House of Cards (TV Series 2013– ) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error on Amazon Video ON DISC A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him. Creator: Frank prepares for his promotion to Vice President. Doug tries to erase all leads leading back to him and Frank. Claire fights back against Gillian. Zoe considers working with Frank again. 9.6 Francis is about to be destroyed while the nation is in turmoil. Stamper must pick up loose ends. Claire marks the conclusion of her ruthlessness. 9.6 As the hostage situation continues, Claire secretly negotiates with an extremist leader. Frank confronts Hammerschmidt.

9.6 a list of 34 titles created 27 May 2012 a list of 34 titles created 20 Jul 2012 a list of 22 titles created 03 Feb 2014 a list of 30 titles created 27 Apr 2014 a list of 30 titles created 06 Jun 2015 Title: House of Cards (2013– ) 9/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 25 wins & 178 nominations. See more awards » Videos A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family's future. Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn Game of Thrones (TV Series 2011) Adventure | Drama | Fantasy Nine noble families fight for control over the mythical lands of Westeros. Meanwhile, a forgotten race hell-bent on destruction returns after being dormant for thousands of years.

Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Stars: Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal A bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil. Stars: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend True Detective (TV Series 2014) Crime | Drama | Mystery An anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law. Stars: Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams Dexter Morgan is a Forensics Expert, a loyal brother, boyfriend, and friend. That's what he seems to be, but that's not what he really is. Dexter Morgan is a Serial Killer that hunts the bad. Stars: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas Better Call Saul (TV Series 2015) Crime | Drama The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer, Jimmy McGill, in the time leading up to establishing his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn Various chronicles of deception, intrigue and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. Yet all of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, ND. Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman Mr. Robot (TV Series 2015) Crime | Drama | Thriller Follows Elliot, a young programmer working as a cyber-security engineer by day, and a vigilante hacker by night. Stars: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday Stranger Things (TV Series 2016) Drama | Fantasy | Horror When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief, and his friends must confront terrifying forces in order to get him back. Stars: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City's best lawyers. Stars: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle Matt Murdock, with his other senses superhumanly enhanced, fights crime as a blind lawyer by day, and vigilante by night.

Stars: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll Edit Storyline Majority House Whip Francis Underwood takes you on a long journey as he exacts his vengeance on those he feels wronged him - that is, his own cabinet members including the President of the United States himself. Dashing, cunning, methodical and vicious, Frank Underwood along with his equally manipulative yet ambiguous wife, Claire take Washington by storm through climbing the hierarchical ladder to power in this Americanized recreation of the BBC series of the same name. Written by Jacob Oberfrank 1 February 2013 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Kuća od karata See more » Filming Locations: Mahershala Ali and Kim Dickens both starred in HBO's Treme. See more » Quotes [first lines] Francis Underwood : There are two kinds of pain. The sort of pain that makes you strong, or useless pain. The sort of pain that's only suffering. I have no patience for useless things.

[strangles dog] Delicious plot, cast, and design 3 February 2013 | by markers-2 (Los Angeles) – See all my reviews As I was describing the show to a friend, I couldn't help but use the adjective "delicious." The characters are so strong, manipulative, and persuasive. Viewers come to "House of Cards" for political thrills, for back-door deals, and for machinations, and the series feeds your appetite. Spacey's performance is, of course, phenomenal. I was particularly impressed by Wright, I found her character the most intriguing of the series. The series is filmed beautifully, each scene screams production value, and this is perfect. The series has some occasional and blatant product placement that definitely ruined the tone; however, if these infrequent advertisements enabled the creation of the series: advertise away. 112 of 175 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes House of Cards (TV Mini-Series 1990) - IMDb House of Cards Francis Urquhart is the chief whip of the Conservative party. When Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader, he remains neutral and after a general election where the conservatives are returned ...

See full summary » Stars: From $1.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 29 titles created 26 Jun 2011 a list of 40 titles created 21 Apr 2013 a list of 39 titles created 17 May 2013 a list of 39 titles created 08 Sep 2015 a list of 31 titles created 9 months ago Title: House of Cards (1990) 8.7/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations. See more awards » Photos Francis Urquhart, the unscrupulous but cunning Conservative Prime Minister, has his survival threatened by a liberal monarch and an upcoming General Election. Stars: Ian Richardson, Michael Kitchen, Kitty Aldridge Francis Urquhart is too experienced a politician not to know that everything must end, even his long career as British prime minister. In order to secure his retirement and establish ...

See full summary » Stars: Ian Richardson, Diane Fletcher, Paul Freeman The Right Honorable James Hacker has landed the plum job of Cabinet Minister to the Department of Administration. At last he is in a position of power and can carry out some long-needed reforms - or so he thinks. Stars: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds James Hacker was propelled along the corridors of power to the very pinnacle of politics - No. 10. Stars: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds Set in the corridors of power and spin, the Minister for Social Affairs, is continually harassed by Number 10's policy enforcer and dependent on his not-so-reliable team of civil servants. Stars: Chris Addison, James Smith, Peter Capaldi I, Claudius (TV Mini-Series 1976) Drama | History The history of the Roman Empire as experienced by one of its rulers. Stars: Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Siân Phillips In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced out of semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons.

Stars: Alec Guinness, Michael Jayston, Anthony Bate Edit Storyline Francis Urquhart is the chief whip of the Conservative party. When Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader, he remains neutral and after a general election where the conservatives are returned with a reduced majority, he fully expects the new Prime Minister, Henry Collingridge, to give him his just reward: a senior Cabinet post. When he's informed that he is to stay in his current position, he devises a plot to unseat Collingridge and ensure his own election as party leader which would make him Prime Minister. Written by garykmcd 31 March 1991 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia The french half-glasses which Urquhart wears were bought personally by Ian Richardson, as he thought they would be perfect for his character. He didn't send the receipt to the BBC after the series as he wanted to keep them. See more » Quotes Francis Urquhart : She trusts me absolutely. I trust she does. And I, I trust her absolutely - to be absolutely human. (United States) – See all my reviews I'm a sucker for both British television and political thrillers in general.

