Liked to loved all of the episodes from Season 1, even with a slight finding its feet quality that most shows have when they first start, so it was a consistent more than solid and mostly brilliant season. Was eagerly anticipating the Season 2 opener "Chapter 14" and was blown away by it, an example to all season openers and how to do it. Also found it up to this point of 'House of Cards' one of the show's best episodes along with "Chapter 11" and the first two David Fincher-directed episodes.
After loving "Chapter 14" that much, found myself rather disappointed by Season 2's second episode "Chapter 15", and maybe the high expectations has something to do with it. It is far from a bad episode, actually thought on the most part it was very good. Just that it wasn't outstanding, and it is hard to not expect that after such a high quality previous episode and that the second episode of the previous, the first, season was equal in quality to the season, and show, premiere. Ranking it with the previous episodes, consider this the second weakest, the weakest being the still decent "Chapter 8". Am really hoping that nothing here comes over as judgmental or too stupid.
Like "Chapter 14", "Chapter 15" does excel in follows on from previous events and builds upon them, all without being repetitive, introduces new conflicts and such and it does feel like the storytelling and characterisation are advancing. Do like the darker tone (well in comparison to Season 1), the mystery aspect, which does intrigue but has a long way to go with it being in its infancy, and what it has to say about politics, which had a cynical edge and is intelligently handled without falling too much into heavy-handedness. Carl Franklin directs his final episode (of four, having directed "Chapters" 10, 11 and 14), Again providing alert yet accomodating direction and showing that he had a sure hand and knew what he was doing.
Visually, as ever "Chapter 15" looks slick and stylish, with lots of atmosphere with a darker look and no trouble with cohesion. Nothing to complain about there. The music knew when to have presence and when to tone things down to let the dialogue and characters properly speak. The writing is sharp and has bite and the story does interest on the most part, Frank and Claire's plots being the most successful. The mystery aspect is interesting but as said has only really just been introduced. Frank is as ever a juicy and fascinating character and a good job is done with Claire. The most successful of the new characters to me is Jackie. The acting is very good to great, Kevin Spacey taking top honours but a big shout out too goes to the fierce steel of Molly Parker as Jackie.
However, the pace doesn't quite have the lustre and energy of the previous episode.
More problematic is that from personal opinion although Frank is such a juicy character, and a truly great one, he dominates the episode too much and it doesn't properly allow the rest of the characters to shine or the conflict to be as tense as the conflicts in Season 1 and the previous episode.
Despite that being a big problem the numerous good things about "Chapter 15" were so great that it is hard to be too hard on it. Very good episode, but a big part of me felt that it should have been outstanding. 8/10
After loving "Chapter 14" that much, found myself rather disappointed by Season 2's second episode "Chapter 15", and maybe the high expectations has something to do with it. It is far from a bad episode, actually thought on the most part it was very good. Just that it wasn't outstanding, and it is hard to not expect that after such a high quality previous episode and that the second episode of the previous, the first, season was equal in quality to the season, and show, premiere. Ranking it with the previous episodes, consider this the second weakest, the weakest being the still decent "Chapter 8". Am really hoping that nothing here comes over as judgmental or too stupid.
Like "Chapter 14", "Chapter 15" does excel in follows on from previous events and builds upon them, all without being repetitive, introduces new conflicts and such and it does feel like the storytelling and characterisation are advancing. Do like the darker tone (well in comparison to Season 1), the mystery aspect, which does intrigue but has a long way to go with it being in its infancy, and what it has to say about politics, which had a cynical edge and is intelligently handled without falling too much into heavy-handedness. Carl Franklin directs his final episode (of four, having directed "Chapters" 10, 11 and 14), Again providing alert yet accomodating direction and showing that he had a sure hand and knew what he was doing.
Visually, as ever "Chapter 15" looks slick and stylish, with lots of atmosphere with a darker look and no trouble with cohesion. Nothing to complain about there. The music knew when to have presence and when to tone things down to let the dialogue and characters properly speak. The writing is sharp and has bite and the story does interest on the most part, Frank and Claire's plots being the most successful. The mystery aspect is interesting but as said has only really just been introduced. Frank is as ever a juicy and fascinating character and a good job is done with Claire. The most successful of the new characters to me is Jackie. The acting is very good to great, Kevin Spacey taking top honours but a big shout out too goes to the fierce steel of Molly Parker as Jackie.
However, the pace doesn't quite have the lustre and energy of the previous episode.
More problematic is that from personal opinion although Frank is such a juicy character, and a truly great one, he dominates the episode too much and it doesn't properly allow the rest of the characters to shine or the conflict to be as tense as the conflicts in Season 1 and the previous episode.
Despite that being a big problem the numerous good things about "Chapter 15" were so great that it is hard to be too hard on it. Very good episode, but a big part of me felt that it should have been outstanding. 8/10
