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This the third season of this engrossing political drama....
The manipulative 'Francis Underwood' (Kevin Spacey) has engineered himself and his equally ambitious wife
'Clare' (Robin Wright) into the 'White House'
Of course the position hadn't been acquired at the polls, 'Francis' had stood on many toes to get there, he had
ruthlessly wheeled and dealt leaving many floundering in the storm, many those loyal to the 'Underwood's' had
been discarded.
In office he finds he has little in the way of support within his party, he will try and bypass them to get his own
way, he'll even pretend that he'll not seek election in 18 months time, he's fooling no-one in truth.
Quietly he's hoping his 'America Works' program will turn the tide in his favour prior to party-selection ahead of
the 2016 election, despite the fact he's jeopardised funds for both emergency-relief and indeed welfare.
'Clare's ambitions stretch beyond the work , she had done for many years, she seeks an ambassador role and will
exert pressure upon 'Francis' to ensure she gets it.
The knives are being sharpened to bring him down he's made many enemies along the way, it is unlikely they will
not seek to even the score.
'Doug Stamper' (Michael Kelly) who had helped 'Francis' get to where he has, now recovering his injuries seeks to
renew his association with his long time boss, discarding 'Doug's approaches could prove costly, he surely knows
far too much about the Underwoods.
However, if he is ever to return to the fold he'll need to kick his drink-habit and also put closure on that which has
taken over his thinking.
'Francis's' dealings with international leaders such as Russia's President 'Viktor Petrov' (Lars Mikkelsen) become
somewhat shambolic, 'Clare' certainly scuppers any chance of agreement by speaking her mind when silence would
have been more appropriate, which will add to the strain upon their marriage, the price of putting the talks back on
the table will come at a price.
Kevin Spacey is wickedly convincing as the ruthless and largely self-serving U.S President.
Sadly there are so many superb must-see series being shown on the T.V Channels it is almost impossible to keep up,
i myself didn't see the British-Version of this and am told i missed a brilliant series, glad to pick up on this....for me
this remains a must-see drama.
I understood whilst watching series two that the third would be the last, however i'm pleased to find the viewing
public in the U.S are currently watching the fourth....will look forward to that for sure.
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on 30 July 2015
I am a huge fan of House Of Cards,and thought series 1&2 were absolutely superb! However,having just finished series 3 I finish with a huge sense of disappointment and a feeling of being completely underwhelmed by the whole 13 episodes. I completely agree with a previous reviewer who argued that the shows characters seemed to completely change. The great thing about the show is of course Francis Underwood involves you by talking to you,as series 3 progresses he does this less and less and just at the time when he needs you to remain 'involved' because of some of the actions he is taking. I am not sure whether the writers did this on purpose or just forgot to include this unique and important element of the show. I have to admit that I found the whole story involving Claire Underwood and the UN not only extremely boring but also highly unbelievable. The Russian storyline took up far too many episodes,and Francis going out to meet the Russian President in the Middle East was just a bit silly. Yes,Underwood is a nasty piece of work,but his talking to you during the episode made you feel part of it. I lost any sympathy for him towards the end because I was just watching him,I felt no involvement! I wanted an explanation/excuse at least! Just a couple of other concerns,sorry for any spoilers!
Jackie-The whole marriage thing was unbelievable. Poorly written.
Rely-Would he really just walk away from it all. Does getting stopped for speeding really make you question everything?
Doug-Probably the best storyline of season 3,but a cold calculating killer? Not sure on that one!
Claire Underwood-I just found her annoying in Season 3.
The writer-Some strange gay moment between himself and the a President,just odd!!

It felt at times like they were just reading there lines with nice gaps in between their dialogue. Is there a Season 4? Not sure where they can go with this now,it needs in my view better writing and a return to what made series 1&2 so very very good!
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TOP 500 REVIEWERon 17 May 2015
Season 3 of House of Cards starts off a few months after season 2. Frank is president and things are not as smooth as he hoped. The season takes in Clare's role as ambassador at the UN, declining relationships with Russia and the house and many other things. The acting is up to its usual class and whilst the twists are not as good as in previous seasons the journey through the thirteen episodes is a very good one.
The issue that House of Cards will have, which this season suffers from, is that it feels at times as though it is stepping on ground that The West Wing already ploughed. However, the acting from both leads and the supporting cast delivers a great series and one which keeps you wanting more.
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TOP 100 REVIEWERon 28 April 2015
Despite 'House of Cards - Season 3', maintaining its high octane political thriller energy, what happened off-camera was almost as exciting as what you see on the screen this time around.

HOC was denied location permits to film in the Security Council chamber at the Headquarters of the United Nations because Russia didn't like it, even though the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon lent his support to it. Apparently, Alfred Hitchcock was also denied permission for the 1959 film 'North by Northwest'.

Next, the Maryland authorities almost massively cut their tax incentives, hugely delaying production, meaning that the show would have to shoot somewhere other than Baltimore. Probably somewhere sunnier which would have looked newer, shinier and less convincing than the DC and Baltimore locations.