So having heard much about this miniseries, the first of a trilogy of miniseries's, I have been looking forward to seeing this for some time. Having seen it, I found that my expectations have not only been reached but surpassed as well. House Of Cards is one of the finest examples of the political thriller that you are likely to see anywhere. If there is any single element that makes this miniseries as much of a success as it is, it is lead character, Francis Urquhart as played by actor Ian Richardson. Richardson plays Urquhart as a modern day (modern day being an alternate version of late 1980's or early 1990's UK) version of Shakespeare's Richard III. Urquhart is a man who,as the Chief Whip who feels unappreciated by the Prime Minister he helped to elect, sets out to bring down the Prime Minister, and then take the job of for himself. Like Richard III, Urquhart does this by laying out traps, rumors and blackmail while all the while delivering soliloquies to the audience relaying them to us the viewer.

For all intents and purposes, Urquhart is a man we should hate as he does all of those things. Yet it is Richardson makes this work incredibly well and makes Urquhart a man who is ruthless yet immensely charming and likable nonetheless. It is a compliment to Richardson and his skills that he can make it all work, especially the soliloquies, while being evil yet charming all at the same time. Backing Richardson is a fine supporting cast as well. There's Diane Fletcher as Urquhart's wife who, like Lady Macbeth, pushed her husband and his plans along which makes her a character that is almost as fascinating as her husband. There's Susannah Harker as the young, attractive reporter Mattie Storin who begins using Urquhart as a source before they start going in a dangerous direction which leads to an incredible finale. There's Miles Anderson as Roger O'Neill and Alphonsia Emmanuel as his girlfriend Penny Guy who both end up snared by Urquhart's traps and end up victims of that. There's Colin Jeavons as Urquhart's protégé Tim Stamper who has a marvelously sleazy feel to him.

Last but not least there's David Lyon as the targeted Prime Minister Henry Collingridge and James Villiers as his brother Charles, who end's up being part of Urquhart's plans. Theses are only a few of those amongst others in what is a fine cast backing a great leading man. House Of Cards is also blessed with fine production values as well. There's some fine production design by Ken Ledsham who creates the worlds ranging from the Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street, press rooms and beyond. There's the cinematography of Jim Fyans and Ian Punter which brings a fine sense of atmosphere and shadows to the world of the miniseries. There's also the music by Jim Parker, especially with the main title and end title pieces which serve as a perfect start and closing to the four episodes of the miniseries. All of this, under the direction of Paul Seed, makes for some fine production values to the miniseries. Last but not least is the script. Andrew Davies adapts Michael Dobbs novel into a fine political thriller about the effect of power on one man and how far he will go to gain power.

There is a definite Richard III vibe running throughout the entire miniseries as Urquhart decides to seize power and begins to lay plans to do so. As a consequence, the plot can get fairly complex at time with Urquhart playing numerous plans at once which will require the viewer to pay just a bit more then perhaps they usually would. Also, Davies knows how to write fine dialogue especially for Urquhart including the famous line "You may think that, but I couldn't possibly comment." The script never fails to deliver right up to the shocking finale. House Of Cards is a fine example of what the political thriller can be. From the performance of Ian Richardson as Urquhart, the performances of the supporting cast, good production values and a fantastic script as well. It is a complex story with a complex protagonist that takes a look at power and its ability to corrupt and how far one will go to achieve it and is a fine one at that. 16 of 17 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes The 44 Best Political TV Shows of All Time :: TV :: Lists :: Page 2 :: Paste The 44 Best Political TV Shows of All Time 20.

Tanner ‘88 Original Run: 1988 An 11-episode, political mockumentary miniseries written by Doonesbury’s Garry Trudeau and directed by Robert Altman sounds too good to be true, but HBO found a way to make it happen on the eve of the 1988 Presidential election. Michael Murphy plays presidential candidate Jack Tanner to sublime perfection, and the show’s fascination with the absurdity of daily campaign minutiae would have far-reaching comedy influence. (Veep, I’m looking at you.) Altman would go on to describe making Tanner ’88 as pure joy: “two-thirds scripted, and one-third found art.” Now released by the Criterion Collection, Tanner ’88 is as astounding and prescient a piece of political television as we’ve ever seen. Robert Altman would go one to make a feature film sequel, Tanner on Tanner in 2004.—Chris White 19.

Wolf Hall Original Run: 2015-present Based on the best-selling historical novel series by Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall stars Mark Rylance, everyone’s favorite award-winning, poetry-spouting thespian, as Thomas Cromwell, the lawyer and statesman who ended up rising through the ranks (via a combination of sheer intelligence and Machiavellian manipulation) to become the right-hand man of King Henry VIII (played here by a post-Homeland Damian Lewis). Fans of sumptuous costume dramas will find plenty to love in the series’ lavish production design, while those seeking the images of esteemed European actors bouncing off each other will also have a lot to savor. Besides Rylance and Lewis, the cast also includes the likes of Claire Foy, Mathieu Amalric, Jonathan Pryce, Mark Gatiss and future Spider-Man Tom Holland. Wolf Hall’s primary strength, however, lies in depicting the fascinating machinations of 16th century politics and how a few choice whispers can so drastically influence the progression of history.—Mark Rozeman 18.

Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister Original Run: 1980-1984/1986-1987 A precursor to The Thick of It and, by proxy, Veep, this beloved BBC series finds humor in the strangest of places. Turns out there’s a surprising amount of laughs to be found in series subjects like the sale of arms to foreign countries, arts funding, and counter surveillance. The key element is the huge egos that most politicians carry, and how that is often their undoing. That idea floats through every episode of these series—one naturally followed the other as cabinet minister Jim Hacker is elected as Prime Minister in the final two series of the show’s run—and is brought to life beautifully by veteran actors Paul Eddington (as Hacker), Nigel Hawthorne (as Hacker’s Permanent Secretary Humphrey Appleby), and Derek Fowlds (as Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley).—Robert Ham 17. Scandal Original Run: 2012-present On Scandal the various plots that make up American politics are as dramatic, violent and lust-driven as those plots on any daytime soap opera.

Fans of the show, which is soon heading into its sixth season, have long since suspended all forms of disbelief so they can continue to enjoy Kerry Washington ’s performance as lawyer and “D.C. fixer” Olivia Pope, and the messy world that she inhabits. Although the series has suffered from the redundancy of will they/won’t they affairs, the critique of politics and the American public’s general (often willful) ignorance has always been one of the most fascinating aspects of Shonda Rhimes’ series. Scandal posits terrifying questions like, “What if the person running the country is just a regular ol’ human being, with a big ego and Daddy issues?” and “Is it okay to steal a Presidential election, if the American people are too dumb to vote for the right guy?” Over the seasons the show has delved into many of the minor and major details that go into running a political campaign, and running a country, and it has done so with an eye toward the future (FYI, the future is female). But of all the good guys and bad guys, and guys walking that fine line in the middle—like Olivia Pope and her gladiators—perhaps the most important character on the series is Joe Morton’s Eli Pope.

With countless incredible monologues and arguably the best performance of the cast (perhaps only rivaled by the great Jeff Perry as Cyrus Beene), Eli is a constant, Foucauldian reminder that politics are irrelevant when power is actually the only thing in control.—Shannon M. Houston 16. Show Me A Hero Original Run: 2015 After Treme failed to provide the kind of cultural impact that David Simon ’s previous series The Wire continues to do, his 2015 miniseries Show Me A Hero at the very least proved that there was still some fuel left in his storytelling tank. Based on a nonfiction book by journalist Lisa Belkin, the six-part story brought to unblinking life the racial tensions baked into New York in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as one Yonkers City Council member and his team worked to bring affordable public housing into a mostly white section of the city.

Viewed by Simon as an allegory for the continuing racial and class divides that are hurting many of America’s greatest cities, the series also goes deep on the pains that future Yonkers mayor Nick Wasicsko (played by the always reliable Oscar Isaac ) went through to get this housing complex built against the wishes of his fellow councilmembers and various citizens groups worried about declining property values and an increase in crime. If that doesn’t sound horribly familiar, you’re not paying attention to the current news cycle.—Robert Ham 15. Battlestar Galactica Original Run: 2004-2009 It’s often stated that the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica offered a more incisive portrayal of a post-9/11 America than most TV dramas set in the “real” world. In that regard, Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of the admittedly kitschy 1970s space opera of the same name does what all the best sci-fi should do—it amplifies highly relatable or complex issues and emotions using the prism of the fantastical.

In the case of Galactica redux, the story hinges on the last remnants of humanity who, in the wake of a large-scale attack by a species of fundamentalist humanoid robots called Cylons, find themselves on the run and desperately searching for a new home. As the crew of the Galactica—led by the strong-willed, if often hardheaded Captain Adama (Edward James Olmos) and the newly minted President Laura Roslin ( Mary McDonnell )—struggle for survival, they find themselves facing the same breed of morally questionable choices that come hand-in-hand with war, whether it’s delegating resources, debating the ethics of torture or permitting a significant number of deaths for the sake of preserving the fleet as a whole. Moreover, since Cylons look like humans, there’s the ever-present paranoia that they have already infiltrated the ranks. While the show famously went off the rails in its final year, there is no denying that Galactica’s cast and creative team helped legitimize the TV sci-fi drama as a vehicle for deep, resonate stories about politics, religion and the nature of humanity.—Mark Rozeman 14.

Borgen Original Run: 2010-2013 Who knew that the true successor to The West Wing would wind up being a sharp political drama from Denmark? Borgen follows the ascension to the seat of Prime Minister by minority party leader Birgitte Nyborg, and her handling of everything from international diplomacy to domestic policy. As with Aaron Sorkin ’s beloved drama, the behind the scenes dealings of the government provide some startling insight into the compromises and strong arming that often has to happen for anything to get done. But it also deftly balanced the personal and the political, showing the strains that Nyborg’s work put on her family and how little she was willing to bend to keep the peace at home. Borgen’s success as a political expose stems primarily from a central guiding principle—there is no black and white. Indeed, between debates on women’s rights, immigration or health care, the show does not lionize one side or villainize another. This is certainly helped by the fact that—unlike America—the Denmark government allows for a multi-party system and, thus, multiple, nuanced perspectives. Still, even the so-called “villains” of the series occasionally demonstrate moments of redemption.

Bolstered by a phenomenal, charismatic group of actors, Borgen is the perfect program for the political junkie in your life. Assuming they’re fine with reading subtitles, of course.—Robert Ham and Mark Rozeman 13. 24 Original Run: 2001-2010 Premiering less than two months after 9/11, 24 and its counter terrorist agent Jack Bauer ( Kiefer Sutherland ) fed off the country’s very real fears, but also created one of the first great action series of the century. 24 premiered at the right time and almost certainly wouldn’t have been close to as successful had it been released any other time in history. What sounded like a gimmick—each episode playing out in real time—ended up creating a tension and a season-long ticking clock that almost always kept the viewer on the edge of their seat. Sutherland’s moral ambiguity as Bauer, someone who will do anything to stop the current threat at hand, created a type of hero that we hadn’t seen before. Bauer consistently tested the gray areas of his character as he searched for answers—rather than what was right or wrong.

