 Ruthless and cunning, Congressman Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) stop at nothing to conquer everything. This wicked political drama penetrates the shadowy world of greed, sex and corruption in modern D.C. Kate Mara and Corey Stoll co-star in the first original series from David Fincher and Beau Willimon. Storyline: Majority House Whip Francis Underwood takes you on a long journey as he exacts his vengeance on those he feels wronged him - that is, his own cabinet members including the President of the United States himself. Dashing, cunning, methodical and vicious, Frank Underwood along with his equally manipulative yet ambiguous wife, Claire take Washington by storm through climbing the hierarchical ladder to power in this Americanized recreation of the BBC series of the same name. Written by Jacob Oberfrank ------- Disc 1 2.01 Chapter 14 - Doug Stamper warns Frank Underwood, the newly selected Vice President, about journalists digging into the death of Congressman Peter Russo. Frank aims to clear up all the connections that tie him to the murder; in the process, he kills Zoe Barnes by pushing her into an oncoming Metro train. The murder, ruled as an accident, scares Janine Skorsky into abandoning the investigation while seemingly invigorating Lucas Goodwin to avenge Zoe. Doug, meanwhile, forcibly relocates Rachel Posner. Frank makes a new ally in Jacqueline "Jackie" Sharp, a former war hero and his choice to replace him as House Majority Whip. He suggests an open race among the House to elect his replacement so that Jackie has a chance to compete against heavier favorites. Claire Underwood deals with former employee Gillian Cole's potential lawsuit by making a veiled threat and offering her the Clean Water Initiative nonprofit. Claire also consults a doctor about her wanting to get pregnant, but later decides not to do any tests. 2.02 Chapter 15 - Frank takes office while his home is upgraded with security features. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Catherine Durant's team bungles a trade meeting with China in a deliberate effort by Frank to frustrate billionaire Raymond Tusk and loosen his influence on President Walker. As rivals negotiate to thwart her, Jackie maneuvers to strengthen her race for House Majority Whip, eventually securing the position by destroying her mentor's career. Lucas looks for a hacker on the Deep Web to access Frank's phone records and establish a connection between him and the deaths of Zoe and Russo. He also contacts his former boss Tom Hammerschmidt, who tries to convince him to stop his investigations. Frank struggles to keep his composure at a military ceremony when Claire informs him she was once raped by a newly commissioned general, Dalton McGinnis. He later convinces the president to stand tough against China in the wake of the trade talk debacle, with China subsequently cutting off talks with the United States permanently. 2.03 Chapter 16 - Walker crafts a State of the Union address. Frank seeks a bipartisan agreement focusing on a compromise over entitlements with Senate Majority Leader Hector Mendoza to secure the legislation's passage through the Senate and avoid a government shutdown. Eventually the Senate Republicans attempt to filibuster, which forces Frank to take drastic measures. Lucas unsuccessfully pursues Russo's former lover, Christina Gallagher, and further establishes contact with hacker Gavin Orsay, who claims to be able to help retrieve Zoe's phone records. Doug sets up a sting operation with the FBI to nab Lucas. Rachel contacts her mother and meets Lisa Williams, even though Doug has forbidden her to make friends. 2.04 Chapter 17 - Before the Underwoods have their first major media interview, Frank attempts to secure the last votes he needs to pass the entitlement amendment in the House by negotiating with Donald Blythe, who holds a grudge against Frank regarding the education bill. Frank and Blythe are quarantined inside the Capitol when a package containing white powder is received. Doing the interview alone, Claire is pressured into revealing she once had an abortion, and lies that the pregnancy was a result of her rape by General McGinnis. Her account is supported by a woman who was assaulted by him as well. Jackie and Remy Danton lobby for votes to avoid the government shutdown. Meanwhile, Gavin is revealed to be an FBI informant, luring Lucas into committing cyberterrorism to force his imprisonment and discredit all of his suspicions. The amendment narrowly passes thanks to Jackie. Frank and Claire once again enjoy a smoke at their window, and Frank sings the murder ballad "Pretty Polly" for her. ------- Disc 2 2.05 Chapter 18 - While attending a civil war reenactment, Frank holds back-channel trade negotiations with Xander Feng, a wealthy Chinese businessman with ties to