Beverley Hills - A Netflix Inc
executive promised on Sunday a "fitting end" to the
streaming service's acclaimed political drama "House of Cards"
but did not divulge how the series wrote out scandal-tainted
star Kevin Spacey.
"House of Cards" put Netflix on the map as a home for
original entertainment when the series debuted in 2013 starring
Spacey as conniving politician Frank Underwood. The show's
coming sendoff centers on Robin Wright, who plays Frank's
devious wife, Claire.
"We're really proud of the show, and it's a fitting end,"
Cindy Holland, vice president of original series at Netflix,
said in response to questions at a Television Critics
Association event where networks promoted upcoming shows.
"We always planned for season six to be the final season,
and we are proud of the work of Robin" and the rest of the cast
and crew, she added. The company has not yet set a release date.
"House of Cards" upended television when Netflix released
the first season's episodes all at once to encourage online
"binge viewing." The show earned widespread critical praise.
In November 2017, Netflix quickly cut ties with Spacey after
allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Spacey has been
accused by more than 20 men and has said nothing publicly about
the allegations since an apology to the first accuser in October
2017.
Five years after Netflix's gamble with "House of Cards,"
the company plans to release about 700 original TV series,
movies and other types of programming around the world this
year. The sheer volume has led to questions about whether
Netflix can keep churning out programming with a high level of
quality.
"Quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive," Holland
said. "We are maintaining quality as we grow by hiring brilliant
talent who are passionate about the stories they want to tell
and giving them creative space."
She also addressed complaints from some producers that their
work can get lost in the flood of Netflix programming. Netflix
devises a marketing plan for each show and is one of the biggest
online advertisers in the world, Holland said.
She added that the best way to reach viewers was by
Netflix's promotion of the shows when people turn on the
service. The company reported it had 130 million subscribers at
the end of June.
"That is by far the most powerful promotional vehicle we
have," she said. "I'm confident we are doing justice to our
programming."