House of Cards (TV Series) Chapter 22 (2014) User Reviews

Never Regret

[jedlevine-736-661224 · 9/10 · 25 February 2014]

One way you can tell that a season is preparing to come to a close is when the stories of minor recurring characters finish their arc. Such is the case in this episode with both Freddie and Adam Galaway. And although their plot lines are quite different, these characters (both, one could argue, with a strong moral fiber), need to disappear into the night in order to protect the Underwoods' their image; their power; their ascent to the top.

The Freddie back-story involves criminal activity from his distant past, and his son's current trouble with guns and the law. This is the kind of press that Frank cannot afford right now. Freddie's words as Frank leaves his apartment are particularly poignant. "You was a good customer, that's it. You ain't got to pretend to be my friend." We next see Frank breaking the 4th wall and asking us "Do you think I'm a hypocrite? Well, you should. I wouldn't disagree with you. The road to power is paved with hypocrisy. And casualties. Never regret." Another one bites the dust. So long, Freddie.

Speaking about getting left the in the dust, I don't believe we will see anymore of Adam. Tusk and Remy make a valiant effort to publicly destroy the Underwoods through Adam and his affair with Claire, but their tactics don't quite work. The ammunition behind their blackmailing Adam is the fact that Adam's fiancée's father is in trouble in Colombia. Problem is, only Frank and his ties to Jackie as the Secretary of State can help the father. You can see in Adam's eyes as he speaks into the camera and begins to disparage himself, that there goes one more soul destroyed by the ruthlessness and lack of conscience of Claire and Frank.

The episode ends with a promise from Frank to hit back at Tusk, and hit him hard. Five episodes left. Fasten your seat belts, folks, and prepare for final descent.

More Dirty Dealings/More Victims

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 26 February 2015]

This episode gets down to dealing with anyone who may be harmful to the Underwoods. Claire goes after Adam, the photographer with whom she had an affair. He loved Claire and she is only interested in her own butt. Of course, Frank knows all about the affair, like he has several times before. And of course, he is now a heartbeat from the big white house. It shows what the common person's chances are when there are powers that could simply flip you in the river. Frank destroys the man whom he always respected, the man who ran the little rib shop that he frequented, whom he actually had in his house. Remy and Tusk continue to lob missiles at the Underwoods, so the heavy hitters are about to face off. Frank wants Tusk obliterated and Claire wants him obliterated.

"When we care too much it hurts us"

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 31 May 2019]

When 'House of Cards' was in its prime, it was for me one of the best and most binge-able shows out there. Evident in a consistently high quality Season 1, where all the thirteen episodes ranged from good to brilliant which one doesn't see usually so early on for shows. Not an awful lot of shows settled so quickly or straightaway, 'House of Cards' was one of the few that did. That Seasons 5 and especially 6 were so disappointing, to the point of not being able to recognise the show, still makes me angry.

Season 2 wasn't quite as great, but was nonetheless solid with no misfires. It started off outstanding, but had a small slump where the episodes were very good if slightly disappointing, a more than good position to be in when talking overall about film and television but by 'House of Cards' standards one kind of expects a little more. The quality became great again with "Chapter 19" and the greatness didn't let up. Here with "Chapter 22", in the top five Season 2 episodes, we have in my mind the best 'House of Cards' episode since "Chapter 14". The only one since that didn't have any problems, major or minor.

It is not just the tension that shines in "Chapter 22". Of which there is a great deal and by now it's gotten pretty dark. The increasingly malevolent Tusk provides enough of that, but even more so how increasingly unscrupulous Frank has become with each episode and this is where he is at his most of that up to this point of the show. He's dominant but not overly so, meaning the minor and newer characters have more to do and are more interesting. One of the episode's biggest strengths in fact is that it contains some of the most emotionally impactful and intriguing writing for any minor recurring character of Season 2, in this case two.

Also shining is the emotional impact, "Chapter 22" is up to this point of the season the most emotionally powerful episode and the one that moved me the most. It does such a great job with Freddy and especially Adam, the two minor recurring characters in question, with both their subplots being absorbing. There are two particularly great scenes here, one where Adam realises how much his affair with Claire has cost him and the other the candid conversation between Freddy and Frank, two of the best scenes of the show to me up to this point of 'House of Cards'.

Continue to love the darker tone, while the sharply cynical political edge hasn't lost its intrigue, is intelligently done and isn't laid on too thick. Claire, also getting more cunning, and especially Frank are fascinating characters. "Chapter 22" is notable too for being directed by actress Jodie Foster in her only episode, while no James Foley or David Fincher (when it comes to other 'House of Cards' directors) and she doesn't lose sight of what made the previous episodes as good as they are, being as tight and professional as one hopes. The opening and closing shots are striking.

Visually, the episode looks great, the slickness has not been lost and neither has the atmosphere. The music knew when to have presence and when to tone things down to let the dialogue and characters properly speak. The writing is sharp and has bite, a few of the best lines coming from Claire. The episode is superbly acted, continue to have no issues with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright and Ben Daniels is splendid as well.

Overall, brilliant and one of the season's best. 10/10

Entertaining but quite depressing when you think about it

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 17 July 2020]

Frank and Clare deal with personal scandals in their own typically ruthless styles.

The plot is slick and everything that happens is plausible in a rather depressing way. As bad as Frank and Clare behave, the writers are careful to remind you that Tusk is equally as horrid so they do not generate any sympathy. The victims caught in the crossfire are the main focus of this one. 'You don't have to pretend to be my friend Frank' says one of them.

Frank and Clare's willingness to do what it takes to achieve their ambition is again highlighted in their attitudes to their victims. 'I don't know whether to be proud or terrified' Frank says in awe of his wife.

It is as beautifully filmed and edited as you come to expect from House of Cards, containing excellent performances from all.

The tone of the show is quite brutal in most episodes, but some are more than others. I've stuck with it until the time of writing, but I don't know how much more back-stabbing, destroying lives and strategic manoeuvring I can take.