You could see in the car, Frank was probing him over and over, trying to get him under control and steer him in a direction that had a different conclusion. You could see Frank going over every possible solution in his head and then had to steel himself for what "needed" to be done.
Anybody who claims they saw Frank doing that to Russo is full of shit.Frank didn't even plan on doing it.It was only when Russo became uncontrolable that Frank decided to tank him. Otherwise he would have backed him all the way to governor.
He obviously did plan on doing it. All he needed to say to his deputy was "we need to accelerate our plans", and the deputy had all the pieces in place to tank him. I'm actually surprised anyone would have thought he was going to "back him all the way to governor". The shocking thing for me was him even pretending to help Russo at all, never once in my mind did I think he was doing this to actually get Russo to be governor. When he finally tanked him and started talking about moving around the VP, THEN I was like "okay,nowit makes sense." Now, that said. I don't think the take down was telegraphed, that was surprising....But it was only the method that was surprising, not that it happened.
And
I think the only part that wasn't planned was his death at the end. Frank said "Okay, our boy has done his part lets get him back on his feet."...I don't think he ever intended to kill him, but it just worked out that way because he was too far gone.
he was threatening to reveal how they had taken down Keane etc. The journo's find out later anyway (although they have no hard evidence) but it was that and his drunken attempt to get arrested which killed him. They did a great swerve the previous episode though, I was sure Stamper was going to bust in on him brown bread in the bath in the hotel room.
It's tough to work out spoiler policy on this, with them releasing every episode in one lump. I know personally I stayed out of the HoC threads here and elsewhere until I had watched the whole thing.
Was anyone else annoyed the the gaffe on the talk show?
Specifically, I was annoyed by Claire's reaction in the car. I was really expecting her to chastise Frank about screwing up so badly. I was waiting for a "What was that Frank" kind of line from her
Are you sure that was a gaffe and not just an example of who/what type of person Claire isn't?
Put the other actions she has done up to this point in the same context and she becomes very complex indeed.
For example she clearly loves her husband yet cheats on him with another lover. She shows jealously but not vindictiveness.
She is ruthless when she fires everyone yet goes out of her way to get those supplies delivered in Africa.
Her hospital visit with the former agent and response to him are signs of a very complex relationship with her husband yet I don't get the vibe that she wants out of the relationship.
Understanding Clarie seems more like a Journey that will take multiple seasons, IMO.
He obviously did plan on doing it. All he needed to say to his deputy was "we need to accelerate our plans", and the deputy had all the pieces in place to tank him. I'm actually surprised anyone would have thought he was going to "back him all the way to governor". The shocking thing for me was him even pretending to help Russo at all, never once in my mind did I think he was doing this to actually get Russo to be governor. When he finally tanked him and started talking about moving around the VP, THEN I was like "okay,nowit makes sense." Now, that said. I don't think the take down was telegraphed, that was surprising....But it was only the method that was surprising, not that it happened.
And
I think the only part that wasn't planned was his death at the end. Frank said "Okay, our boy has done his part lets get him back on his feet."...I don't think he ever intended to kill him, but it just worked out that way because he was too far gone.
I think it was one of those things where he set things up so it works out for him either way. If Russo kept his shit together and won, Frank's done good work and is still a viable candidate for the VP since he was instrumental in the party maintaining a majority and now has a sober governor firmly in his pocket.
Exactly, I'm 99% convinced Frank's original plan was to get the VP booted "sometime" before the next election and taking his place. Getting Russo elected helped keep the Dems in control of the state and showed the president that he was a chap who could get shit done. He already knew it was a marriage of convenience between the top two and the opening was there. The Russo self destructs after Clare fucked the watershed bill and Frank sets the trap but even then he wanted to take care of the chap even after using him until he was put in a convenient position to solve his problem.
Unlike the British version there is no solid evidence (we are aware of) that puts him at the scene of the crime, even Stampers knowledge is only hearsay/whatever the term would be to fit.
Like some others I enjoyed the beginning from than the end, but I still really liked it.
General feelings:
A couple of episodes in I thought to myself, I hope no one gets killed because I don't want this to become another run of the mill political thriller. Sure enough, by the end it's prostitute drama, political murder, reporters in danger as they get closer to the truth. Like I said, I still enjoy it. It's all very slick and I'll certainly be watching the second season. But, I think my favorite episode was the one where Frank went back to his district.
On Frank's plan for Peter:
I think Frank always intended to tank Peter's campaign. I can see how Peter winning would have made Frank look good but I don't think it would have helped Frank nearly as much. He'd still have to come up with some other way to get rid of the VP. Why bother will all of that when he can just tank Peter's campaign?
The whole purpose of Peter's campaign to Frank was to tank it, there's subtle hints along the way, for instance when Peter asks him does he think he can win Frank replies "I think you'll make a great candidate". When the idea came to him is the question, the way the party room where they first canvassed their options for who to run was shot it made it seem like Frank thought the idea up when they brushed over Peter on the list, but if that's the case it's all rather convenient that Peter happened to be from the same State as the VP.
This show was so fucking good. If you don't have a Netflix account, sign up for a free trial and watch it.
Major spoiler. Don't click if you haven't finished the show.
