House Of Cards has never existed in a bubble. There possess’own’nurse always been glances at real-world politics, such as the intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully Putin-y Russian president Petrov or the terror network ICO, which is just ISIS with different letters. It’s often just served as a more absurdist version of what’s happening today. Where, then, does it go now? We possess’own’nurse Trump in the White House, a man whose propensity in/with regard to’concerning’regarding political calamity might see him considered “a bit OTT” if he were fictional, and in his trail a slime of corruption, Russian sneakery, war with the press, nepotism, the firing of anyone ‘disloyal’, and nueliminate’remove war flirtation. What has he left in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the scriptwriters? Civil war? Secret lizard individual ? House Of Cards now risks either becoming ridiculous if it tries to outdo real life or sedate if it doesn’t. It opts mostly to go high where Trump goes low, keeping the crazy-twist count small, with the odd lurch in the other direction. It’s probably entirely the correct choice.###One of the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ’s best seasons.###The series stumbled in Season 3, seemingly unsure of what to do with Frank and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) once they’d grabbed the most powerful office in the world, but made hay in Season 4 by turning their lives into a desperate game of Risk. They were assaulted on all fronts by individual keen to relieve them of their power, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding cing them into more and more risky methods to fend them off. That merely’barely acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s worse this season.###We open with an election looming. Frank, conscious of his dwindling popularity, is trying to stir up fear over the threat of ICO. If he can terrify the electorate and convince them he can save them, the presidency could remain his. Opposing him is Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman), the anti-Frank. Wholesome, naive, open (mostly). Add to the mix the fact Claire, nominee in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Vice President, is more popular than her husband and you possess’own’nurse the potential in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a spectacular battle, which the season fully exploits. If there’s a key word in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the season it’s “pressure”. How each character deals with the strain of the election is surprising and darkly delightful. Some crack, others harden, and not necessarily the ones you’d suspect. The series’ enormous’vast’massive’tremendous pull from reality is the grubbiness of the presidential campaign. Each time Frank, Claire or Will try to usurp the other it’s not by using policy or anything of substance, but by dredging up embarrassing, ultimately inconsequential scandal. Politics’ slide into the gutter is a boon to House Of Cards.###This has never really been a reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue with regards to’concerning’with respect to politics. None of its players wants to be in charge in an attempt to enhance’promote’polish up things in/with regard to’concerning’regarding anyone but themselves. Policy is rarely mentioned, the public virtually unseen. Power is simply a status symbol to be possessed, to grab and lock behind glass, away from the sticky fingers of others. The presidency is the One Ring and all the main players are Gollum, fixated on a treasure that can never be theirs to keep. What maintains House Of Cards is adding new players to the game and this season we’ve a pair of doozies. Patricia Clarkson is Jane Davis, an ICO expert who knows eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullyone and never in/with regard to’concerning’regarding acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s anything. Her scatty, chummy exterior is eliminate’remove ly a front. Campbell Scott is political advisor Mark Usher, of whom Frank says, “You always know where he stands. Usually on someone’s neck.” You can rely on Clarkson and Scott with any material, but they’re given gold here, each fully a match in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the deviousness of the Underwoods.###This reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue is always at its best when individual are trying to outwit each other, which is why later episodes in this season are a little disappointing in/with regard to’concerning’regarding relying on easy outs. There’s some nonsense with regards to’concerning’with respect to webcam hacking that relies on individual talking to themselves with regards to’concerning’with respect to their darkest secrets while sitting at their computers, and more turns to violence, always a disappointingly blunt last resort in/with regard to’concerning’regarding this reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue . Those are blips, despite’in spite of’albeit . The reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue gives no impression that it’s running out of ideas. It keeps discovering new rules to the game, and new ways in/with regard to’concerning’regarding its characters to cheat them. The fictional central relationship is reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ing serious strain, but its potential in/with regard to’concerning’regarding creating addictively dark drama is not. One of the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ’s best seasons.