MacBeth in Washington DC...
Netflix and Hollywood are in a bad relationship. The traditional Hollywood strategy is to use internet and low cost rental clearing houses for the 3rd rate dreck that can't pull money in the premium rental market (Redbox/Blockbuster/Family Video/PPV/On-demand, etc). Netflix is putting Hollywood on notice that they WILL be a premium content service and not be pigeonholed to that obsolete business model. For what its worth, I think Amazon and Netflix have the better business model. Hollywood better get their stuff together and cooperate with the new model or start filing for bankruptcy now.
House of Cards is the first broadside from Netflix. It is a self sponsored series, an entire season ready to be watched now, streaming HD, and available no where else.
House of Cards is about a House Majority Whip betrayed by his Democrat party and scheming to take revenge and more power. I don't like dramas, and I especially don't like political dramas. They are always boring, patronizing, and 1 dimensional while putting on airs of sophistication. In a word, most political dramas are Tedious.
I've watched the first two episodes of this series now and I find the writing to be fantastic and realistic at the same time. Kevin Spacey is brilliant in this role. The production qualities are top notch. It is certainly premium quality content. This is probably the only political TV series that won't present politics and especially Democrats as some kind of dreamy idealists fighting those cruel Republicans. Like I said, the writing is really good and the plot is always moving. I love the occasional narrative. But having said that, the show really isn't about getting cheap zingers on Dems or Reps or Libs, its about playing people like pawns.
So far, the show is very dark with exciting power plays. This definitely feels like MacBeth rewritten for modern day Wash DC. Especially the ambitious husband/wife teamwork and thirst for power. The husband-wife dynamic is also really well written. The husband is a man, not a sniveling twit. And the wife is just as competent, but in a very feminine way.
If you have Netflix streaming, I highly recommend trying this series; even if you don't like dramas, or political dramas. One drama series won't make Netflix a premium content powerhouse overnight. But if this is a taste of things to come from them, buy stock.
Warning: Episodes contain profane language and occasional female nudity.