Tusk, over a proposed bridge over Long Island Sound. He discovers that Feng and Tusk are manipulating a trade summit to secure greater profits for themselves and strengthen their refinery projects. Frank retaliates by sabotaging the entire summit with miscommunication and assorting blame to Feng. In doing so, he drives a wedge between Tusk and the President, who orders the U.S. delegation to withdraw from the summit and risks initiating of a trade war. Lucas goes to the extreme to seek justice, but walks right into a trap the FBI had set for him on Doug's behalf. Meanwhile, Seth Grayson extorts Claire after learning that her abortion had nothing to do with her rape by McGinnis, gaining a position on the Underwoods' staff. Claire, with support from First Lady Patricia Walker, advocates with military officials for sexual assault victims. 2.06 Chapter 19 - As Frank helps Walker deal with an energy crisis brought about by a Chinese trade blockade, Claire manipulates Tricia into believing Christina is interested in the president. Frank proposes establishing a subsidy for nuclear power as part of a plan to wait out the trade blockade, earning the ire of Tusk. Doug pressures Rachel to stop seeing Lisa and attending church. Tom visits Lucas in prison and takes over his research, but Frank and Doug stonewall the continued investigation by intimidating Janine and forcing Lucas to accept a plea deal. Elsewhere, Jackie and Remy meet on legislation to pressure Tusk into cooperating with the strategy and end up sleeping together. Remy realizes Tusk will fight the President's legislation. Frank tells Walker to stand firm. As Frank prepares to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Camden Yards, Tusk's utility shuts off the power. In retaliation, Frank encourages Walker to seize Tusk's power plants. Frank and Tusk meet at Freddy's but are unable to reconcile. Doug draws himself closer to Rachel. 2.07 Chapter 20 - Frank finds out Tusk is retaliating against the Walker administration by financing Republican attack ads. Frank discovers the donations are being funnelled through a Kansas City casino and sends Doug to investigate. Frank helps Claire pressure Jackie to stand behind her legislation. Grayson is revealed to be a double agent for Remy, and helps him eliminate Connor Ellis; Frank, upon learning this, still decides to employ Grayson, who expresses his desire to work for Frank and achieve power over the money Tusk offers. Doug discovers that Feng is behind the casino money and flies to China to negotiate. Wall Street Telegraph reporter Ayla Sayyad links Tusk and Feng to the refinery business deal. The Underwoods have the president and first lady over for dinner amid their marital turmoil. Jackie attempts to stall Claire's legislation and defies Frank. Feng relays through Doug that he will stop funding the attack ads when the Long Island bridge is approved. Frank meets with casino owner Dan Lanagin to cut off Republican funding, but Lanagin prefers Tusk's money to the political influence that Frank offers him. ------- Disc 3 2.08 Chapter 21 - Frank lobbies Linda and Walker for the bridge proposal. Elsewhere, Claire vows to stand behind McGinnis accuser Megan Hennessey, and learns that Tricia is estranged from the president. Tricia decides to pursue marriage counseling. Helping Jackie investigate the casino money trail, Remy tracks down Adam Galloway. Frank meets with Lanagin and Tusk, who offers Democratic funding in exchange for helping him reconcile with Walker. Frank has Doug arrange a meeting between Tusk and Walker. Frank and Linda clash in regards to the bridge, resulting in an argument and Linda's subsequent resignation. Remy figures out that Grayson has sold him out. Rachel and Lisa become intimate. Walker also commits to Frank's bridge deal and marriage counseling with Tricia. Doug confirms with Feng that the bridge deal is approved and asks him to shun Tusk. Learning that the refinery project is dead, Remy and Tusk decide to get aggressive with Frank. 2.09 Chapter 22 - A scandalous photo of Claire and Galloway is leaked to the press. The Underwoods strategize with Doug and Grayson. After selling his restaurant, Freddy offers to buy his son, Darnell Hayes, and grandson, Deshawn Hayes a new house. Eventually his son accepts and begins working for Freddy. Claire has Galloway deny their affair, but Remy coerces him into releasing another photo, this one of Claire in the shower. Sayyad is threatened by Tusk to stop investigating the ties between him and Feng. Remy reveals Freddy's criminal past to the press to further pressure the Underwoods. Frank attempts to protect Freddy, but his son violates his parole by threatening a photographer with a gun. Grayson attempts to discredit the second photo of Claire by producing a replica with a look-alike model. When Frank realizes the