Critic Reviews

The two hours available for review are cinematically rich, full of sleek, oily pools of darkness. [11 Feb 2013]

No American-made option this weekend can compare.

Watch at whatever pace you'd like--immediately. Given its quality, I think you'll be drinking it all in sooner rather than later.

There aren’t many protagonists here, but that’s not the point; you don’t watch House of Cards for its uplifting message, but rather to see how much more Spacey, Wright, Kelly et al. can plumb the depths of emotional depravity.

There's pleasure in every frame here--from terrific new cast additions (Molly Parker, David Glennon) to richer D.C. subplots. It all works, and it is all addictive.

The first four episodes Netflix made available are more intense and unpredictable than the first season.

A fast and furious romp through the first six episodes that should keep bingers--and fans--happy.

Thanks to frequent backstabbing, heavy-handed symbolism, and Spacey’s deliciously hammy performance, House of Cards works best as a mordantly funny melodrama.

Can a bad person become a good president? The answer may be self-evident--or maybe not. Nevertheless, therein lies a compelling new season. We may still have a lot more to learn about Frank Underwood after all.

Whatever your takeaway, the performances of Spacey and Wright remain assured and now ingrained in a series that ranks as the best body politic drama ever.