Because of this, 24 left the audience to question how they felt about torture, collateral damage and many other topics that at the time were appearing in the news every day. As a series, 24 was forward thinking and employed many of the dramatic tactics viewers now take for granted. The show would often kill off main characters (including its Presidents) and throw insane twists into the mix every week, adding a previously unknown level of depth to every conversation, relationship and story. The impact 24 had on the dramas that came after it—from Homeland, to The Americans, to Game of Thrones —proves that it’s not only one of the best political shows of all time, but one of the most impactful series in modern television.—Ross Bonaime 12. The Good Wife Original Run: 2009-2016 The CBS drama, which bid us farewell just a few short months ago, excelled at exploring office, family and political lives with equal dramatic fervor. Whether it was a rogue faction secretly breaking off to form their own firm, or the constant plotting for power and control, no series captured office politics quite the same way.

But never forget that the tongue-in-cheek title refers to the zeitgeist moment happening everywhere when the show premiered in 2009: the politician’s wife who stood by her philandering, corrupt husband. Who are these smart, successful women who choose to stay with these awful men? The Good Wife answered that question with a deft complexity. Over the show’s seven seasons, Alicia Florrick (Julianna Marguiles) was intelligent, vulnerable, sly, trustworthy, disloyal, cutthroat, loving, power hungry and more. On this show, as happens so often in politics, the ends often justified the means. Peter’s (Chris Noth) political aspirations and rollercoaster career was an undercurrent throughout the seven seasons. There’s never been a better campaign manager/political savant than Eli Gold (the fabulous Alan Cumming). The show dived deep into the minutia of campaigns. Season Six focused on Alicia’s (Julianna Margulies) run for political office and drew the curtain back on the fundraising and glad handling it takes to win an election.

The final season found Peter (Chris Noth) running for President and viewers were treated to the daily grind of a campaign (just how many hands do you have to shake?) and shown exactly how a caucus works. But the larger story of Alicia descent into corruption and the gray moral ground was fascinating. What wouldn’t she do to win? If you never got around to watching The Good Wife , the drama should be your next binge.—Amy Amatangelo 11. House of Cards Original Run: 2013-present Netflix ’s House of Cards is occasionally ridiculous, occasionally overblown, but always, always always intriguing. As a political drama, it bears about as much relation to reality as Mortal Kombat does to professional boxing, but it’s brilliant in the way it manages to capture the vicious atmosphere behind D.C.’s ruthless power players, and translate that sinister feeling into hyperbolic evil. Veep may be more accurate for the way it reduces politics to farce, but the House of Cards approach captures something just as legitimate, and the underlying menace is embodied in the wonderful, scheming monologues of Kevin Spacey ’s Frank Underwood.

Watching him break the fourth wall is still so strange and chilling, even after four seasons, and his seedy, malevolent, oily voice still gives me chills. And I can’t tell what’s more disturbing—the moral vacuum inside Underwood’s brain, or the fact that real-life politics seems to be moving in his direction.—Shane Ryan 10. The Thick Of It Original Run: 2005-2012 The backdoor dealings and bumblings of folks in political office have provided fodder for all manner of televised and cinematic entertainment, but none of them captured it with as much clarity and virulence as this BBC comedy. Armando Iannucci’s beloved series focused primarily on the work of the fictional Department of Social Affairs, which tried to improve the lives of average Britons while never quite accomplishing much of anything, thanks to their own slip ups and the strong arm of the leadership in 10 Downing Street. The show soared in no small part thanks to the fine acting work of comedy vets like Chris Addison, as the perpetually befuddled policy advisor Ollie Reeder, and the marvelous Rebecca Front, who is installed as the head of the department in Series Three.

But Thick of It would be nothing without the peerless performance of future Doctor Who Peter Capaldi as the Prime Minister’s chief enforcer Malcolm Tucker. The Scottish actor provides a master’s class in political gamesmanship as he shifts from sweet, to sour, to nuclear meltdown as the situation requires, manipulating the press like marionettes all throughout. And listening to him make hay with the English language through elaborate displays of vulgarity and vitriol is almost symphonic.—Robert Ham 9. Homeland Original Run: 2011-present Homeland suffered from an undeniable drop-off in narrative potency after its stellar first season, but make no mistake: the Showtime series remains a landmark political drama all the same. Showrunner Alex Gansa and company managed to pivot from a tight, cloak-and-dagger spy story to more of a big-picture political thriller, widening the show’s scope and capturing the high-stakes of international espionage in a way that feels grounded in the real, like a far brainier 24. Perennial Emmy nominee Claire Danes ’ go-for-broke performance as bipolar CIA operative Carrie Mathison is a sight to behold.

And Mandy Patinkin’s grizzled old hand Saul Berenson is a welcome paternal presence, a calming buffer against the paranoia and fear constantly nibbling at the edges of this show. For all its flaws, Homeland has consistently delivered adrenaline-pumping political intrigue while maintaining a surprising degree of gravitas, exploring the troubled psyches of radical extremists and America’s guardians alike.—Scott Russell 8. Deadwood Original Run: 2004-2006 After becoming one of the biggest names in police procedurals, writing for such iconic shows as Hill Street Blues and creating NYPD Blue, David Milch turned his eye to late 1800s South Dakota and single-handedly brought back the television Western with Deadwood. Milch’s vision of the West presented civility coming to an area that was still incredibly wild. This clash created one of HBO ’s greatest anti-heros with Ian McShane’s Al Swearengen. McShane could balance being a gentleman and a dirtbag in equal measure. Milch’s dialogue coming out of Swearengen’s mouth sounds like Shakespeare, just with significantly more “cocksucker” and “fuck” mixed in.