scale of Freddy's problems, he is forced to distance himself, leaving his friend behind. Adam explains that he released the second photo because of a threat to his fiancée, Inez. After pressure from Claire, Galloway makes a statement claiming that the whole thing was a publicity stunt on his part. Freddy is forced to sell his restaurant to pay his son's bail and loses his deal for a franchise and renounces his friendship to Frank; Frank feels true regret for the first time and invigorates him to brutally retaliate against Tusk. 2.10 Chapter 23 - Lisa moves in with Rachel, much to Doug's chagrin. Walker deals with a Chinese blockade of Japan as the trade war escalates. Frank receives a bomb threat from an ex-Marine who also claims responsibility for the Capitol incident; Claire was the intended target. Frank requests that Edward Meechum be her bodyguard. During sex, Remy finds out that Jackie gets tattoos as therapy for her military ordeals. To put more pressure on Tusk as retaliation for Galloway, Frank's team leaks information to Sayyad linking him to Lanagin's casino, which leads her to confirm her suspicions regarding a laundering scheme that is heavily influencing Congress; Sayyad questions Lanagin. Frank and Jackie continue their battle of wills over Claire's legislation. Sayyad publishes her story on the money laundering scheme, which causes a huge stir in the press. The resulting investigation reflects badly on Walker, opening him up to legal troubles. He eventually follows Frank's advice to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the story and clear the White House of any involvement. As Remy and Jackie argue about what secrets should be shared, Meechum and the Underwoods engage in small talk. Frank starts siding with Seth over Doug on strategy. Doug gives Rachel his permission to allow Lisa to stay with her. ------- Disc 4 2.11 Chapter 24 - At an AA meeting, Doug confesses his feelings for Rachel. Lanagin accuses Remy of making him a patsy to save Tusk. When a photo of Doug at Lanagin's casino is found, Frank scolds Doug for involving him in the scandal. Without support for her bill from Jackie or Tricia, Claire encourages Megan to go public with her story. Doug and Seth attempt to mend their relationship for the good of the Underwoods. Frank encourages Walker to be open with Dunbar, the special prosecutor handling the case. Frank stonewalls Dunbar but turns over his travel logs. As her mission falls apart, Claire resorts to drinking alone, but drops a glass. Meechum cuts his hand helping her clean up and she bandages him. Remy attempts to pressure Jackie to implicate Frank in the scandal by threatening her with leaking the circumstances of her rise to the Whip position. Jackie refuses to be manipulated, forcing Remy into a difficult position. He proposes a deal to Frank, offering to decrease his attacks on Frank's reputation to protect Jackie from involvement. Frank returns home to a drunk Meechum and Claire; they engage in a threesome. Doug sees Rachel and Lisa having sex. Dunbar finds Walker's counseling sessions on his travel log. 2.12 Chapter 25 - Walker accuses Frank of engineering his downfall, and the two break contact. Jackie is derided by Megan in the press for opposing the sexual assault bill, and retaliates by attacking Claire. Frank convinces Durant and Dunbar to offer Feng immunity and asylum, as he has fled Dubai to escape conviction and execution for his crimes in China. Feng confirms the existence of the laundering scheme in exchange for asylum, forcing the Walkers to waive their client privilege with their counselor Reverend Larkin so as to fully cooperate with the investigation. Doug tells Rachel to put out Lisa. Gavin presses Agent Green for his freedom. Claire tries to reconcile with Jackie and drops the bill, which leads to a falling out with Megan. Dunbar interviews Larkin and discovers he was coached by the White House counsel to withhold Walker's prescription of medication from his testimony, which further endangers Walker's position with the public. Tusk is subpoenaed but invokes the Fifth Amendment. Grayson divides Tusk and Remy. The Underwoods convince Jackie to help in guiding Walker's impeachment, reasoning that not doing so will spell disaster for the Democratic Party in the upcoming midterm elections. 