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S04.E05: Chapter 44

ElectricBoogaloo

By ElectricBoogaloo
in House Of Cards [V]

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mjc570

mjc570

I deliberately avoided spoilers so I could post freely, but damn - when are the good guys ever going to get a break?  I've been waiting since after Season 1 for at least something to derail Frank and co., but it doesn't seem like it's ever going to happen.

 

This episode was ok, mainly because both Remy and Raymond were back.  I have to give the show's production major props because it looked like Frank's eyes were seriously yellow, a good attention to detail.  Speaking of Frank:  (1)  I don't see the point of his flashbacks, except to give him something to do; and (2) that's the hospital VIP suite? 

 

My main takeaway - what a thoroughly decent guy Vice-President Blythe is, so I'm sure he will be destroyed sooner rather than later.

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Maysie

Maysie

 

My main takeaway - what a thoroughly decent guy Vice-President Blythe is, so I'm sure he will be destroyed sooner rather than later.

 

Oh yeah. He's not only decent, but incredibly naive and probably a bit dim-witted (which would explain why Frank would choose him as a Vice President). And I had to laugh out loud that Claire was sequestered elsewhere in the White House sending Blythe crib notes on his lap top as he talked to the Russian. I don't know, but based on her previous track record I don't know that I'd be relying on her for sensitive political negotiations. Has she suddenly become a brilliant strategist? Or is he that stupid?

 

I don't even know what to think at this point. When Frank started having some sort of attack that looked like it might kill him I found myself thinking "please, just die already and get it over with!" And of course, part of that's because he is just that loathsome. But I think I'm also getting tired of all the mustache-twirling. So far this season has been Frank takes two steps forward, then Claire does, sending Frank back a step. Then he takes two steps forward and sends her back one. And back and forth and back and forth as they lurch along. Every step, every turn, propels each of them to a new low and I get it: they are ambitious, ruthless and have no morals at all.

 

And then there's Doug. Gah. When he attacked Seth in his apartment, I thought "well, of course he'll kill him because it's Doug!" and I was genuinely surprised he didn't kill Seth. I can only guess he didn't because there's no way he could get away with it or keep the scandal from damaging the president. And it was kind of humorous that Doug couldn't donate his liver because of his alcoholism. I know it isn't really funny, but I found it so because simply because I hate Doug so much.

 

At this point I'm trying to make myself finish the season. I hate to quit a show that I initially enjoyed so much (seasons 1&2). Watching this season reminded me how much I really disliked season 3. A year is a long time to go between shows, particularly when you binge watch, so I was looking forward to this season. And then I started watching again and a lot of it started coming back to me. Claire and Frank bumbling and miscalculating their way to success and power only because everyone else is even more stupid or naive than they are is dull and frustrating. As well, there's not really anyone to root for, which I get because it is the highest level of politics, after all. And I can live with a show filled with "bad" people - I loved the Sopranos, for example - so long as they're interesting bad people. Claire and Frank were interesting in the first two seasons but now they're cartoonish. The show is becoming very predictable.

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elzin

elzin

I forgot this was coming back so I didn't get to watch the whole thing over the weekend because I had to rewatch the first three seasons... That was an exercise in self-punishment. I forgot how much I didn't like S3.

 

I'm all over the place with this season so far. I used to like Claire but I don't anymore and I'm starting to dislike her, even though she's less evil than FU. I mean, she didn't personally murder anyone. She's just pushy and awful and while FU is equally manipulative, he has that used car salesman style of convincing people (generally) rather than bullying outright. Like he'd rob you blind right to your face but you wouldn't notice until later. So I'm not liking their fighting very much, but I like some of the things coming out of it. Catching Dunbar up in the assassination attempt was incredible tv. I doubt very much Tom-the-editor has no interesting in Lucas and has dropped pursuing things. Neve Campbell is very good and I like the Seth/Doug dynamic.

 

Watching all of it again I realized so much humor is missing. It was never a sitcom, but there was humor. I loved FU's camera asides. Those are also far and few between.  I think he'll survive this (unless Claire smothers him with a pillow) but I don't think he'll be darkly funny again.