Milch boils down all the political intrigue and griminess of a shows like The Wire or even his own NYPD Blue into a small town at the boom of the Gold Rush, causing good and evil to collide against each other so much that the lines between the two were often blurred. With rumors of a finale movie spreading for years now, it would be a shame for HBO to not give a fitting conclusion to one of its greatest masterpieces.—Ross Bonaime 7. Game of Thrones Original Run: 2011-present There’s little doubt that Game of Thrones takes full advantage of its pride of place on HBO ’s evening schedule. The Emmy-winning drama indulges in throwaway nudity and shock character culls. But Thrones is not some mere grindhouse Lord of the Rings. Its “tits and dragons” reputation among non-fans is completely unwarranted. At its heart, Game of Thrones is a taut political drama that draws on author George RR Martin’s wide knowledge of real political fracas in centuries past. At times, it plays like a condensed political history of the world, taking inspiration from the British Wars of the Roses, and monarchs from Rome to the Mongol Empire.

But the show also has a fatalistic political philosophy that also chimes with modern times. The pure, who are at the mercy of a political system that favors pragmatism over goodness, lose their heads. While those who ruthlessly play the game and act in their own self-interest often rise higher and faster than anyone else. This real-world basis and resonance ensures that Game of Thrones is never just “tits and dragons.” More accurately, it’s an astute look at our own political past and present, with breasts and winged beasts deceptively sprinkled on top.—Brogan Morris 6. House of Cards (UK) Original Run: 1990 While Netflix ’s mostly excellent House of Cards is a streaming sensation and the origin of binge-watching, this tale of Machiavellian intrigue in Washington’s halls of power is not even the best version of the story. Beau Willimon’s series is actually an adaptation of a BBC mini-series (originally three four-episode minis: House of Cards , To Play the King and The Final Cut, themselves adaptations of novels by Michael Dobbs) starring the late, great Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, chief whip of the conservative party.

While retaining the main character’s wink-wink initials “F.U.,” Netflix ’s choice to move the series from the UK to the US weakened the material. For one, the kind of wheeling and dealing that can take one from the back benches to the top job is simply more believable in a parliamentary system, and the more overt presence of class politics in the UK makes for more interesting drama. The US version also gets too tied up in political minutiae. More importantly, Richardson’s Urquhart is a significantly more delicious character than Spacey’s Frank Underwood. The UK version is currently on Netflix , and at under 12 hours for the entire series, is easily binge-able.—Mark Rabinowitz 5. The Americans Original Run: 2013-present Set against the back-drop of the Cold War, the FX drama plays on two distinct levels. There’s the high-speed espionage of the Reagan era, with Elizabeth ( Keri Russell ) and Philip (Matthew Rhys), KGB agents hiding in plain sight, donning costumes, make-up and wigs (so many wigs!) to get the intel they need to advance the cause of the motherland.

And there’s the way that dynamic plays out on the micro level affecting the daily politics of family life (should they tell their daughter the truth? How do you deal with dissatisfaction with your life choices?). Interspersed throughout are real world events including the war in Afghanistan, the attempted assassination of President Reagan and even the airing of The Day After. No show captures what it was like to live through the Cold War better.—Amy Amatangelo 4. Parks and Recreation Original Run: 2009-2015 Parks and Recreation began as a satire intending to do to small town politics what the The Office did for cubical life. But the series truly became a love letter to local politics and what can be accomplished when citizens unite to work towards a common goal. As the plucky, ever optimistic Leslie Knopes, Amy Poehler embodied everything you want in a leader and more. The Pawnee Town Hall was full of the office worker types—you know, the curmudgeon, the girl who can’t be bothered, the pop culture savant and the simpleton. But Parks went behind the surface to give depth to all the characters.

The comedy championed the idea that it DOES take a village, and change DOES begin at the local level. But the pièce de résistance was the series finale which, as Leslie gave each one of her friends a hug, flashed forward to show us what the future held for every character and hinted at an amazing career for Leslie. (Was she President?!) For these reasons, and so many more, we both liked and loved Parks and Recreation .—Amy Amatangelo 3. Veep Original Run: 2012-present In an election year as insane as this one—remember when an embarrassingly plagiarized speech was just a bonehead move by Dan (Reid Scott) in Veep’s season two finale and not an actual thing that happened at the Republican National Convention?—we need a show like this to preserve our sanity. We laugh to keep ourselves from crying, and man, does Veep continue to make us laugh. As Paste’s politics editor Shane Ryan wrote earlier this year when we declared it the best show of 2016 so far, “it nails American politics—the amount of corruption and incompetence, along with a thick web of conflicting interests, which makes it impossible for anything real to be accomplished.

More often than not, Selina Meyer ( Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) ends up backing a position directly opposed to her true beliefs, and the goal shifts from political progress to mere survival. Finding a scapegoat or dodging a crisis is vastly more important to a politician’s life than passing a law or aiding the country, and no show looks at this reality with a more cutting kind of cynicism than Veep.” This season in particular highlighted the sheer absurdity of our American political system by forcing Selina into a tie on election night and eventually seeing her get the presidency snatched out from under her by the actions of her conniving running mate, Tom James (Hugh Laurie). Season Five ended with a shocking twist, and we can only guess at what’s in store for Selina and her staff in Season Six. But here’s hoping the funniest political show on TV doesn’t stay away from Capitol Hill for too long.—Bonnie Stiernberg 2. The Wire Original Run: 2002-2008 The great achievement of David Simon ’s stellar HBO series lies in the sheer clarity with which it articulates its despairing vision of the oppressive forces that keep American cities down.

Each season is like a brick in an ever-expanding social canvas, starting from the ground up—police officers in Season One and dock workers in Season Two—and eventually broadening to include politicians (Season Three), schoolteachers (Season Four) and journalists (Season Five). All of these institutions are locked in a vicious cycle of high-minded ideals beaten down by harsh realities. The Wire, by focusing on the human figures trapped in this broken system, shows us, with often heartbreaking lucidity, how and why this happens, and may keep on happening even as hard as some bold visionaries—like Season Three’s “Bunny” Colvin (Robert Wisdom) with his daring “Hamsterdam” experiment—try to enact change. If it is true that the personal is always political, then The Wire stands as one of the great political works of art: one that paints a deeply pessimistic big picture, while never forsaking the personal stories within.—Kenji Fujishima 1.