2.13 Chapter 26 - Walker offers Tusk a pardon in return for implicating Frank in the scheme and exonerating him. Linda speaks on behalf of Walker during her testimony to Dunbar and makes the pardon offer to Tusk, who appears to accept. Claire consoles Megan following a suicide attempt and is pushed away by the newly broken girl. This and her repeated deceptions to Tricia Walker in aim of ruining her family finally make Claire break down. Meanwhile, Gavin, having infiltrated AT&T's cell servers through the code he gave Lucas, has enough leverage to press Green for a meeting with Doug, who ultimately agrees. As Jackie works to secure votes for Walker's impeachment, Claire pushes Frank to reconcile with the president. After the Walkers retreat to Camp David, Frank sends Walker a letter feigning an offer to accept all responsibility for the scandal. Walker states that, in order to gain his trust, Frank will have to produce results by whipping enough votes to stave off impeachment. After Frank accepts the task, Linda is forced to contact Tusk to inform him that the deal for a presidential pardon is off. In retaliation, Tusk sides with Frank and implicates Walker while testifying before a Congressional Committee, stating that Walker knew about the laundering scheme. This leads to Tusk being taken into custody, and Walker's approval ratings drop to 8 percent. During a meeting with Doug, Gavin tells him he knows about Rachel, and pressures him into giving him FBI protection. Doug goes straight to Rachel and tells her to pack, intending to relocate her. He accidentally leads Rachel into thinking that he is about to kill her, and she leaps out of his car while stopped at a traffic light, running out into the woods. Doug pursues her, but she jumps out from behind a tree and beats him with a brick, before fleeing in his car. Meanwhile, the House votes to pursue Walker's impeachment. Seeing no hope for survival, Walker decides to resign. He and Frank part on friendly terms, Walker none the wiser that everything was part of Frank's plan of revenge for his having reneged on nominating Frank for Secretary of State. At Camp David, Frank is immediately sworn in as President of the United States. His first act is to place a call with the Chinese President and instantly negotiate an end to the dispute. Secretly, part of the deal includes revoking Feng's immunity and having him deported back to China, where he faces charges of corruption and almost certain execution. For Frank's birthday, Claire has remade Frank's class ring (which he buried earlier in the season at a Civil War memorial). He enters the oval office, puts on the ring and triumphantly double knocks it on the desk, his signature style. Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, June 21, 2014 When it was first made available via streaming, House of Cards' debut season was in some ways overshadowed by Netflix's bold charge into the future of television. Sure, Cards was one of the best new series of 2013; a powerfully addicting water cooler drama in a post-water cooler age. I knew it. You knew it. We all knew it. But no one could talk about the show without, at some point, going on and on about the latest source of premiere programming, the freedom it provides its stable of creators, paced viewing vs. binge watching (still an ongoing debate) and the redemption arc of Netflix itself, which just two years prior had nearly imploded following a poorly implemented price hike that left millions of customers outraged. (To put it mildly.) With House of Cards' second season, though, we're well on our way to taking Netflix Streaming's original programming business model for granted. So sit back, take a breath and focus on what really matters: one of the finest shows of 2014. Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey): former House Whip. Ambitious, intensely calculating politician. Vindictive force to be reckoned with. Newly anointed Vice President. Murderer. In Season One, Frank proved he was capable of anything, even bringing a very literal end to a well-intentioned public figure standing in his path. At the outset of Season Two, the House of Cards showrunners make a point of reminding audiences exactly how far Underwood is willing to go with a shocking, unsettlingly decisive move that blurs the line between protagonist and outright villain. From there, tying up loose ends seems like child's play as the VP turns his attention to a whole new set of problems, none of which afford him a moment's rest. His schemes soon infect President Walker (Michel Gill), White House Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey), POTUS' confidant Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney), Majority Whip candidate Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker) and everyone else that poses a threat on -- and off -- Capital Hill. The only person safe from his scorched earth tactics is his wife Claire (Robin Wright), who's busy orchestrating plans of her own. The Underwoods are out for blood, and it suits them all too well. The series' second season wanders down two or three questionable paths and takes a handful of tricky turns here and there, but it does so with the swiftest of steps and a confidence as compelling and captivating as the characters involved. It's an improvement on its predecessor in almost every way, and Season One