House of Cards is by trade a nasty, cynical show that draws the audience in and keeps us at arm’s length at the same time. (Frank’s lack of interaction with the viewer is unfortunately achieving more of the latter.) That’s why I love episodes like “Chapter 37,” that refuse to beat around the bush, and speak plainly to the viewer. Like “Chapter 30,” “37” was an awesomely feminist episode of HoC, and like “Chapter 36,” it was wonderfully directed by Agnieszka Holland, who handles the emotional intensity of such an episode with ease and aplomb.
Frank is gearing up for his debate with Jackie Sharp and Heather Dunbar, who has no idea that Jackie and Frank are colluding on debate strategy. Jackie is uncomfortable with calling Dunbar sexist for criticizing Claire’s appointment as Ambassador. Which is understandable, and the first indication that “37” is going to have a lot of sisters doing it for themselves. All jokes aside, it was great to watch.
The debate itself was a barn-burner of a scene. Frank has failed so much this season – AmWorks, the Jordan Valley mission – that there’s a perverse pleasure in watching him succeed, as he does in the debate (pundits the next day cede the victory to him, narrow though it may be). Jackie dutifully calls out Dunbar for her criticism of Claire, but feels conflicted doing so; this is worsened by her sticking to Frank’s talking points, which include bringing up the fact that Dunbar’s kids go to private school.
Frank is kind of a dick to women in “37,” but it’s not as though the show is emphasizing his objectionable traits when it’s narratively convenient to do so (a common trope on sitcoms). Frank is stressed, and moreover he’s kind of a dick to everyone, so it’s not out of character for him to bark orders at Jackie or dictate what’s best for Claire. What’s great is the womens’ response to his treatment – Jackie is unhappy being used as an accessory and a pawn, so she drops out of the race to endorse Dunbar, and Claire flat-out ignores Frank’s demands that she come back to D.C. after she passes out giving blood (to Frank’s credit, he always prioritizes his wife; he cancels events in Iowa so he can fly to New Hampshire to be with her). This, coupled with “37”‘s pointed critique of the wage gap, is not exactly subtle. But the time for subtlety is gone, and the time for action is here. I applaud House of Cards for its willingness to make its main character look like even more of a heel just so it can get its point across.
There was some other stuff going on, but the meat of “37” was in the debate and the fallout thereof. Frank is losing control of his house, as evidenced by Remy’s resignation and Jackie’s defection. The time of the patriarch is over.
A Few Thoughts
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Boy, Thomas Yates really gets Frank and Claire to open up, doesn’t he?
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Gavin tells Doug that Rachel is still alive. Gotta admit, didn’t see that coming. Gavin is playing Doug now, and doing a pretty good job of it. Not that it’s hard, Doug has been very forthcoming about his weak spot
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Both Stamper brothers are played by actors with Kelly in their name (Michael Kelly, Kelly Aucoin)
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Don’t debates usually have more participants? I get that this was streamlined for the sake of the narrative, but it was still a little odd to see only three people vying for the Democratic nomination
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