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S05.E01: Chapter 53

Athena

By Athena
in House Of Cards [V]

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Michichick

Michichick

Well, it feels like the season is off to a bit of a slow start. Nice to see Francis and Claire are just as evil as ever, though. I admit I was a little surprised that they had the kid in custody the whole time, but then I felt stupid for being surprised. Of course it was all a calculated move to stir up people's fear that there was a terrorist lurking out there, it seemed so obvious after the fact. 

I'm a little confused about what Leann and the computer expert guy are up to. I didn't rewatch all of season 4, just rewatched the final episode yesterday. So I'm hoping I'll gain clarity when I watch more of season 5.

i continue to see zero chemistry between Claire and Tom Yates. They are the opposite of hot together.

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IntrovertRed

IntrovertRed

(edited)
10 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I feel like I am watching real life on this show. Man, it is like they are predicting what is happening in the current administration right now with all the fear baiting.  IMO

Just finished first episode, and I totally agree with this, it's almost not enjoyable to watch because of the current political climate.  I keep thinking at some point someone will finally realize how evil the Underwoods are, but nope... Edited to add, okay,clearly people realize Frank/Claire are terrible people, I guess I meant, no one has been able to truly outsmart them thus far.

Edited by KLJ
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DoubleUTeeEff

DoubleUTeeEff

A ton of people know how evil the Underwoods are. Half of them are dead and the rest are either scared witless or have dirt on them so they are hamstrung. Peter, Rachel, Zoe and Lucas are all dead. Janine and Catherine Durant have been scared into submission, it seems. Remy Danton and Jackie Sharp had dirt on them and are currently outside the circle of power. Heather Dunbar, as well. Tom Hammershmidt is the only one currently working on bringing them down. Then there are the people in their circle who know how evil the Underwoods are but are complicit since they go along to get along, like Leann.

For some reason it cracked me up when Frank grabbed the paper from the congressman on the floor of congress. I also loved when he told Doug to "Spit it out. It won't taste so bad." I'm going to have to remember that line.

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NorthstarATL

NorthstarATL

11 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I feel like I am watching real life on this show. Man, it is like they are predicting what is happening in the current administration right now with all the fear baiting.  IMO

MMV, I suppose. I am enjoying it by realizing how close the bullet we dodged really came! The Clin...Underwoods are fascinating to watch, but I would not want to be ruled...er...led by them. Still not buying that a spouse could be approved to run as V.P.  Marriage affords one thing that neither parent/child or sibling does, and that's the fact that you cannot be compelled to testify against a spouse.

 Also not buying how intriguing Claire finds dimestore Bradley Cooper. It diminishes her character for me. But, again, MMV.

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chick binewski

chick binewski

Of course Novelist Tom was wandering around the WH looking for food. Claire & Frank have been starving him with those 2 slices of apple breakfasts. Also, I like Reporter Tom even better now that I know the actor's dad was John McGiver (Senator Tom Jordan in The Manchurian Candidate. Because apparently we can never have enough Toms).

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Jade Foxx

Jade Foxx

(edited)

Frank's Season 5 face looks like a seventy year old catcher's mitt. Yeesh! Were prosthetics used as an aging technique, or does Spacey really look that weathered nowadays?

K. Spacey can DO NO WRONG, btw!

Edited by Jade Foxx
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riverheightsnancy

riverheightsnancy

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19 hours ago, NorthstarATL said:

MMV, I suppose. I am enjoying it by realizing how close the bullet we dodged really came! The Clin...Underwoods are fascinating to watch, but I would not want to be ruled...er...led by them. Still not buying that a spouse could be approved to run as V.P.  Marriage affords one thing that neither parent/child or sibling does, and that's the fact that you cannot be compelled to testify against a spouse.

 Also not buying how intriguing Claire finds dimestore Bradley Cooper. It diminishes her character for me. But, again, MMV.

I was referring to Trump and the swirling amount of fear regarding visas, immigrants, and attempts to change and influence people via media manipulation. I have never seen this show as a referendum about Hillary. But the recent season seems prescient in respect to the storylines and what is actually happening. 

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Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

I try not to think about current politics when I watch this show.  It's always been a bit of a dark fantasy.  I felt silly for not realizing right away that they had the terrorist guy the whole time.  Of course they did.  They wouldn't plot the way they did without having him nice and secure.

There was mention of the Senate investigating the Unserwoods and their administration.  No telling how far that will get.  

It looks like Hammerschmidt is going to be the driving  force against the Underwokds.  It will be Interestibg what he digs up.  He thinks he has a major story. If he hasnt scratched the bottom of the barrel.

I think Leanne and the computer guy might have found a way to subvertly peek into people's online stuff.  My guess is they will use it to get in deeper with the Underwoods or use it as an attempt to get out.  Hey ha that an illegal file on your computer?