was already a taut, unbearably suspenseful slow-burn thriller. From Frank's most sinister Machiavellian machinations (somehow more shocking than before) to the new politicos introduced (Jackie Sharp chief among them), to the cast members added to producer David Fincher and creator Beau Willimon's enviable ensemble, to the expertly constructed scripts, the increasingly daunting stakes, and beyond, Season Two serves up a high-risk, high-reward long-con every bit as intricate and exciting to watch unfold as a classic heist film. The habitually manipulative Underwood isn't plotting to crack a bank vault or loot a casino, of course, but he could pull it off with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back. And probably without stepping foot outside his office. A dragon in a garden of serpents, the VP readily embraces the kill-or-be-killed game of Washington political warfare, with the frightening certainty he'll either be crowned king or branded a traitor and lose his head. Spacey is as irresistible and charming a silver-tongued devil as Underwood. Knowing the inner-workings of the VP's mind and the motivation behind every move transforms the man into an even more magnetic monster. There are crystalizing moments when you realize you're rooting for one of the most vile politicians to grace television; an unmistakably vicious opportunist eager to sacrifice anyone and everyone if it furthers his agenda. And yet every ugly truth, devious plot and stunning revelation only makes Spacey's audience that much more complicit in Frank's crimes. It's the work of a master manipulator -- Spacey more than Underwood -- and inseparable from the mechanics of the season, as designed by the equally formidable Willimon, operating behind the scenes in an even more crucial role. Not that Spacey and Willimon are the only hypnotists in the mix. Spacey's co-stars, Wright and Parker in particular, nearly swipe entire scenes from Willimon's leading man. And for anyone who's watched the original BBC miniseries, you'll know that's precisely the task all involved will need to invest in to bring House of Cards to what promises to be an unforgettable climax. Whether the series ends with Season Three or earns a longer lifespan isn't quite clear at the moment. What is clear is that Willimon and company have the wherewithal to abandon the British miniseries' three-act structure. I'm anxious to see Underwood's story come to a close -- for no other reason than to know how Fincher and Willimon plan to wrap it all up -- but I also wouldn't be heartbroken to learn a fourth season was on the horizon. The Complete Second Season features thirteen episodes spread across four BD-50 discs:
House of Cards's engrossing second season is darker, slicker and more dangerous than its first, with a frightening furtherance of Francis Underwood's power the brings with it higher stakes, bigger risks and more startling surprises. It remains one of the best written, best performed shows on television (online or traditionally broadcast). Watch for it to make a killing at this year's awards ceremonies. Sony's 4-disc Blu-ray edition is a terrific set as well, with a flawless video presentation (that handily bests its Netflix streaming counterpart), absorbing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and, unlike The Complete First Season BD, a number of special features (even though the available content clocks in at less than an hour). If you aren't already watching House of Cards, snap to. If you are, you already know adding The Complete Second Season to your Blu-ray collection is one of the easiest decisions you'll make this year. Cast Notes: Kevin Spacey (Francis Underwood [26 episodes, 2013-2014]), Robin Wright (Claire Underwood [26 episodes, 2013-2014]), Michael Kelly (Doug Stamper [25 episodes, 2013-2014]), Michael Gill (President Garrett Walker [22 episodes, 2013-2014]), Nathan Darrow (Edward Meechum [21 episodes, 2013-2014]), Sakina Jaffrey (Linda Vasquez [17 episodes, 2013-2014]), Kristen Connolly (Christina Gallagher [17 episodes, 2013-2014]), Mahershala Ali (Remy Danton / ... [16 episodes, 2013-2014]), Rachel Brosnahan (Rachel Posner / ... [15 episodes, 2013-2014]), Sebastian Arcelus (Lucas Goodwin [14 episodes, 2013-2014]), Elizabeth Norment (Nancy Kaufberger [14 episodes, 2013-2014]), Kate Mara (Zoe Barnes [13 episodes, 2013-2014]), Gerald McRaney (Raymond Tusk [13 episodes, 2013-2014]), Constance Zimmer (Janine Skorsky [12 episodes, 2013-2014]), Molly Parker (Jackie Sharp [12 episodes, 2014]), Corey Stoll (Rep. Peter Russo [11 episodes, 2013]), Reg E. Cathey (Freddy / ... [11 episodes, 2013-2014]), Larry Pine (Bob Birch [11 episodes, 2013-2014]), Jeremy McLain (Walker Secret Service [11 episodes, 2014]). IMDb Rating (03/13/15): 9.1/10 from 193,482 users
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