For most of its runtime, “Chapter 36” was just a solid episode of House of Cards, something I’d give four stars. But there were two scenes that raised it to four and a half. I’m not saying “36” was a classic episode per se, but the power of those scenes can’t be denied, and that’s good enough for me.
The Underwoods, not surprisingly, are in damage control mode. Claire is trying to salvage the mission in the Jordan Valley, to no avail. Things get worse when Israel institutes a no-fly zone, meaning that they’ll shoot down any plane, commercial or military, that enters the airspace. Viktor Petrov doesn’t take this well, because Viktor Petrov doesn’t take anything well. I don’t give a shit what the reason is, I want more Lars Mikkelsen on my TV. Frank decides to meet with Petrov in the Jordan Valley, and at this point I feel like you could play a drinking game to my House of Cards reviews, because – everybody say it with me – the show is well served for changing locations and thinking on a more global scale.
Frank’s conversation with Petrov – which occurs while they’re both pointedly wearing fatigues, a piece of foreshadowing that is effective if not subtle – is, as expected, masterful. I’m going to go ahead and say that Kevin Spacey has never had a better scene partner than Lars Mikkelsen on this show – and I’m including Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Kate Mara, and Corey Stoll. Frank and Petrov’s conversation is tense, electric, and never less than engrossing – before it takes a turn for the heartbreaking, as Petrov makes his final offer: remove Claire as Ambassador, and the Russian troops are gone.
Claire is none too happy about it, of course, and in their conversation Frank brings up some of their failures: the Jordan Valley, Michael Corrigan, et cetera. Everything they’ve tried to build is falling apart like a house of – wait a minute, that sounds familiar. Claire agrees to resign, and it’s honestly kind of a bummer. This show is so centered on Frank – who, duh, is the main character – that it feels a shame to waste a narrative opportunity for Claire. But in House of Cards, as in life, you don’t always get what you want.
Maybe it’s more of a bummer because we’re on the outside looking in. I’m sure you’ve noticed that Frank is talking to us less and less. We’re not part of the story, we’re mere observers; we have the power of omniscience, but not even the illusion of control. This isn’t our show anymore. Sometimes this can be a maddening facet of HoC‘s third season, but when it’s handled right, like it is in “36,” it works to the show’s benefit.
I mentioned two great scenes in this episode. The second comes when Frank calls Thomas Yates to the White House in the middle of the night. Yates confesses that he used to turn tricks before he was published. Frank’s sexuality has always been ambiguous, and when the two men intertwine their fingers, it feels natural and inevitable. The silence in this scene breeds sexual tension, and when Frank tells Yates to go home, you finally exhale, but whether out of relief or frustration, it’s hard to tell. This whole episode was pretty expertly handled by director Agnieszka Holland (The Killing).
In the end, “36” is another chapter in things turning to shit for the Underwoods. But it was buoyed by those two great scenes I mentioned, and when the credits rolled, I felt like I knew Frank a little better. Three seasons in, that’s an impressive feat.
A Few Thoughts
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It’s nice to see Doug happy. He spent most of “36” in his own show, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We got to see the rare Doug Stamper Smile!
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Gavin confesses (nearly) everything to Lisa. Poor Lisa. First Doug drove Rachel away, now “Max” is leaving her too, after admitting to lying to her. I like the attention paid to Doug and Gavin, it’s a nice showcase for the more humanistic side of House of Cards
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Lastly, I for some reason thought Thomas Yates was named Thomas Gates, and my previous reviews reflected that misconception. Luckily for me, I’ve gone back and edited them to show the correct name, so good luck making me look stupid, SUCKERS
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