By Devon Shuman, Culture Editor
When President Frank Underwood first breaks the fourth wall in season four of "House of Cards," he does so to tell his audience about Walter Wryson, a boy who lived down the street from him growing up. While casually making himself a sandwich, Underwood explains that Wryson was a timid boy who always ran away from home, one time going so far as to climb a tree in the Underwoods' backyard and refuse to come down. When Wryson turned away a plate of eggs that Frank offered him, Frank got angry."So I went into the tool shed, and I took out an ax," Frank says. "And I gave that tree a good whack, and Walter cried out, but I kept on. You've never heard screams like the ones coming from Walter. I just kept whacking away."
Ladies and gentlemen, Frank Underwood is back.
Last year, Netflix's political drama suffered from a terrible third season that reduced its once ruthless protagonist into a pitiful softie who faltered under the immense pressure of the American presidency. Showrunner Beau Willimon seemed to be trying to bring the show in a new direction, revealing a Frank that wasn't as confident and surefooted as previously depicted.
Willimon failed to realize that what makes "House of Cards" so compelling is the coldblooded pragmatism of a leader who will do whatever it takes (meticulous plotting, deception, murder, etc.) to get his way.
Luckily, the show has gotten back to its roots this season. Frank still has plenty of enemies - Russian president Petrov, the challenger for the Democratic nomination, Heather Dunbar, probable Republican nominee, Will Conway, and, most notably, his own wife, Claire. The difference is, instead of backing down from these obstacles, Frank once again brings the fight to them. No more crying on the floor of the Oval Office. No matter how bad it begins to look, you can rest assured that Frank always has a plan in place to pummel his opponents into the ground.
The beauty of this is that Willimon has gracefully found a way to refocus his show without abandoning his attempt to make Underwood more human. Frank's insecurities are still present, but they take the form of dream sequences. On the surface Frank is back to his merciless and manipulative ways, but his dreams highlight his insecurities, such as his newfound fear of Claire and the many skeletons in his closet. With these dream sequences, Willimon can have his cake and eat it too.
While season four returns "House of Cards" to its compelling roots, it also broadens its scope by introducing a new cast of intriguing characters. When Claire travels to Texas in hopes of beginning a campaign for an open congressional seat, she enlists the help of LeAnn Harvey (Neve Campbell, notable for her role in the "Scream" franchise), a smart and dangerous political consultant. She also renews her relationship with her mother, Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn), whom we quickly learn is dying of cancer. Like Claire, Elizabeth is cold and pitiless, and Burstyn shines the brightest when she is revealing her harsh hatred and disapproval of Frank.
The most notable newcomer, though, is Joel Kinnaman, who plays Republican presidential hopeful, Will Conway. With his good looks, powerful stature and strong commitment to Republican values, Conway proves himself to be not only a solid nominee, but also a formidable opponent for Frank.
"House of Cards" has always done a great job at balancing fiction and reality. Season four's gun control storyline will certainly resonate with American viewers, and the rise of the Islamic extremist group, ICO, closely parallels that of real-life ISIS.
But, what makes this season most interesting and relatable is watching Frank's bid for reelection during a notably unorthodox election year. The show has never had a strong commitment to plausibility, but with political outsiders such as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders dominating today's headlines, Frank's Machiavellian methods suddenly don't seem so far-fetched. In this new context, "House of Cards" becomes compelling on a completely new level.
The bottom line is, if you managed to slog your way through season three, your resilience paid off, as season four could be the best one yet. The characters, both new and old, are superb, and the writing is once again utterly brilliant. An early plot twist caught me completely off guard even though the pieces were all there for me to see it coming. Willimon may have collapsed his house of cards in season three, but he has quickly built it together, this time larger and stronger.
4.5/5 stars