House of Cards: Season 6
Ratings: 4.5/5
Creator: Beau Willimon
Executive Producers: David Fincher, Kevin Spacey, Eric Roth, Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs, John Melfi, Beau Willimon, David Manson, John David Coles, Robin Wright, Frank Pugliese, Melissa James Gibson
Genre: Political Drama/Political Thriller
Release Date: 2nd November, 2018
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Star Cast: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly, Sakina Jaffrey, Sandrine Holt, Constance Zimmer, Michel Gill, Sebastian Arcelus, Mahershala Ali, Boris McGiver, Nathan Darrow, Rachel Brosnahan
Plot:
This season revealed that Frank Underwood had died and had been buried next to his father in South Carolina. Now, as the first woman president, Claire faces increased scrutiny and threats.
In the final season, we meet with Claire 100 days into her reign. It’s a havoc, even for Claire. First, she leans into the worst fears that misogynists have about a woman president by appearing hysterical and unable to control her emotions.
Then when her enemies attempt to push her out of the presidency via the 25th Amendment, she suggests that her vice president is conspiring with Russia. She even goes to the lengths where she tries punishing everyone who’s trying to get her removed from office.
Review:
The season introduces the ‘Antis’- Bill and Annette Shepherd (Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane), the billionaire siblings. They are enraged, realising that Claire’s not as corrupt as her husband. The wider world, meanwhile, is angry with her simply for daring to be a powerful woman, as demonstrated by a powerful opening scene.
The circumstances behind Spacey’s departure from the show are gloomy, and unfortunately the audience would sense the loss of his presence. Season six presents itself to be more calculated and restrained; and much of it may account to the fact that Claire is reacting impassively to blackmail and treachery.
Another powerful equation this season, seems to be between Claire and Doug who were foreseen to be outmanoeuvring each-other and ultimately destroying one another, now that Frank is no more there.
Many of you may recall how Season 1 started- Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) hunched over a dog that’d been injured by a car. “There are two kinds of pain,” he said into the camera. He goes on coolly, describing the kinds of pain and then breaks broke the dog’s neck. “There,” he said. “No more pain.”
Similarly, in the conclusion of the show, Claire caresses Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), in her lap after killing him. She stabbed him in the belly with a letter opener after he nearly slit her throat with it. Underwood puts her hand over his mouth and nose and tells him that everything’s going to be okay. His eyes close. Claire says:
“There, no more pain.”
Her eyes pans towards the camera. Yeah, and that was it!
