Whoa again! The American version of House of Cards is a mind-bender. Having finished watching Season 1, Episode 17, I find myself cheering the evil villain, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey), and viewing the reporter, Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus), who only wants to know the truth and reveal the ugliness, as an annoyance. Spacey's direct addresses to the audience, confiding in us and revealing what's in his mind, draw us into sympathy with his character and make us complicit in his misdeeds.
Night before last, I watched two episodes right before going to bed. The stories were so intense, and I was so keyed up that I tossed and turned and didn't fall asleep until 3:00 AM. Hereafter, I will watch the series during the day and try to take them with more than one grain of salt. The script, direction, and acting are so excellently done that I completely suspend disbelief, enter fully into the reality of the drama, and wind down rather slowly afterward.
