{"id":483,"date":"2020-02-21T17:45:52","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T17:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/?p=483"},"modified":"2025-05-19T20:44:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T20:44:14","slug":"house-of-cards-2013-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/?p=483","title":{"rendered":"<em>House of Cards<\/em> (2013-2018)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;no-gap&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1><em>House of Cards<\/em> (2013-2018)<\/h1>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Kevin-Spacey-as-President-Frank-Underwood-in-House-of-Cards.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset2&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_layout=&#8221;dark&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-57px|||11px|false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><em>Kevein Spacey as Pres. Underwood<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;no-gap&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||112px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|2px|2px|2px|2px&#8221; border_width_all=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_all=&#8221;#303c6c&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|14px|0px|14px|false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>NOTE: I have decided to leave this older post (below) on my blog site in spite of two unrelated but disturbing stories that surfaced in October 2017.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The first involves the personal misconduct of the star of <em>House of Cards<\/em>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vulture.com\/2017\/11\/house-of-cards-workers-accuse-kevin-spacey-of-misconduct.html\">Kevin Spacey<\/a>.\u00a0Like all fans of the show and Mr. Spacey, these stories are both mystifying and saddening. I take the position that it is possible to both praise the accomplishments and talents of a person while at the same time condemning their personal behavior.<\/li>\n<li>The second story brings to mind a quote from Oscar Wilde, who wrote that &#8220;<em>Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life<\/em>&#8220;. Yahoo! News has reported that<strong> Russian computer trolls who were purportedly responsible for sabotaging the 2016 US election were instructed to watch <em>House of Cards<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in order to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/russian-trolls-schooled-house-cards-185648522.html\">learn about US political issues<\/a> and practices in order to further their own ends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;no-gap&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-111px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>President Underwood is the antichrist to <em>West Wing&#8217;s<\/em> President Bartlett<\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/?p=499\">referenced in another blog post<\/a>). He makes <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli\">Niccol\u00f2 Machiavelli<\/a> look like a boy scout. All of this has been aided and abetted by his wife and co-conspirator, Claire, played by Robin Wright.<\/p>\n<p>This scene from early in the first season shows Underwood discussing with reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) the possibility of a mutually-beneficial news leaking relationship. Later on, their interaction evolves to include more than just sharing news and &#8212; SPOILER ALERT &#8212; none of this ends well.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/HOUSE-OF-CARDS-Season-1-I-Couldnt-Possibly-Comment.mp4&#8243; image_src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Kevin-Spacey-delivering-a-speech-as-President-Frank-Underwood-in-House-of-Cards.jpg&#8221; thumbnail_overlay_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.6)&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset2&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/House-of-Cards-1990-Ian-Richardson-Chief-Whip-and-Reporter.mp4&#8243; image_src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ian-Richardson-in-the-role-of-Prime-Minister-Francis-Urquhart-in-the-original-British-series-House-of-Cards.jpg&#8221; thumbnail_overlay_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.6)&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; width=&#8221;77%&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset2&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTE:<\/strong> many people do not realize it but the Spacey\/Wright version of House of Cards is based on a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series)\">British series from the early &#8217;90&#8217;s<\/a>. Having watched both series is great fun to compare both the similarities and differences. In a rough parallel to the above video with Spacey and Mara, this scene finds <strong>Francis Underwood&#8217;s<\/strong> earlier British counterpart &#8212; actor Ian Richardson in the role of <strong>Francis Urquhart<\/strong> &#8212; also being buttonholed for newsworthy information by a female journalist.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Ironically, aside from the handful of us who are familiar with his evil persona in the British &#8220;<em>House of Cards<\/em>&#8221; series, Richardson was better known to American audiences for his Grey Poupon Mustard commercials.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QoHSe-0hixs&#8221; image_src=&#8221;https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Still-photo-from-Grey-Poupon-mustard-ad.jpg&#8221; thumbnail_overlay_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.6)&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset2&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In <em>House of Cards<\/em> Kevin Spacey portrays President Francis Underwood \u2013 a leader who has taken no prisoners and buried some bodies in the course of his rise to power.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.oganovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Kevin-Spacey-as-President-Frank-Underwood-in-House-of-Cards.jpg?fit=1328%2C954&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3122,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions\/3122"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.oganovic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}