? Is it working? No? Ahhh... okay then! 2dooloo!

Chirish TheReverendFreshmaker 10/10/13 03:54PM

My personal preference is 3 seasons. It gives you just enough time to create a world, create interesting conflict, and then wrap it up in a satisfying manner.