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knaankos

knaankos

(edited)
On 5/30/2017 at 10:03 AM, riverheightsnancy said:

I feel like I am watching real life on this show. Man, it is like they are predicting what is happening in the current administration right now with all the fear baiting.  IMO

I honestly really don't like that. I was hoping they wouldn't try to mimic real life too much but it seems that's exactly what they want to do. I just think it's lazy and acts too self important. And as  person who really hates the current political climate IRL, I really would hope a show wouldn't try it's best to imitate it.

Orange is the new black did the same thing last season. 

Edited by knaankos
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Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

What else are they going to do though?  Make the Underwoods suddenly the good guys?  Last season ended with the Underwoods being investigated and a terrorist attack,  they are going with the natural progression of who these people are.  It's not their fault that life is actually imitating art right now.    Unless the Underwoods do a hero turn I don't see too many other options.

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jnymph

jnymph

(edited)
8 hours ago, knaankos said:

I honestly really don't like that. I was hoping they wouldn't try to mimic real life too much but it seems that's exactly what they want to do. I just think it's lazy and acts too self important. And as  person who really hates the current political climate IRL, I really would hope a show wouldn't try it's best to imitate it.

 

HoC isn't mimicking real life. It was filmed before the current political happenings.  (at least that's my understanding) 

Anyways, I loved the S5 opener.  Kevin Spacey just can't do wrong.   Robin Wright continues to be distractingly beautiful as Claire, almost to the point of annoying and taking me out of the story. 

I did NOT see it coming that they had Joshua the terrorist in custody.  Doh !   Wow.  Frank really is ruthless.  

I got chills at the last line from Frank.   Great stuff.   I squeed. 

Edited by jnymph
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Slider

Slider

Quote

I feel like I am watching real life on this show. Man, it is like they are predicting what is happening in the current administration right now with all the fear baiting.  IMO

To each his own I guess, but to me this show is clearly playing off the Clintons.  

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riverheightsnancy

riverheightsnancy

For myself, I never saw it as being a riff on the Clintons either, but I suppose that is because he was president a while ago and her role in more recent admins, was not as a couple. Of course, that doesn't mean that the writers were not inspired by it, I just never personally saw it that way. The only reason I thought that there was some semblance to this administration was some of the key moves or issues were actually moves Frank made as well during this episode, and obviously this was filmed prior to the current events. I suppose though, that some of these "ideas" have been bandied about for a while, so  they are not necessarily unique ideas either. 

Side note: did anyone see Robin Wright on Colbert last week? She looks so much younger in real life than on the show. I personally prefer how she is wearing her hair in real life. Does anyone know if she is wearing a wig on the show? It looks so different in real life and longer, not an asymetrical cut which are a bitch to grow out. 

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Ellaria

Ellaria

(edited)
On 5/30/2017 at 9:34 AM, Michichick said:

I continue to see zero chemistry between Claire and Tom Yates. They are the opposite of hot together.

I don't see any chemistry between them either. In fact, I find nothing attractive or intriguing about Tom (I understand that may be a minority opinion). I have a difficult time accepting that he is the one that she chose for a sexual relationship.

I didn't enjoy this episode. The opening scene in Congress with Frank yelling and pushing his away around was just too much. Yes, subtlety has never been his strong suit but yikes. If these sort of scenes continue, I may not make it thru the season.   

Edited by Ellaria Sand
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Anela

Anela

I see no chemistry between either of the Underwoods, with others. They're both so cold, most of the time. I also don't find Tom attractive. He's bland - at least she and the artist had history, and I did see some chemistry between them, if I remember correctly. 

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Milburn Stone

Milburn Stone

(edited)

It's been so long since the last season, I can't remember if we actually saw (or knew) that Joshua killed a guy named Miller who left behind a wife and daughter, or whether we are just supposed to assume that it happened between seasons. (Which I'm fine with, if that's the case.) If the former, why did he happen to kill Miller? Was Miller anybody special? Or was it random? I don't remember the wife or the daughter. (Or Joshua, for that matter.)

Edited by Milburn Stone
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knaankos

knaankos

On 6/2/2017 at 5:27 PM, Ellaria Sand said:

I don't see any chemistry between them either. In fact, I find nothing attractive or intriguing about Tom (I understand that may be a minority opinion). I have a difficult time accepting that he is the one that she chose for a sexual relationship.

I didn't enjoy this episode. The opening scene in Congress with Frank yelling and pushing his away around was just too much. Yes, subtlety has never been his strong suit but yikes. If these sort of scenes continue, I may not make it thru the season.   

I hate the Tom/Claire scenes more than anything in the world 

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mjc570

mjc570

I've been a loyal watcher of the entire series, but this episode just killed my love.  Sure, Frank is over the top evil, and has gotten away with all kinds of things, but at least there was a layer of plausibility over everything, so that it seemed that the show was somewhat grounded in reality.  That's what made the the level of political self-dealing and hypocrisy so awful yet believable.  But the fact that POTUS could keep, torture and kill an American citizen IN THE WHITE HOUSE - with no leaks or other action by the people who must have known - is ridiculous.  I could have accepted that the guy was being held somewhere, but not in the White house itself.

