Chapter 5 (1 Feb. 2013)

If we view House of Cards' story as a pot of water, it, while being far from boiling, got to a temperature too hot to drink without getting internal burns as a result in its fifth chapter. The reasons for this are manifold:

On one hand, there are enough shades and depths to the characters to get the audience invested after 200 minutes of the series, which is further enhanced by the talent of the screenwriters. In addition, the situations the characters are currently in and the interactions between them give the scribes a carte blanche to conjure up entertaining scenes. And last but definitely not least: there is sex added, which is, if we're being honest, rarely ever bad news for a television series.

The plot isn't of world class proportions yet though and I'm consistently astonished at the utter uselessness of Kevin Spacey addressing the audience here and there, worst and most unnecessary as he tells us he lied to Marty Spinella mere seconds before Marty Spinella repeats it to him, using slightly stronger language. Nevertheless, House of Cards maintains a realistic and entertaining representation of modern day politics and is a highly interesting character study, especially as the number of those is ever rising.

Memoranda: • What the what is up with that first scene of Francis and Claire sharing a conversation, implicitly concerning his extramarital affair? How on earth could she possibly know anything and how on earth would she be as stoical as she is about it? • Wass Stevens, who plays a childhood friend of Peter in this episode, not only does and says pretty much the same Al Sapienza did in a scene with Spacey just minutes before, but also completely botches it by overacting on an eyebrow-raising level. • Cutting directly from Kate Mara stripping naked to Peter's kids is a hopeful contender for most awkward editing choice of the year. • The Apple product placement is getting annoyingly gratuitous by now – I don't mind about such things as a means of acquiring the monetary needs to fulfil a series of a level as high as this one's, but the director really sticking the audience's face in the logo every other minute is something I don't approve of. • What a sadly gorgeous shot of Pete walking through the Congress halls all alone at night. • Best quote: "How did it go?" – "What did you hear?" – "A lot of f*cks." – "Well, that pretty much sums it up." – You just have to love the chemistry between Frank and Stamper.