Jackson Ball reviews the fourth episode of House of Cards season 2…
If House of Cards’ last chapter can be accused of criminally underusing the character of Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), then this episode more than makes up for it by placing her right in the thick of it.
Spoilers Ahead – You have been warned!
In what is one of the season’s most gripping episodes, Claire and husband Francis (Kevin Spacey) reluctantly agree to partake in a live joint-interview, in the hopes of gaining some favourable PR. Due to an alleged act of terrorism (mysterious white powder delivered in the mail), Francis is placed under involuntary quarantine in his office, resulting in Claire going solo to the interview.
Claire’s resulting interview is masterfully played out by all the House of Cards cast and crew, creating some of the most thrilling and fascinating moments yet. Revelation after revelation is delivered as Claire tells her interviewer, live on national television, that she has in fact had an abortion. It may be a fact that we as the audience already knew, but to see her openly discuss is still quite a shock.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is when it then transpires that Claire’s admission was on the spur-of-the-moment. We’ve become so acclimatised to these characters, particularly Claire and Francis, making consistently clinical and deliberate decisions and movements that it is a genuine thrill to see one of them lose themselves in the heat of a moment. It’s always nice to see that they perhaps are human after all.
The revelations don’t stop there either. After realising what she has actually said, Claire makes the split-second political decision to draw attention aware from the subject… by claiming that the aborted pregnancy was the result of her rape at the hands of a decorated General. Cue hysterical reactions from everyone else, including Francis watching it live from his office.
The episode unfolds effortless, thanks in no small part to the performances on display. Wright is sublimely measured in her portrayal of Claire, producing her most naturalistic and captivating scenes to date. In a show that has always been billed as ‘the Kevin Spacey show’, Wright’s progressive excellence seems to have finally reached its crescendo, proving she is as vital to House of Cards as her on-screen husband.
The interview dominates the episode, but elsewhere the other little story cogs keep turning. Jackie (Molly Parker) is once again desperately trying to win over congressman to her to support her tenure as the new Whip, while Lucas is double-crossed by his unnecessarily zany hacker friend.
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Originally published February 18, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