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ethalfrida

ethalfrida

(edited)

I am tempted to start last season all over too. I lost so much connection.

 

And, this may be a little weird but don't all the houses and buildings they live, work, meet and play in seem cold and lacking real humaness?

Edited by ethalfrida
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elzin

elzin

I am tempted to start last season all over too. I lost so much connection.

 

And, this may be a little weird but doesn't all the houses and buildings they live, work, meet and play in seem cold and lacking real humaness?

I bet it's on purpose since no one but Freddie and the woman Claire fired in S1 seem to be real people.

 

As a big fan of The West Wing, it is striking that the same setting feels warm and inhabited in TWW but yet stark and barren here.

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ethalfrida

ethalfrida

I bet it's on purpose since no one but Freddie and the woman Claire fired in S1 seem to be real people.

 

As a big fan of The West Wing, it is striking that the same setting feels warm and inhabited in TWW but yet stark and barren here.

Great points...

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neighsayer

neighsayer

And, this may be a little weird but don't all the houses and buildings they live, work, meet and play in seem cold and lacking real humaness?

 

I read an article a while ago (can't seem to find it) that talked about how the cameramen use filters to give it that yellow-ish gray-ish look at all times.   It is meant to be a subtle way to reinforce how cold and dark everything is (both physically and in the soul).

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Pixie Chicken

Pixie Chicken

(edited)

I didn't interpret this episode as Claire being some sort of foreign policy genius. I thought she was deliberately steering them wrong to make Frank's administration look bad, thereby costing him the election... no?

I read an article a while ago (can't seem to find it) that talked about how the cameramen use filters to give it that yellow-ish gray-ish look at all times. It is meant to be a subtle way to reinforce how cold and dark everything is (both physically and in the soul).

Law & Order used to do this too, to make everything seem grittier.

Edited by Pixie Chicken
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Athena5217

Athena5217

I bet it's on purpose since no one but Freddie and the woman Claire fired in S1 seem to be real people.

 

As a big fan of The West Wing, it is striking that the same setting feels warm and inhabited in TWW but yet stark and barren here.

Yes, the contrast is huge. While I get the symbolic effect, I think it is taken too far. In West Wing, POTUS and FLOTUS often interacted with White House staff and often had people around them in the background. In contrast, you'd think Claire and Frank were the only people in that giant house, which is magically self-cleaning.

Claire and Frank in the little kitchen drives me nuts. I know that there is a kitchen in the residence where the First Family can cook their own meals if they want, but I can't believe it's a regular thing because POTUS does not have time to make eggs and bacon. Shouldn't Frank spend his morning being briefed on the events that happened while he was sleeping and what the newspapers are saying? I know Obama likes to eat breakfast and dinner with his wife and daughters, but he has a much more normal relationship with Michelle than Frank does with Claire.

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JBC344

JBC344

I don't know.  The residence part of the White House doesn't bother me.  It is their private sanctuary.  Both Claire and Frank seem to work non stop during the day so I don't think it is strange that they would routinely have their coffee and apple in the residence before they officially start their day.  Also we never really see them cooking, outside of maybe one scene.  We mostly if anything see them making a late night snack usually a sandwich (love that this is carried over every season) or we see them eating food that was already prepared for by white house staff.  They are just pulling it out of the fridge and platting it. 

 

I do agree about the rest of the white house being made to look dreary and cold, I just have no issues with the residence portion.

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ToxicUnicorn

ToxicUnicorn

Claire's press conference was a thing of beauty (where she informs the public that FU needs a liver transplant and fakes being overcome with emotion).  Unfortunately, that was my only real take away from this episode.  Nothing else was very interesting.

 

Doug attacking Seth = seemed sort of run of the mill, for Doug.  That guy is unhnged (although I enjoy him).  That's going to come back to bite him.  No way does Seth let that go.

 

I am supremely bored by Frank's hallucinations.

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Portia

Portia

(edited)

I'm not sure it would have made any difference, but I keep wondering why Lucas left his notes at his residence rather than mail them to major news outlets.

Not sure what this says about the state of my brain, but I keep expecting/hoping that characters from Veep will walk in.

