This is probably my favorite season of the political drama that established Netflix as a real player in the original entertainment game.  Every season of House Of Cards has it’s flaws and this season is no exception, but overall I found myself liking this season much better than the last and I felt its high points hit higher than season 1.

Well he’s done it, Frank Underwood has taken the White House and with that season 3 takes off, or at least that’s what we all expected but instead we get a healthy dose of Doug Stamper and his recovery.  Season 3 is full of story lines like this, stories you weren’t sure you were interested in, but House Of Cards sure is.  I was really excited to start this season because up until now we’ve seen Underwood scratch and claw and maneuver his way to the White House and the presidency and I was really interested to see how he leads.  Frank’s biggest obstacles this season are foreign diplomacy, trying to pass a jobs bill and his desire for re-election and all three of the story lines I thought played out well.  The introduction of a foil in Russian president Petrov was really smart as a we see a political presence that not only rivals Underwood’s political savvy but in many ways is able to thwart him, something the audience isn’t used to.

The performances are once again a high point for me.  Kevin Spacey continues to chew up every last piece of scenery available and it’s so fun to watch but it’s Robin Wright who continues to sizzle and impress.  She plays the character of Claire Underwood so precise and calculating yet here in season 3 we see her really show emotion and regret.  While Spacey gets all of the praise it’s really Wright who is the anchor of the series.  The other standouts of the season were Lars Mikkelsen as Russian president Petrov, Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper and Elizabeth Marvel as Underwood’s political opponent.  Kelly is great as usual but it’s Mikkelsen and Marvel who really add depth to the cast and give Spacey room to play off of them.

Once again though House Of Cards has some pacing problems and focuses on some really uninteresting story lines.  There’s so much focus still on the computer hacker storyline that’s baffling and at times it seems like the show doesn’t exactly know what to do with Claire’s character as Frank continues to rise up the ladder and here has achieved their dream.  Also at times things seem just a little too convenient for Frank as he continues to manipulate everyone around him as if he’s the only one playing the game.  Overall though this season is better than the last and continues to be impressive on what it can achieve when it’s firing on all cylinders.

Recommend? No matter its shortcomings this is still one of the most addictive shows I watch and can’t help but binge it.