The West Wing Original Run: 1999-2006 During a 2015 interview on Grantland’s “ Hollywood Prospectus” podcast, Dan Pfeiffer—former senior advisor to Barack Obama—touched upon many aspects of life in The White House. Chief among them for pop-culture aficionados is the frequency with which Pfeiffer and POTUS would reference The West Wing. Such is the power and influence of Aaron Sorkin ’s seminal political series that the current leader of the free world can find himself wondering what fictional President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) would do. In the days before cable networks dominated the “prestige programing” mantle, The West Wing successfully walked the line between smart, sophisticated drama and relatable workplace comedy (most sitcoms would kill for the level of His Girl Friday-esque banter that the show seemed to effortlessly toss away). When it hit its stride—whether it be President Bartlet’s barn-burning monologue in “Two Cathedrals” or Richard Schiff’s silently heartbreaking work in the Christmas-themed “In Excelsis Deo”—it was the stuff of TV history.

With Sorkin’s departure after Season Four, the misses would become more pronounced, but, even at its lower moments, The West Wing excelled at making the political process seem not only like an enthralling job, but the frontline in the fight for decency and progressive values. And while, in retrospect, some of the show’s conceptions of politics proved to be little more than wishful thinking, one can only hope the show’s ongoing popularity will convince a whole new generation of politicians and voters to embrace the nobler utopia of Sorkin’s White House.—Mark Rozeman Kevin Spacey developing Downton Abbey meets House of Cards White House TV drama | The Independent News Kevin Spacey developing Downton Abbey meets House of Cards White House TV drama 'The Resident' will follow the relationship between White House staff and the various First Families who live at the famous American address Wednesday 24 June 2015 08:51 BST Click to follow The Independent Culture Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood in ‘House of Cards’ (AP) AP Kevin Spacey is heading back to the White House for another stellar political drama series – or so it sounds.

The actor, director and producer has signed a deal to develop a Downton Abbey meets House of Cards drama called The Resident. Based on Kate Andersen Brower’s non-fiction book of the same name, the show will follow the relationships between White House staff and the various First Families who come to live in the famous address over the course of several administrations. The Resident is being eyed for US cable, where it will join a host of successful politico dramas currently on TV across the pond including Veep, Madam Secretary, Scandal and The Brink.

Film stars turning to TV Film stars turning to TV 1/7 Martin Scorsese Martin Scorsese will produce an untitled HBO drama set in 1970s New York that explores the sex and drug-fuelled music industry Getty Images 2/7 The Coen Brothers The Coen Brothers are executive producers of FX series Fargo—a dark comedy based on the Cohen's 1996 film of the same name Getty Images 3/7 Zach Braff Zach Braff revealed plans in September 2014 to collaborate with Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence on new TV comedy series; the possibility of a Netflix show has not been ruled out Getty Images 4/7 Kevin Spacey Academy-award winner Kevin Spacey leads the cast of Netflix original series House of Cards; the political drama set in Washington D.C.

premiered its third season last month Netflix Last autumn, Hollywood veteran Paul Giamatti starred in season four of ITV’s Downton Abbey Getty Images 6/7 Viola Davis Best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in The Help, Viola Davis stars in the Shonda Rhimes’ legal thriller, How to Get Away With Murder Getty 7/7 Zooey Deschanel Starring in comedies like The Elf and 500 Days of Summer, Zooey Deschanel left the movie world and jumped to television with New Girl 2013 Fox Broadcasting Co. It is not known yet whether Spacey will star in the series himself, having agreed the deal between his company Trigger Street Productions and Fox 21 and 20th Century Fox Television. The actor’s producing partner Dana Brunetti said: “Kevin and I are always looking to align Trigger Street with entities that understand what we expect to accomplish and how to maximize all resources to produce the best content possible. Kevin Spacey recently stood down from his 11 year artistic directorship at the Old Vic “Our past and current projects demonstrate how we do things differently and partner with who we feel are the best at what they do.

Trigger Street and Fox have the makings of a powerful team, and we look forward to our upcoming projects.” Fox New anchor Megyn Kelly will executive produce the project in her first scripted TV debut. Breaking News - David Fincher's "House of Cards" Starring Kevin Spacey to Be Streamed Instantly in North America Exclusively from Netflix | TheFutonCritic.com or [03/18/11 - 10:00 AM] David Fincher's "House of Cards" Starring Kevin Spacey to Be Streamed Instantly in North America Exclusively from Netflix Netflix has committed to a minimum of 26 episodes of the Media Rights Capital drama, to premiere in late 2012.

[via press release from Netflix] David Fincher's "House of Cards" Starring Kevin Spacey to Be Streamed Instantly in North America Exclusively from Netflix -- New television series from Media Rights Capital brings the highly anticipated adaptation of the award-winning BBC political thriller to Netflix members in late 2012 -- Beverly Hills, CA (March 18, 2011) - "House of Cards," the much-anticipated television series and political thriller from Executive Producer David Fincher and starring two time Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, will debut exclusively in the United States and Canada from Netflix, the world's leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. Netflix has committed to a minimum of 26 episodes of the Media Rights Capital drama, which is expected to be available to the more than 20 million Netflix members, beginning in late 2012. Fincher, the Oscar-nominated director of The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, will direct the pilot written by Beau Willimon (Farragut North and film adaptation, The Ides of March).