Also, there was a split second when both my spouse and I thought that Claire and the acting president were going to start making out in the kitchen.

Edited by Portia
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ToxicUnicorn

ToxicUnicorn

Also, there was a split second when both my spouse and I thought that Claire and the acting president were going to start making out in the kitchen.

I was suspicious, too.  I think Claire is completely capable of trying to seduce the acting president to further her career.

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Kenz

Kenz

 

 

And, this may be a little weird but don't all the houses and buildings they live, work, meet and play in seem cold and lacking real humaness?

I'm annoyed at the hazy scenes, usually very noticeable in the indoor scenes. What happened to high definition? Are they putting a haze filter on the cameras?

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ElectricBoogaloo

ElectricBoogaloo

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The most surprising thing about this episode was that Doug didn't immediately start having everyone in a 100 mile radius tested to see if they were compatible to donate their liver to Frank. Can't you just imagine him strong arming everyone in the White House one at a time?

 

I was totally cracking up at Claire IMing Blythe while he was on the phone. Say what you will about Claire, but she knows how to play Blythe. Similarly, her "emotional" press conference was perfect to get some sympathy for both her and Frank.

 

I loved the contrast between Blythe's press conference last week where the press immediately started badgering him with questions after he'd managed to get all of two sentences out of his mouth and this week's where they let Claire read her entire statement before they started yelling questions at her.

 

I agree that Frank's hallucinations were boring.

 

I really thought that Doug was going to kill Seth, so I guess yay for deciding that an awkward workplace is preferable to actual murder?

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jsm1125

jsm1125

I find it very interesting that Blythe is the only person to whom Claire has explicitly told that she feels nothing when she thinks about Frank. She has expressed her dislike for him to her mother and to Leann, but never in those terms. What should we make of this, if anything?

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ElectricBoogaloo

ElectricBoogaloo

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I think it's probably because Donald is an open honest person without a million hidden agendas, unlike everyone else who Claire encounters. Even if there were a huge schism between Donald and the Underwoods in the future, Donald is too honorable to use what she said in that conversation against her. I think she also phrased it as feeling nothing about Frank being in the hospital, not just in general so even if someone found out she had said that, she could just say she felt numb about Frank being injured (which is a common enough thing people say when they're in situations like that).

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ToxicUnicorn

ToxicUnicorn

I had a different take.  I thought a large part of Claire's interactions with Blythe were for the purpose of manipulating him. 

 

By telling him that, she validated his feelings about his wife's death, his sense of isolation and loneliness, and his desire to seek her company by making it seem reciprocal.  By distancing herself from Francis, she made it seem as though she was taking him seriously as his own person, who was acting as President and not as an adjunct of Francis.  This fed his ego, both professionally and personally that an interesting, attractive woman who clearly was used to being around power but who also had an independent mind was being candid with him.  Finally, and most importantly, denying her relationship with Francis made her seem like an independent agent who could become his ally.  I honestly thought she was going to try to do an end run around Francis by hitching her political star to Blythe and torpedoing Francis' re-emergence somehow.  Maybe that was wishful thinking, but I suspected Claire of laying the groundwork for that possibility.

 

I think she was very deliberate about that statement.  Maybe there was a grain of truth to make the line more palatable to him and to her, but I think mostly it was strategic.  I don't think she had any intention of sharing an honest emotion or revealing any more of herself than was necessary.

 

Yes, I am completely cynical.

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ToxicUnicorn

ToxicUnicorn

Frank prowling around him like a lion stalking a buffalo on the plains in africa .....:P

Love this description.  So apt.

 

Best part of the beginning of this season was Frank prowling around Claire.  Truly terrifying!

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Dobian

Dobian

Sorry you couldn't save Frank with your pickled liver, Doug.  And why does this guy get to kick ass so much?  I think some of the women on that show could take him.  I bet Claire could stomp him.

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needschocolate

needschocolate

Sorry you couldn't save Frank with your pickled liver, Doug.  And why does this guy get to kick ass so much?  I think some of the women on that show could take him.  I bet Claire could stomp him.

 

 

Because everyone else is civilized and Doug has the element of surprise on his side - no one would ever expect the Chief  of Staff to attempt to kill them.

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