While all the previous Season 3 episodes were solid to excellent in my view, though those that disliked "Chapter 29" and "Chapter 32" will agree, the season's first outstanding episode was the previous episode "Chapter 37". The only one of the season to be equal to the best of Seasons 1 and 2, not an easy feat to achieve when both at their best saw such incredible quality that made 'House of Cards' in its prime one of the best and most addictive shows.
"Chapter 38", Season 3's penultimate episode, continues the season's big improvement that it garnered in its second half (pretty much "Chapter 33" onwards) and is as every bit as outstanding as "Chapter 37". The vast and nail biting tension of that episode is here too in "Chapter 38", and the characters and their interactions, intriguing to begin with already but the tension and emotion increased, have come on quite a lot since the start of the season. There is a lot going on here but it didn't feel like too much and didn't leave me confused.
Again, it was "Chapter 38's" tension that immediately struck me. Political and personal. It is indeed ferocious to nail-biting effect, namely with Jackie and Heather and Frank versus anybody which feels pretty much like the rest of the characters. Frank is still unscrupulous without dominating too much. The other standout character is Jackie, great to see her properly interesting again here and in "Chapter 37", love her fierce steel and her surprising chemistry with Remy. Remy is relatable and another thing that leapt out at me other than the tension was Thomas Yates. Here at his most interesting all season with how he is written here not what we expect, being the complete opposite here to how he was in the previous episodes.
The story is thoroughly absorbing, especially the tension, the intrigue and the character interaction. There are twists and turns that are unpredictable and intriguing, ones that don't over-crowd or over-complicate what is already going on, which is already a lot. The storytelling throughout feels advanced and not stuck or gone backwards. The script is sharp and biting, with a lot of thought-provoking and not talky conversations, and Frank and Claire have lost none of what makes them such compelling characters and their relationship shows great intensity (it has also been great to see a different side to it in Season 3). Heather adds a lot to the tension too and it is pretty shocking.
Have no issues with the acting, with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright seeming incapable of disappointment. The production values are nothing short of slick and stylish.
Summing up, outstanding. 10/10
"Chapter 38", Season 3's penultimate episode, continues the season's big improvement that it garnered in its second half (pretty much "Chapter 33" onwards) and is as every bit as outstanding as "Chapter 37". The vast and nail biting tension of that episode is here too in "Chapter 38", and the characters and their interactions, intriguing to begin with already but the tension and emotion increased, have come on quite a lot since the start of the season. There is a lot going on here but it didn't feel like too much and didn't leave me confused.
Again, it was "Chapter 38's" tension that immediately struck me. Political and personal. It is indeed ferocious to nail-biting effect, namely with Jackie and Heather and Frank versus anybody which feels pretty much like the rest of the characters. Frank is still unscrupulous without dominating too much. The other standout character is Jackie, great to see her properly interesting again here and in "Chapter 37", love her fierce steel and her surprising chemistry with Remy. Remy is relatable and another thing that leapt out at me other than the tension was Thomas Yates. Here at his most interesting all season with how he is written here not what we expect, being the complete opposite here to how he was in the previous episodes.
The story is thoroughly absorbing, especially the tension, the intrigue and the character interaction. There are twists and turns that are unpredictable and intriguing, ones that don't over-crowd or over-complicate what is already going on, which is already a lot. The storytelling throughout feels advanced and not stuck or gone backwards. The script is sharp and biting, with a lot of thought-provoking and not talky conversations, and Frank and Claire have lost none of what makes them such compelling characters and their relationship shows great intensity (it has also been great to see a different side to it in Season 3). Heather adds a lot to the tension too and it is pretty shocking.
Have no issues with the acting, with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright seeming incapable of disappointment. The production values are nothing short of slick and stylish.
Summing up, outstanding. 10/10