'House of Cards' review: The politicians you love to hate are back
Keep your friends close, and your spouse closer.
That's the unofficial mantra for Season 4 of House of Cards. Well, the first six episodes anyway. Like the seasons before it, this one is brimming with secrecy, hatred and carefully calibrated power moves that flirt with the impossible.
Season 4 brings us back to the same corrupt politicians we know and despise love. But for the first few episodes, it feels like more of the same -- people wheeling and dealing, polished camerawork and acting, and catchy little Frank Underwood-isms about sticking so close to his enemies that he wants to know "the color of their sh*t and how much it stinks."
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Lines like that are so on-brand it hurts.
The first few episodes busy themselves with creating a foundation, tossing in shocking scenes here and there to goad the audience along so they can make it to the episodes where things really start to pay off.
Despite a shocking, made-for-Twitter-buzz opening, Season 4 starts with more of what we've already seen. Frank Underwood is still thirsty for power, as is Claire. And if there's anything the show repeatedly tries to teach us, it's that Frank, despite what he thinks, is nothing without Claire.
"Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey are once again in excellent form, callous and calculated as ever."
By the way: Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey are once again in excellent form, callous and calculated as ever as the warring couple.
Season 4 also mirrors the current presidential elections surprisingly well, in such a way that exiting showrunner Beau Willimon is probably grinning from ear-to-ear watching the current cycle play out. We can't give specifics, but it particularly parallels the racial issues that plague this country.
A Texas congresswoman (played by the almighty Cicely Tyson) comes in handy in this arena. Tyson is one of many interesting supporting characters this season, along with Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn and Neve Campbell.
The show also makes a leap this year into more surreal territory, going for experimental moments that straddle the line between obvious symbolism and brilliant creativity. Remember this terrifying nightmare scene from Mad Men? You'll get a taste of that dark, surrealist vibe over and over.
The moral of the amoral story: Frank and Claire are back to their dirty tricks. All you really need to know is that you should barrel through the first few episodes, because the next few are well worth the wait.
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Yohana Desta was the senior film reporter for Mashable. She is a Northern Virginia native and an American University grad. She enjoys carefully curating her Instagram account and can often be found reading books, going to concerts, watching movies and learning way too much about pop culture.