I guess I'm just tired that there really isn't any counter to Frank - CLaire was unsuccessful (although maybe this was a long con and she set him up), Heather Dunbar became POTUS in a different TV universe (Homeland), Will is obviously not going to win the election, Tom is facing such an uphill battle to get anyone to believe him, it's almost sad.  It's almost formulaic - Frank does something outrageous, expecting people to call him on it, no one does and so he does more. 

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Sweet-tea

Sweet-tea

(edited)
On 6/1/2017 at 9:37 AM, jnymph said:

Anyways, I loved the S5 opener.  Kevin Spacey just can't do wrong.   Robin Wright continues to be distractingly beautiful as Claire, almost to the point of annoying and taking me out of the story. 

Interesting how opinions differ. I would refer to her as a handsome woman, not beautiful. She is severe looking to me. I think slightly longer hair would soften her look, but I understand that probably isn't what the producers want. 

I also don't understand why they paired Claire with the writer. There are no sparks at all. Perhaps it's just the casting and not the character itself. 

I didn't really like this episode. I found my attention wandering, which is unusual as I tend to be riveted by HOC. Part of the problem is similar to what I feel while watching The Americans. There is no one to root for. I dislike Claire and do not find her interesting. Frank is watchable but has become less so as Claire has seemed to surpass him as a character and power player. She seems to get away with everything or to quickly recover if she does slip up. Frank is over the top but at least he stumbles and gets angry or flustered. 

I liked the first two seasons better but will keep watching to see what happens. 

Edited by Sweet-tea
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Michichick

Michichick

23 hours ago, Milburn Stone said:

It's been so long since the last season, I can't remember if we actually saw (or knew) that Joshua killed a guy named Miller who left behind a wife and daughter, or whether we are just supposed to assume that it happened between seasons. (Which I'm fine with, if that's the case.) If the former, why did he happen to kill Miller? Was Miller anybody special? Or was it random? I don't remember the wife or the daughter. (Or Joshua, for that matter.)

The Miller thing did happen last season, in the last couple of episodes. Last season ended with Jim Miller getting beheaded by Joshua and another terrorist, while most of America watched live online. It was the last thing that happened last season, with Frank, Claire, Leann, and a few others watching. Frank and Claire stared into the camera as Frank told us that he and Claire make the terror. Frank had helped negotiate for the wife and daughter to get released by the terrorists, but he didn't help get the dad freed because he basically wanted the dad to get killed in order to foment fear among Americans and help his chances in the election.

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roughing it

roughing it

Tom was ok for a brief fling, whatever, but he has far overstayed his welcome IMO.  And the threesome breakfasts are just icky.  Speaking of breakfast, Tom is as exciting as oatmeal.

The problem I have with the Underwoods (especially Claire) is that they/she are just so calculating, all the time.  There is no letting down the facade, for even a second.  There is no joy ever.  Never a smile.  They have the ultimate in power right now, as POTUS and FLOTUS, but can't enjoy it.  (Well, at least Frank sings once in a while, like the "It's good to be king" song he was singing this ep.

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OtterMommy

OtterMommy

58 minutes ago, roughing it said:

The problem I have with the Underwoods (especially Claire) is that they/she are just so calculating, all the time.  There is no letting down the facade, for even a second.  There is no joy ever.  Never a smile.  They have the ultimate in power right now, as POTUS and FLOTUS, but can't enjoy it.  (Well, at least Frank sings once in a while, like the "It's good to be king" song he was singing this ep.

Don't get me wrong...I don't like this about them, but I think it is pretty telling.  The few times that they weren't able to control everything around them (Claire at the Funeral, Frank a few times in past seasons), they were utter messes.  These are people who cannot function without complete control.

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Milburn Stone

Milburn Stone

(edited)
On 6/8/2017 at 2:40 PM, roughing it said:

Tom was ok for a brief fling, whatever, but he has far overstayed his welcome IMO.

He'll always be Mickey Doyle in Boardwalk Empire to me. And that right there disqualifies him from having sex with any other human being.

Edited by Milburn Stone
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ElectricBoogaloo

ElectricBoogaloo

(edited)

I kept waiting for Frank to break the fourth wall while he was in Congress just to tell us how much fun he was having. That was like everything he loves rolled into one: grandstanding, making himself look like he's more patriotic than everyone else, manipulating things within the letter of the law to get his way, etc.

I don't get Claire's interest in Tom at all either. His character is bland at best, mopey and annoying at worst. Of all the men to have an affair with, that's the one she chose? I hope when they officially hired him as a speechwriter they at least had him sign an NDA so he can't go blabbing about having sex with the First Lady the second he gets fed up with the situation.

As soon as the Miller daughter whispered, "I hope you die and [Claire] becomes President," I thought ooh, I like this girl!

Edited by ElectricBoogaloo
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Hanahope

Hanahope

Well, I still want to watch the show despite Spacey.  I could use some fictional bad politics for a bit.

I don't quite get why the family is blaming Frank for the father's death.  They should be happy they're alive because Frank allowed Conway to participate.  Even if Frank had given them everything they wanted, they were going to kill the father.  Its what terrorists do.

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