It seemed so sloppy and out of character for Frank to actually do the killing himself, especially since there are several people that know that he was the last person with Peter. I would have expected him to get someone else to do it. I fully expect him to implicate someone else later on and watch them get a life sentence. Probably Doug since he was there too. I'm also really looking forward to watching Mr. Smith Goes to Washington happen with the shipyard guy. Peter was already totally corrupted when Frank got a hold of him, but I'm really going to enjoy watching that guy slowly turn into what he hated.
The whole purpose of Peter's campaign to Frank was to tank it, there's subtle hints along the way, for instance when Peter asks him does he think he can win Frank replies "I think you'll make a great candidate". When the idea came to him is the question, the way the party room where they first canvassed their options for who to run was shot it made it seem like Frank thought the idea up when they brushed over Peter on the list, but if that's the case it's all rather convenient that Peter happened to be from the same State as the VP.
Remember the first episode? Frank said "we need someone to own"...Then magically Peter gets pulled over, and despite saying he's a congressman, the cop takes him in. I'm sure in Season 2 it will come to light that those events were not random. That out of all the PA congressmen, Stamper found Peter the most vulnerable to blackmails and started winding up the trap. That's why Frank was contacted immediately the moment Peter was arrested--because the cop that arrested him was working for Frank.
There were tons of subtle clues that him obtaining the VP was his goal from the start. Like for example, he tells his wife there will be lots of sleepless nights---then in a later episode he says "What I'm doing is far more important than your project"...And his wife "knew" what he was talking about, even if the audience did not. Also, when he told Stamper "We need to accelerate our plans"--and Stamper already knew what the plan was. ALSO he made sure to express the knowledge that the VP was being put out to pasture in the first episode (So he knew where the weakness was.)
All of these things point to the fact that the plan was formulated in the first night, while he was sitting across from his wife smoking the cigarette (After breaking the vase). We assumed it was to get the chick to be the Secretary of State, but if that were the case, then Claire should have taken the money from Remmy--because the whole point of Frank wanting the Secretary of State was to cozy up to Sandcorp. However, when Remmy offers the money, Frank says "No, we can't have Remmy on us right now, you KNOW what we're trying to do."---This indicates that the Secretary of State plan was just a part of a bigger action. (It would also explain why Claire found it okay to kill the bill--she knew Peter was a sacrificial lamb, and didn't want to hurt her own project just to make Frank's time table better.)
Anyway, just my .02$. There were plenty of small hints to show that this was all planned. I'm hoping the reporters in the second season will be the method by which we are shown this scheme. And then I hope Frank crushes that bitch Zoey. Seriously, what a dumb ass--absolutely no patience for characters that tend to change with the smallest nudge of someone's influence.
On that note. Anyone get the feeling that Frank was letting Zoey get full of herself when she was walking around his house? I think he's pumping her up so when he breaks her, she will be in his pocket forever.
It could have just been the decision to tear them down that he came to at the start, the hows of it he formulated on the way. If you recall the first reason he stated he needed someone to own was because he needed a buffer for the dealings that put the woman in as Seccy, Frank says it to Doug so Doug at that stage at least is not aware of any master plan.
If Claire knew the ultimate goal from the start she clearly didn't know the how of it, or she'd have not screwed him on the waterthingy. Also after she does her and Frank have a conversation where she basically says she acted out because he's not telling her shit and he replies that she never asked.
Just watched all of this over the past two days. Great show. I agree that the second half fell off into a more stereotypical political drama but it's still very well done. Will no doubt be tuning in for the second season.
I'm pretty sure Frank intended on tanking Peter's career the whole time. No way Rachel came onto Peter that hard for the hell of it. Bitch was paid.
It could have just been the decision to tear them down that he came to at the start, the hows of it he formulated on the way. If you recall the first reason he stated he needed someone to own was because he needed a buffer for the dealings that put the woman in as Seccy, Frank says it to Doug so Doug at that stage at least is not aware of any master plan.
If Claire knew the ultimate goal from the start she clearly didn't know the how of it, or she'd have not screwed him on the waterthingy. Also after she does her and Frank have a conversation where she basically says she acted out because he's not telling her shit and he replies that she never asked.
Yeah, went through this a few days ago.
(bbca had a House of cards Euro marathon yesterday. and Netflix has them as well.)
Acting is fantastic. Great show.
By the end though, it was starting to lose me a bit. It felt like everyone was just entirely too oblivious to being set up over and over.
We watched season one of Homeland and found it.. wanting. Fired this up a couple days ago and am already at episode 7 and loving it. I never really thought much of Kevin Spacey before and now I do so he was very wise to have poured himself into this as deeply as he did. Corey Stoll is also impressing me, I see big things for this guy.
Very good show. I didn't think Frank's hands-on wet work was all that out of character. This was strongly alluded to at the very beginning of episode 1 with the dog.
After the first meeting where Underwood tells the drunk we'll be in touch they have an aside to where he admits to us he can't abide weaknesses. I was surprised he strung the guy out as long as he did. I think Francis has everything plotted way past being the actual VP. That man has serious ambition and being VP for 8 years won't cut it. Somehow Zoe is still working within his plans and I doubt she knows it. I'm just not sure which way it'll spin yet, but I do foresee more squirming on a bed with someone eating her out. Yay!
I really enjoyed the 13 episode available at once option. I have no idea how this method impacts production or anything "in the biz", but from someone enjoying the story it's much easier to recall something 10 hours ago you watched than it is 10 weeks ago. Sure the waiting a year for season 2 will suck, but I'll just slot another 13 hours before launch and disappear for a weekend to knock out season 2.