Off screen drama was almost, but not actually more thrilling than Season 3. In the first episode alone we have POTUS pissing on his father's gravestone, drone strikes and recovering alcoholics begging prostitutes to squirt bourbon into their mouths having been beaten to within an inch of their lives.

Then you have the Russian President, Petrov, demanding that the European missile infrastructure be dismantled in exchange for sending Russian troops to Israel while Claire and Durant scheme to bypass Russia’s veto in the United Nations Security Council.

Every viewer is different, of course, but my feeling is that you can pick up this excellent drama series anywhere. The first episode of Season 3 isn't a bad place to start.
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***Note: Minor Spoilers

The first two seasons of House of Cards sizzled. Though not realistic in the sense could this ever happen, it gave me a sense of dirty politics, and how our group in Washington functions or don't function. Considering the actions of Congress this year, HOC may not be too far off. However, this year, had so many instances of non reality that it became a depressing series.

House of Cards stars Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood, the Democrat U.S. Congressman from South Carolina. He and his wife, Claire, played by Robin Wright, claw their way up the political ladder with every trick you might imagine, murder is not foreign to them. And, at the end of last year, Francis became President after a messy scandal was revealed. They fought and scraped for the Presidency, and it seems, it has usurped everything they thought they might accomplish.

Francis finds he is in a mess, he has not proved to be Presidential, and the Democratic Party wants someone else to run for the ticket. Claire is unhappy, she has no power, it is all in Francis's hands, so she is planning a move. Doug Stanhope survives his wounds from the previous season, and several episodes center on his recovery. It is not until the Russian President Petrov, played brilliantly by Lars Mikkelsen, that some much needed action and sensibility of occurs. The two must pit their wares against each other, and that is entertainment. An author, Tom Yates, played by Paul Sparks, is hired to write a memoir of Francis and his new project. He becomes involved with a high powered newspaper journalist, played by Kim Dickens who wants the inside scoop on Francis.

But, it comes too late to save this season, it is depressing, and I did not feel any need to rush through the episodes. I took them slowly, and even though at times, the pace picked up, it left me feeling a little down. Most of the season was well written, but not interesting enough. I don't hear the patter about the show, it died down very quickly. If there is a season four, where will it go?

Recommended. prisrob 03-16-15
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on 1 September 2015
I agree with some other reviews, the writing seems to have lost it's way. The plot seems formulaic and you can guess what's going to happen. Claire Underwoods character seems to have changed completely, with no real major event causing the massive personality change. I mean, really?

Francis is boring and toothless and the writing seems to have become more interested in making political points about current affairs in the US and drawing obvious parallels with the Clintons etc. and trying to manipulate the viewer's thoughts on current US foreign and domestic policies, than the skullduggery and villainy we all love Francis and Claire for. It's a shame really, as there are more than enough potential scenarios to write a hundred series of this, so why has it gone down hill so much? I wonder if a real life Francis Underwood has got to the writers? Like these characters, so near to losing everything they have literally killed for, would develop such dull, biring and lifeless personas. Like seeing two spitting cobras turn into 2 kittens.

This is rather a sad insult to the viewers and the previous 2 series and, of course, Francis Urquhart would be spitting venom and turning in his grave at this.
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on 15 September 2015
Sadly, it seems to suffer the "Curse of the Third Series" - found in so many franchises that start well. The first was high energy, fast plotted, interesting, and in Kevin Spacey's case much humour and top class acting, with the characteristic Richard III sides to the audience. There is a lack now of good dialogue. There are too many stories going on, and we care nothing about the minor characters, of whom there are far too many. It has lost its way.
I doubt Michael Dobbs had anything to do with it.
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on 19 July 2015
Possibly the worst third season of any TV show ever. None of the meat and grit of the first series. Endless scenes that seem to be working towards some interesting climax, but then never do. Listless characterization. And a final episode that has to rate as the most disappointing in TV history. Series 1 and 2 were full of intrigue. There is nothing worth watching in this series.
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TOP 500 REVIEWERon 7 September 2015
A rather dark but solid Blu Ray transfer of this extraordinary series that goes from strength to strength in its portrayal of moral ambiguity in high places. The stellar cast do the literate script full justice and demonstrate once more the quality of American drama at its finest and is an object lesson for UK production companies and broadcasters.
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VINE VOICEon 25 July 2015
Simply marvellous. It is based on the BBC work of the same name. After watching the first two series I watched the BBC version. While the stories are quite different the principal characters are very similar although in the American version Francis Underwood (Spacey) only used the famous and iconic expression "You may think that but I could not possibly tell" only once but the devious character was as just like Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson). The story is of the rise of a political functionary to the top disposing of his friends and enemies on the way before falling to earth. At times the ways of Congress are difficult to follow but that does not detract from following the story. I found it compulsive viewing.
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