House of Cards

House of Cards Chapter 51 Recap

Chapter 51 is a set up episode. The cards are precariously perched, awaiting even the slightest puff of air to bring them all fluttering down, and like Tom Yates says, many are girding themselves for tragedy.

America’s Not So Funny Home Videos

Will Conway will do anything for the spotlight, even if that means putting his (what I am assuming given his stature) humongous foot in his mouth. The President has finally gotten around to capturing the head of ICO, but this is not the guillotine for the terrible serpent Frank thought it would be. We see a video confirming a terrified family of three have been kidnapped on American soil by two American-born ICO terrorists who want their leader to be released, and American military forces out of the way.

After all his grandstanding about how ICO needs to be eliminated, Will Conway influenced the Republican party to vote no on the whole “Let’s go get our man” bill, and now he and Brockhart are lying through their teeth on national television when the Underwoods call bull shit.

Brockhart’s calling BS as well. He refuses to be in one of Will’s home videos where Will promises to do anything he can to help the President, and oh boy, does this shit backfire. The terrorists want to chat it up with Will, simultaneously undermining Frank’s power and putting Will in the hot seat. Because he ran his big mouth, Will agrees to help speak, communicate, but never ever negotiate with the homicidal radicals.

Frank reverse-psychologies Will to make sure he insists on being as involved as possible, creating a whole “if I go down, you go down with me” type situation.

Regrets, I’ve Had A Few

House of Cards - Conway Underwood

Will could very well be Narcissus, staring into the reflective pool until he drowns in his own beautiful image, but like Tom Yates attests, for the time being is he able to use this reflection to his own advantage? Frank reminds Will that if he ever becomes President he needs to remember there are a million choices he’ll have to make that no one will ever know about, and his lust for constant attention will be his downfall.

In the negotiations with the terrorists, Will admits he feels shame for his actions when he was in the military. He has nightmares about his own wife and children being bombed from above, and regrets ever having been responsible for the deaths of innocents. However, is he merely saying what he thinks they want to hear?

Speaking of saying what people want to hear, while the Conway clan are guests in the White House, Hannah admits she’s a fan of Claire’s – even thinks she would be a great Vice President. We haven’t gotten any scenes this season where Hannah is not with her husband, and it’s hard to tell if she is in fact genuine. In HoC, you never really quite know do you?

Charlie Conway’s already an entitled piece of shit, and goes for some juice in the Presidential refrigerator. Claire admits she thinks the kids are cute. Do we not forget her season two subplot where children were on her mind? But you know, she fried and egg with ominous music in the background as a way to signal to us she was leaving fertility behind.

“Do you regret it, not having children?” – Hannah “Let Me Just Ask You One Inappropriate Question” Conway

Claire’s chilly response, “Do you ever regret having them?” is a cold-blooded reminder that all too often women who choose not to bear uterus fruit are questioned relentlessly about this choice, whereas women with little humans are never interrogated about their lifestyle.

Speaking of children, Laura Moretti leaves hers at home so she can go over to Psycho-Doug’s apartment and make him a home cooked meal. She’s happy to be able to take care of someone, and he needs taking care of, which would be all sweet and nice and everything if it wasn’t for the fact Doug’s a murdering, glass-choking, babyman.

For The Record

House of Cards - Remy Jackie

Jackie is ready to go on the record that she loves Remy Danton. I would also like to go on the record with similar sentiments. Their love is so pure, and Remy is so delicious, I can’t help but squeal like a schoolgirl at the prospect of Remy introducing Jackie to his “maman” and “papa.”

There’s a small caveat to this plan; In order to be together, like so many women, Jackie must sacrifice her career. But it may not be a career worth saving given that if Conway wins she’ll be one a few Dems in a house of Republicans, and if the Underwoods win she’ll be at their beck and call, with the photos of her and Remy ready to destroy her life. Jackie tells Remy they should speak to Hammerschmidt, on the record about Underwood’s many wrongdoings.

They’re not the only two ready to spill the beans. Hammy gets a meeting with the dethroned President Walker who’s taken up guitar collecting in his post-Prezzie life. For the time being, Walker has channeled his anger into twang boxes, but Tom convinces him to go public with how Underwood conspired to get Walker impeached.

Hammerschmidt is ready to strike and bring down Frank with his tell-all expose.

And so we all wait for the next installment to see how many houses of cards are going to fall, and which will remain standing.

Outside the Oval

House of Cards

 

Hey Muthafucka  The internet doctor continues to listen to anything but Top 40, and relays to Leann that the web thinks Conway is a pretty boy. Thus far, the illegal surveillance network had been working to their advantage, but when the real threat of terrorism comes they now have to share with the FBI. Doug thinks it’s a good idea, but could this be the beginning to the entire network being exposed?

GenTwit – Frank is threatened by The Facebook and The Twitter the Conways love so much. He may think they’re sharing too much, but what ol’man Frank doesn’t understand that when social media is used as a tool in the skilled hands of folks like Will and Hannah — it’s anything but transparent. Just look at Barack Obama and the alleged fact that he writes his own tweets when he signs off with a “BO” — that smells suspicious to me.

Em-PHA-sis – Con-WAY has a PARTICULAR way of TALKING where he FOCUSSES on WORDS to make them sound more IMPORTANT. It DRIVES me CRAZY.

No Child is Safe – We know Frank hates kids, and this is further evidenced by his scolding Charlie for taking his Civil War toys. He sarcastically says, “You should have everything you want in this life” and pouts that his toys are gone.



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