Reception House of Cards (season 2)

1 reception

1.1 critical reception
1.2 awards
1.3 impact

reception
critical reception

the season received. review aggregator metacritic gave season score of 80 out of 100, based on 25 critics. review aggregator, rotten tomatoes gave season rating of 85%, based on 34 reviews, average rating of 8.2/10. site s critical consensus reads, house of cards proves bingeworthy in second season, more of strong performances, writing, , visual design made first season addictive.

james poniewozik of time says same show saw last season, same weaknesses , strengths intact, but, makes clear before first hour over, every bit brutal , sanguinary. according sara smith of kansas city star, shock , delight of showy storytelling ... has faded bit . smith says barnes, skorsky, , goodwin s investigation sucks them down rabbit hole surreal underworld no sane reporter explore . regarding frank, smith says show can revolve around 1 man, flawless winning streak gets monotonous , s time take frank down notch .

willmore says since characters have been introduced, season 2 of house of cards begins in fashion s far more free , quick-paced season 1. willmore notes that, if season 1 grew blacker in tone went serious games of power , manipulation life-and-death ones, season 2 starts off there , looks darker in content. however, stated season 2 appeared lighter season 1: delivered more of wink frank before. may darker, s less heavy .

stanley praises series saying s not clear why bleak series exhilarating , binge-worthy. victims of tragedy find hard accept suffering random , purposeless, voters find intolerable many of petty, shortsighted moves elected officials have no greater meaning small-time expediency. notes series more cynical americans on fx , more pessimistic human nature walking dead on amc . however, americans more complex , inventive according stanley concurs season 2 darker notes more compelling season 1. stuever compares show unfavorably both veep bumbling chaos , ego implosions on house of cards prohibitively sinister execution , wife superior delivery of nastiness , self-interest in power plays .

many critics criticized lack of reasonable challenge underwoods. james poniewozik notes francis needs stronger nemesis, if not sake of justice sake of excitement. , house of cards greater show if had characters people more game pieces. still, on limited terms, s absorbing watch . according entertainment weekly s karen valby, show s fundamental problem underwoods have no worthy opponents. according variety s brian lowry, conniving underwood is, unfathomable nobody else in town built on power seems particularly adept @ recognizing or combating him . valby notes neither tusk nor goodwin effective foe, leaving audience longing comeuppance in first 4 episodes served preview critics , hopeful sharp provides foil season progresses. wrote house of cards overplays depiction of edginess of washington being venal , corrupt . describes show mixed bag .

tim goodman of hollywood reporter describes preview of season saying s entertaining , cruises along strong pulse. there s core mystery , american politics mocked, appropriately, being two-party hustle of recrimination , separatism. goodman notes writer beau willimon has frank pontificate point of spouting cliches time time , frank s conniving wins . goodman sums things saying there s heavier hand necessary @ times , house of cards needs stay more focused successful.

chuck barney of san jose mercury news had more mixed response, noting preview episodes show series handsomely crafted , marvelously acted ever episodes don t provoke same kind of adrenaline rush last season . barney impressed newcomer parker: s agile actress can deliver sense of soft-spoken warmth steely fierceness comes underlying message: underestimate me @ own peril.

the addition of parker received among critics. stanley notes underwood s protégée and, else in poisoned orbit, discovers underwood expects people cast aside principle , pursue grand plan. valby describes performance 1 played throbbing edge . goodman notes serves counterbalance frank.

verne gay of newsday notes spacey s underwood more sinuous, more complex, more treacherous , so—as result—is pleasurable show surrounds him.

awards

on july 10, 2014, house of cards earned thirteen primetime emmy award nominations 66th primetime emmy awards. among nominations outstanding drama series, outstanding lead actor in drama series kevin spacey, outstanding lead actress in drama series robin wright, outstanding writing drama series beau willimon , outstanding directing drama series carl franklin. second season nominated several 66th primetime creative arts emmy awards, including kate mara outstanding guest actress in drama series , reg e. cathey outstanding guest actor in drama series. other creative arts nominations received casting, cinematography, picture editing, music composition, sound mixing, , art direction.

other recognitions included tca award outstanding achievement in drama nomination @ 30th tca awards , critics choice television award best actress in drama series wright @ 4th critics choice television awards. 67th writers guild of america awards, series nominated best drama series. 21st screen actors guild awards, cast nominated best drama ensemble, spacey won best drama actor, , wright nominated best drama actress. 72nd golden globe awards, series nominated best television series – drama, wright nominated best actress – television series drama, , spacey won best actor – television series drama. 67th directors guild of america awards, jodie foster nominated outstanding directing – drama series episode chapter 22 .

impact

u.s. president barack obama quipped interest in advance copy of second series: wish things ruthlessly efficient ... s true. looking @ kevin spacey thinking, guy s getting lot of stuff done . evening before season posted, responsible @barackobama twitter account (which run organizing action) tweeted request no spoilers posted online. since season debuted on valentine s day, new york observer created themed cards in honor of series quotes such great man once said sex. except sex. sex power (an oscar wilde quote underwood had stated during season 1).

whereas less 2% of netflix subscribers streamed season 1 during first weekend last year, on 15% streamed @ least 1 hour during business day on february 14.