A satirical tale of power, corruption and lies, "House of Cards" is based on the book and acclaimed BBC mini-series of the same name. "The gripping, serialized one hour drama has become a very important part of the Netflix experience," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. "David Fincher's unique vision, the indelible performances of Kevin Spacey and the original version of "House of Cards," all have a big following among our members, giving the series a very good chance of becoming a fan favorite. We are thrilled to be working with this amazing team." Originally written as a novel by former U.K. Conservative Party Chief of Staff Michael Dobbs, "House of Cards" explores the ruthless underside of British politics at the end of the Thatcher era. Reset against the backdrop of modern-day U.S. electoral politics, the new one-hour drama follows an ambitious politician (Spacey) with his eye on the top job. Scripts for 13 episodes will be delivered before production on the "House of Cards" pilot begins in the spring of 2012. Production on subsequent episodes of "House of Cards" will commence several months later, allowing producers time to carefully develop the series.

Media Rights Capital's "House of Cards" stars Kevin Spacey (Casino Jack, American Beauty, Seven) and was developed by Beau Willimon (The Ides of March). David Fincher (The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Seven), Josh Donen (Spartacus: Blood and Sand), Academy Award-winner Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), along with Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti of Trigger Street Productions (The Social Network, 21) are Executive Producers for the series. Emmy Award-winner Andrew Davies and Michael Dobbs, who produced the original BBC series, also serve as Executive Producers, with Willimon as Co-Executive Producer. The "House of Cards" pilot is written by Willimon and will be directed by Fincher. About Netflix: With more than 20 million members in the United States and Canada, Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] is the world's leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. For $7.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed over the Internet to PCs, Macs and TVs.

Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are Microsoft's Xbox 360, Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, Internet-connected TVs, home theater systems, digital video recorders and Internet video players; Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 200 devices that stream from Netflix are available in the U.S. and a growing number are available in Canada. About Media Rights Capital: MRC is a leading independent film, television and digital studio.

MRC film projects include The Adjustment Bureau, written and directed by George Nolfi and starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt; Ben Stiller and Red Hour's 30 Minutes or Less directed by Ruben Fleischer and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride and Aziz Ansari; TED, starring and directed by Seth MacFarlane in his feature film debut, also starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis; Elysium, the first of two new projects to be helmed by District 9 writer/director Neill Blomkamp starring Jodie Foster and Matt Damon; and "Panic Pictures", a production and financing company in partnership with David Fincher.

Television ventures include the political drama "House of Cards" which will premiere on Netflix and star Kevin Spacey, from Executive Producers David Fincher, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs, Josh Donen Eric Roth and Dana Brunetti; "iCON," a Silicon Valley satire created by Larry Charles and "Fake Steve Jobs," Dan Lyons, which will debut on EPIX; and two seasons of "The Ricky Gervais Show," the animated adaptation of the UK podcast starring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, and three seasons of the late-night animated comedy "The Life and Times of Tim", created by and starring Steve Dildarian, both airing on HBO. [march 2011] House of Cards - The Inn of the Patriots by Kings Mountain, NC - Grover - United States The Inn of the Patriots by Kings Mountain 301 Cleveland Avenue +1 704-937-2940 or text @ 704-490-3947 A US Military disabled and injured veteran project Get a photo or selfie by the famous Peachoid (our local water tower in the shape of a peach) featured in so many episodes of House of Cards!

Tons of Emmy Award wins including David Fincher for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Nine+ nominations including Outstanding Drama Series went to this acclaimed political thriller. Kevin Spacey was just in town!!! And we are so excited around here, folks. Are you watching the series!? "Kevin Spacey made an unannounced appearance at The Peachoid. With a bottle of champagne in hand, accompanied by his dog, Boston, (he) tweeted, “With Boston toasting the Emmy noms at real Peachoid in Gaffney, South Carolina. She's drunk with pride.” 85-26 By Dan Armonaitis - dan.armonaitis@shj.com, Spartanburg Herald Journal. All of our White House staff and Presidential team welcome you to the area where we live. You'll enjoy our local folk, how people grow up around here - and the 5th District. You might have thought this would be a trip to the backwoods or country, but, we can be quite savvy... We have so many guests that enjoy visiting this area and especially Gaffney for photos with our peach and massive outlet shopping.

We just had a whole House of Cards special dinner and folks from New York were antagonizing others on Facebook with their own selfies and our Peachoid! House of Cards is an American political drama television series, developed and produced by Beau Willimon. It's an adaptation of a previous BBC mini-series of the same name and is based on the novel by Michael Dobbs. The entire first season, thirteen episodes, premiered on February 1, 2013, on Netflix. A second season of thirteen episodes premiered on February 14, 2014. On February 4, 2014, ten days prior to the first available streaming release of the second season, Netflix announced that the show had been renewed for a third season. Set in present-day Washington, D.C., House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a Democrat from our area of South Carolina's 5th congressional district and House majority whip who, after being passed over for appointment as Secretary of State, initiates an elaborate plan to get himself into a position of power (he just became President). The series is primarily about ruthless pragmatism, manipulation, power and doing bad things for the greater good.

The series also stars Robin Wright, Kate Mara, and Corey Stoll in lead roles. On July 18, 2013, Netflix earned the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for original online-only web television. House of Cards received nine of Netflix's fourteen total nominations. Among its nine nominations were Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Kevin Spacey, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Robin Wright, and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for David Fincher. The show also earned four Golden Globe Award nominations on December 12, 2013. House of Cards received the first major acting award for an online-only web television series when Wright won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Filming has occurred locally and the inn has welcomed the entire team and crew to stay. We'll keep you posted just as soon as we are allowed to release anything more to the public! Promotions The Baby Ruth Room 1st floor, small private bath/shower. The, "Baby Ruth Room," features a Queen size sleigh bed and is named after President and First Lady Cleveland's first child, Ruth.

