Tag Archives: Doug Stamper

House of Cards S04E03 Recap & Review

March 6, 2016 Alex Brannan

Caution: Spoilers from House of Cards season four, episode three ahead.

The third episode of the new season of House of Cards shows the continued efforts of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) to salvage his struggling presidential campaign. Returning to his hometown of Gaffney, South Carolina, he speaks in a church. The scene is great, cross-cutting between the speech itself and Underwood preparing for the speech. The lighting contrast and his mumbling recitation show the reality of his feelings for the people that he is claiming to be working for, that they are merely votes that he desperately needs.

On the other end of the political totem pole, Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus), aka John Carlyle, is working on parole, cleaning cars. In order to secure a car, he engages in sexual favors with a co-worker. He uses this to Continue reading House of Cards S04E03 Recap & Review →

Drama, Television Reviews

House of Cards S04E01 Recap & Review

March 5, 2016 Alex Brannan

Caution: Spoilers for House of Cards season four, episode one (and perhaps any previous episode of the show) ahead.

Season four of House of Cards opens on a strange yet perversely poetic image: former Washington Herald senior journalist Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus) glibly reciting erotica so his prison cellmate can get off on the bunk below him. Goodwin was previously framed by hacker Gavin Orsay (Jimmi Simpson) and Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) loyalist Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly) in order to prevent further suspicion over the death of Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) at Underwood’s hands.

The reason for Goodwin’s lewd helping hand becomes clear later on, when it is revealed that he Continue reading House of Cards S04E01 Recap & Review →

Long Reviews (>400 Words), Love It, Television Reviews, TV Drama

House of Cards (2015) S03E04 Recap/Review

March 10, 2015 Alex Brannan

Caution: major spoilers for this episode follow, as well as possible spoilers from episodes prior.

Episode four of this political drama opens on a Supreme Court hearing, the same hearing that the President was ignoring earlier in the season in his jumbled attempt to get his America Works project off the ground. The hearing surrounds a drone strike that apparently killed innocent civilians.

While this is going on, Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is attending the funeral of three soldiers. In the Supreme Court hearing, we hear that he has given authorization to the Solicitor General Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel) to effectively put full responsibility on the government for the attack that caused innocent deaths, arguing that the strike killed its criminal target and was legal and justified. The cross-cutting with the funeral tells us that Continue reading House of Cards (2015) S03E04 Recap/Review →

Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Television Reviews, TV Drama

House of Cards (2015) S03E03 Recap/Review

March 4, 2015 Alex Brannan

House of Cards S03E03 Recap/Review

The cold open of season three: episode three sets the stage for some topical commentary. Protesters on the Mall are chanting anti-Russian sentiment over the political mistreatment of the LGBT community. Apparently, Continue reading House of Cards (2015) S03E03 Recap/Review →

All Movie Reviews, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words), TV Drama

House of Cards (2015) S03E02 Recap/Review

March 3, 2015 Alex Brannan

Caution: major spoilers for season three: episode two (and possibly prior episodes) ahead.

You can find my recap/review of season three: episode one here.

The second episode of House of Cards season three opens on a hearing over Claire Underwood’s (Robin Wright) proposed nomination to the title of Ambassador to the U.N. She is heavily interrogated by Republican Senator Mendosa–who pledged in the previous episode to not fight her nomination openly–which causes a media frenzy. While this is going on, Frank (Kevin Spacey) walks into a meeting where he is informed by other party leaders that the Democratic Party does not want him to run for President in 2016. Things aren’t going well for the Underwoods.

The ramifications of these two events carry on for a few scenes. Probably for a few too many. A cross-cutting and split-screening montage ofcampaign phone calls from Claire and Frank seems a bit much.

The more interesting plot line Continue reading House of Cards (2015) S03E02 Recap/Review →