Can America’s powerhouse political couple win the cold war brewing between them, asks Debashine Thangevelo
SHOWS like House of Cards and The Fixer are ushering a new era of political dramas. They are darker, with characters charting new depths of depravity.
And viewers are lapping up the devilish mayhem unleashed by the rampant machinations of the ruthless characters vying for the ultimate prize: power.
To this point, Francis J “Frank” Underwood, played with perfection by Kevin Spacey, is the poster boy when it comes to being a political puppet master. After all, not everyone can plot their way into the seat of the 46th president of the US. He went from being the Democrat’s House Majority Whip from South Carolina’s fifth congressional district to being promoted to the vice- president’s seat.
With Claire championing him every step of the way despite his infidelity and morally-bankrupt actions, and, sometimes, at great personal sacrifice to herself, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Now that he has finally got what he wanted, it could prove to be his greatest undoing this season.
Spacey reveals: “Frank got to the presidency in the way that he did – and, yes, there were lots of challenges and obstacles. But once you get there, that’s when the real job starts. It’s then a question of: what does he want to accomplish and what kind of president does he want to be?
“You add to the presidency the complexity of looking at his character and his relationship with Claire. These are two people who have, over the first two seasons, shown how brilliantly they can work in the shadows and dark alleys. How are they going to adjust to being in a spotlight that is never off them? This season is going to be a very interesting exploration of what that means for both of them as a couple and to him as a politician.”
Claire becoming the US Ambassador to the UN throws up a conundrum for Frank, who finds himself at odds with President Petrov of Russia over the crisis in the Jordan Valley.
Despite his dastardly deeds to date, though, Underwood’s underdog story saw him redeem himself with audiences.
On them continuing to root for him, Spacey notes: “In drama – and you could go right back to Greek drama and to Shakespeare – people have always been this way about great characters. They always want to root for them but, at the same time, are terrified by them. The qualities that Michael Dobbs originally adapted from Richard III and Iago are very much in play still. There is a Shakespearean quality to the way the show is done. The runway was paved long before we arrived.”
Of course, to truly do the justice he has to this character, Spacey is mindful about judging him. He admits: “I don’t make moral judgements about my character. I play the character and let viewers make a judgement.”
We know Frank has the kahunas to take on everything, but can he do it alone?
That is the question that hovers in season three as the pawns are put into play in this new world where Frank faces opposition from within his “inner circle” and this threatens his inner sanctum.
• House of Cards season three, M-Net Edge (channel 102), tomorrow at 8pm.
House of Cards behind-the-scenes trivia
• As much as Netflix deserves credit for spotting the genius in signing House of Cards, the show’s success also paid off in propelling the online streaming provider to the big leagues.
• In a speech to the actors, director and executive producer, David Fincher, said: “Every single person in this room represents our first choice, so don’t f*ck this up. If you do, I will never forgive you.” No pressure, clearly!
• Frank’s favourite BBQ joint, owned by Freddy (played by Reg E Cathey) was also used as a location spot in The Wire.
• Michael Gill, who played President Garrett Walker, and Jayne Atkinson, who plays Secretary of State, Cathy Durant, are married in real life.
• The character of young prostitute Rachel Posner, played by Rachel Brosnahan, wasn’t initially intended to develop much further in the series, but creator and writer Beau Willimon spontaneously decided to give her more depth after meeting the actress.
• For the first season, House of Cards bagged nine Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In the last season, it bagged 13 Emmy Nominations. That’s not forgetting its Golden Globe wins and, earlier this year, an elated Spacey won Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama. There were also several other wins in other, less celebrated award ceremonies.
• Over the seasons, real-life media figures like Donna Brazile, Morley Safer, Stephen Colbert, Dennis Miller, Bill Maher and a slew of others made cameo appearances on the show.
• Most of the interior scenes in House of Cards are shot in a large industrial warehouse, in Joppa, Maryland, in Hartford County.
• Source: internet