Lucas Goodwin’s failed assassination of Frank Underwood was one of the most unexpected and intriguing paths that House of Cards has gone down in some time. I don’t mean just in terms of ballsy storytelling – although it is that, for reasons we’ll come to later – but because “Chapter 44,” for the first time in the show’s run, forces us to consider what HoC would look like without Frank. He spends the entirety of the episode in a hospital bed, comatose, speaking no lines but having vivid hallucinations, the inclusion of which make this one of the stranger episodes of the season. So how exactly does House of Cards play without Frank? The answer is, it’s a mixed bag, but the good (for the most part) outweighs the bad.
First, the good: I love when this show indulges in its political thriller leanings. It allows itself to be as pulpy and dark as it wants to be, and I think that’s a smart move, because as I’ve noted before, HoC has long since abandoned any satirical or insightful bent, allowing itself to become glossy pulp. Which is fine! And fun to watch. I love watching nooses tighten around necks, so to speak, and with Doug Stamper as some kind of sociopathic PI, HoC becomes dark, lurid, and engrossing. Michael Kelly’s performance has been reliably great for four seasons now, and episodes like “Chapter 44” really let him tap into Doug’s dark side, no more so than in the scene where he shoves a jar in Seth’s mouth, choking him until he promises obedience.
Another thing that “Chapter 44” did right was bring back Kate Baldwin. Kim Dickens, as Baldwin, has always given a performance worthy of a spin-off, and now I find myself looking forward to any showdown between her and Leann Harvey. Kate is back on the scene to investigate Lucas’s outrageous claims, for which, admittedly, there is no evidence, according to Tom Hammerschmidt. But Kate is a better investigator than Tom, and has a vested interest in bringing Frank down. Dickens’ performance is so reliably strong that I hope her character sticks around for a while, because she could be a truly worthy adversary for Frank – or more realistically, for Claire.
And that brings us to the bad: Claire. Frank’s coma is the best thing that’s ever happened to her, as she has Donald Blythe – sorry, President Donald Blythe – wrapped around one elegant, manicured finger. Claire coaches Donald through a phone call with Petrov, and while Donald gains some traction with Petrov, he also, at Claire’s behest, reveals that Frank needs a liver transplant or else he’ll die. The Russians, as Doug points out, don’t respect weakness, and while Donald might feel strong at the moment, he’s just changed masters: first it was Frank, now it’s Claire.
All this manipulation is fine, and of a piece with the show’s usual plotting, but I find myself asking: what is Claire’s endgame? She’s torpedoing Frank’s Russian plan, she’s partnering with Raymond Tusk, and she’s cutting Doug out from everything. In short, she’s gone completely off the rails. My guess is she wants Frank to die, Donald to take over as President, and afterward name her as Vice President. That is not going to happen. My main bitch with this whole plot is that it requires Claire, an intelligent woman with imagination and forethought, to behave completely recklessly. I don’t see this bearing fruit.
All that notwithstanding, “Chapter 44,” on the whole, was a successful House of Cards episode. It doesn’t work as well without Frank – obviously – but with a season five renewal I don’t think we have to worry about that becoming a reality. Jokes aside, the thriller aspect saved this episode, so I’d love to see more of that going forward.
A Few Thoughts
- I’m surprised that Peter Russo didn’t show up in Frank’s hallucinations.
- Claire is absolutely going to seduce Donald Blythe, right?
- Nice to see Tusk back in the mix. Mainly from a vocal standpoint. With Frank out of commission, we need Tusk around to prevent this from becoming House of Character Who Only Speak in Menacing Whispers
- Sorry I haven’t stuck to the “one review a day” thing. Like I said, my life has been hectic lately, but I’m going to try to finish up House of Cards this week so I can start Daredevil next week. Who knows if that will happen, but I’ll give it the old community college try (that’s where you do something for two semesters then quit)
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