It's a fantastic room featuring an original fireplace built in 1879, antique furniture and pictures, ceiling fan and intimate lighting. This room has a small, private bathroom in the mansion that was built into the walls and closets of the room making it cute, exclusive and private. You'll enjoy the twelve foot tall ceilings of this 1879 room even though the shower is not a full claw foot tub or extremely spacious we do our very best for you when cutting through the walls of these horse hair plaster masterpieces! You will also find a Baby Ruth candy bar as this is the only room to get one upon arrival! We like to celebrate the fact that this candy bar actually was named after Ruth in a special way. The bed coverings are heirloom. Also, enjoy watching the famous Hollywood movie, "Hooch," filmed here in 1977 on your DVD player (a comedy spoof film). This is the room that a major part of the gun-battle and shotgun firing was done out of through broken out glass windows against the Cleveland County Sheriffs Department. It is painted in National Historic Preservation Trust Certified Turquoise and Woodrow Wilson Presidential Creme.

$225/night The Colonel Cleaveland Room 1st floor, large private bathtub and new, platinum shower by Bathfitter. The Colonel Cleaveland Room features a massive king sized bed, back and foot massage machines, mini-fridge, large flat-screen HDTV with 400+ channels on DirecTV GENIE, Blueray disc player and stereo, DVD, CD players. It has a $1200.00 luxury-master recliner, dining table with two chairs, large 1879 private bathroom that is not perfectly designed but wonderful to admire the old world tile floor they built 130+ years ago and more! This room features a sweet ladies, luxury jewels and vanity mirror with chair for applying makeup in absolute privacy. Relax and enjoy your makeup for an hour or brush your hair whilst others are out and about reading the newspaper, looking at brochures with our Concierge or drinking coffee. $309/night. Can be configured as an adjoining Suite for $534 per night with the Baby Ruth Room to watch over children. The Magnificent Polynesian 1st floor, small private bath/shower.

The Magnificent Polynesian features an extra-fluffy (but not stuffy) Queen sized bed in a Pacific Rim themed room loaded with palm trees and elegant Asian plants. It has a large, famous triangle desk. A lot of wonderful memorabilia is in this room from when Chef Marti and Chef Stormy lived in Japan and traveled and cooked in Asia including katana's, Korean King Seong Dong bell and hats. An elegant fireplace with shoji paper umbrella is next to a private, small bathroom and shower in the mansion that was built into the walls and closets of the room making it cute, exclusive and private. You'll enjoy the twelve foot tall ceilings of this 1879 room even though the shower is not a full claw foot tub or extremely spacious we do our very best for you when cutting through the walls of these horse hair plaster masterpieces! This room also features the life award and certificate from the All Japan Chefs Association (AJCA) for Chef Marti's gold medal from 56,000 Japanese chefs and President Shiro Deguchi.

$125/night Nature and Earth NC LAW PET FREE ROOM, PRIVATE bathroom: Nature and Earth features two full sized sapling trees inside the room with a flowing water fountain and new, king size bed with LUXURY DESIGNED headboard. Lanterns, interesting quartz rocks, a living hosta plant, glowing igneous rock, outdoor patio set, gem/rock and wood samples and rock-hewn tables await you along with green apples, eucalyptus and a huge scarf over roman window shades! This room was painted from the Biltmore Estate palette of licensed colors by Olympic Paints and specifically from Frederick Law Olmsted's outdoor natural palette from his planned gardens and forests at the Biltmore. You will find this room to be refreshing and down to earth offering a welcome respite from society with birds chirping in the morning. $185/night Oceanicus Blue Dreams PRIVATE bathroom. Oceanicus Blue Dreams features a tip of the hat to Cornelius Vanderbilt and the great shipping fleets of the world he and the Vanderbilt family adored. This room is loaded with tons of eclectic, collections and items from the Civil War Navy's. As our mansion is only a short drive from the Vanderbilt Estate the influence is very strong.

The, "Biltmore," is still the largest private home in America and is now the most visited winery in America. We think this says a lot about where we live, in Western North Carolina. The lil' desk has tons of hidden items in each drawer to find and discover! Along the bulkheads are lighthouses and ships, spyglasses and shells, log books and scrolls of antique paper as well as shiny brass lanterns, cutlasses, iron handguns, knives and swords. We have been shocked by how many ladies want to stay in this room! WARNING: However, if you don't enjoy eclectic clutter, intense 17th and 18th century weaponry from all over the world and tons of fun, little items all over the place and hidden in drawers (love letters) - you won't enjoy this particular room (you will find love-letters from the war written between sailors and their wives to read as well as dance cards and amazing things). This is the room with the Confederate War Bond inside the wall of the closet that many have read about. A king size bed with hand-carved, elegant headboard awaits you with gel-foam insert padding and tremendously extra-fluffy, fluffy, fluffy mattress!

Sometimes it is called the Blue Room or Sailors Den! Above all, don't get into any arguments in this room (there is a ton of weaponry in it! $185/night Back Country Militia Rustic Campground Presently configured as a VERY RUSTIC campground set in the year of 1780 it is perfect for Scout Masters and Unit Officers (Colonels & Majors) that want to rent the entire campground. Great for visiting revolutionary war units, scouts and those visiting the King's Mountain parks for horseback riding and hiking trails. Outhouse, root cellar, full fire pits and cooking facilities provided with hay, fresh wood and water. Includes breakfast for two in the mansion and access to two other public restrooms (with hot shower) inside the mansion with full use of indoor kitchen and living room, Wi-Fi hot at 30 GB per second area included with camping. Give us a call and enjoy speaking with Chefs Marti or Stormy for pricing of your next Revolutionary War encampment, Boys or Girl Scouts and other fine groups. The Inn of the Patriots by Kings Mountain 301 Cleveland Avenue

Question: Based on a UK political drama TV series of the same name, the US version featuring the actor Kevin Spacey is called "House..." what?
Answer: Of Cards