Jackson Ball reviews the third episode of House of Cards Season 3 …
I’ll admit it: I was a little worried. The first two episode of House of Cards season 3 were fine, but something had been missing. That extra sparkle that made the first two seasons such a revelation had been absent. Maybe it was a conscious decision by the writers, or maybe it was just an ill-judged over-reliance on Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly). Either way, episode 3 returns to sparkling form.
Warning! Spoilers Ahead – You have been warned!
Episode 3 revolves around the narrative of a diplomatic visit from the Russian President, Viktor Petrov (Lars Mikkelsen). Proving that the show can be ever-relevant, the writers have their fictional Presidents meet under some pretty non-fictional circumstances. Petrov’s arrival at the White House is amidst the sounds of a mass protest, condemning Russia’s anti-gay laws. Sound familiar?
They even incorporate the events surrounding punk group Pussy Riot, who are invited along to the smooth over Petrov’s image. In a narrative masterstroke, Frank (Kevin Spacey) shows he’s ruthless proficiency as a political machine with his actions and attitude towards the group. To begin with, he dismisses them as unimportant, not even bothering to read their list of demands. By the end of the episode, Frank is praising the band, aligning their cause with his own.
Elsewhere in this episode, Clare (Robin Wright) strengthens her bond with Secretary of State Catherine Durant (Jayne Atkinson) in the most unexpected way imaginable: over a game of beer pong. Yes, that’s not a typo; the First Lady and the Secretary of State are swigging vodka and playing peer pong! In the White House! It’s a great image, but more importantly it’s a great bit of character development, because it shows a rare insight to both Clare and Catherine.
Having said that, such is our knowledge of the Underwoods at this point that it is hard to tell whether Clare’s friendliness with Catherine is genuine, or whether it is just another step in her and Frank’s masterplan.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMekjOsexHs&feature=player_embedded&list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F
Originally published March 4, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
