Review: House of Cards ‘Chapter 7’ – Fuck The Zero

It’s all a matter of perception in ‘Chapter 7’, a world-expanding episode that brings Doug Stamper and Vice President Jim Matthews into the fold and kickstarts the Russo for Governor campaign. There are many conversations through the episode that allude to the thin line between two things: is fear a weakness or a strength? Is Matthews a success or a failure? It even applies to the smaller exchanges, where the grey areas between offense and defense, or an interest and a hobby. With the events of the first six episodes culminating in a massive piece of leverage for Frank Underwood, ‘Chapter 7’ begins putting these risky plans in motion.

Russo continues to be the most fascinating character on the show, albeit one drawn in fairly broad strokes at times. He loves his children – and is lonely as shit without Christina around – but the ambition and drive Frank sees in Russo starts to come out in ‘Chapter 7’ shows us that there’s more to him than whoring and drinking. Even though he spends most of the episode resigned to the fact he can’t win, there’s no denying the fact he deserves a second chance, both in his professional and personal life.

Frank, on the other hand, is straying from the straight and narrow path he demands Russo walk on. His fling with Zoey has heated back up again (after she mentions not seeing him for three weeks), and while he’s getting weekly meetings with the president and preparing a platform to launch Russo on, Doug’s out trying to keep Rachel the hooker’s mouth shut (the girl from the pilot Doug and Frank used on Russo to get leverage over him) for unknown reasons. I suppose he’s playing Frank to Rachel’s Russo, a girl with a forgettable past who wants to get a fresh start somewhere else. Having Doug be a person who quietly stands up for her is a bit it seems that she has the ability to blow some serious whistles, although I highly doubt this is the only reason why Doug’s helping her. As much as he likes being a sneaky little political fucker, Doug’s probably a very lonely man who counts the days of his sobriety alone – again, examining the thin line between two states of mind: happiness, or depression.

This even extends to Claire, who isn’t seen much except discussing the Delaware water projet, and talking to Frank about her menopause. She’s in between two periods of life: her young woman, ability-to-bear-child age, and now her middle age, which finds her standing in front of an open refrigerator to try and cool herself off. Claire’s at a crossroads with a lot of things: professionally, in her marriage, in her life – she remains the wild card to this whole plan, the one person who could affect Frank and take away everything that matters to him. She probably won’t, but that threat is there, and real – especially after we hear her quietly lamenting about Frank not coming at night once again.

Although Frank continues to pile drive through every obstacle in front of him without so much as a snicker, ‘Chapter 7’ takes a wider view of the House of Cards cast, and shows how a simple realization can make someone question an accepted truth.

Grade: B+

Other thoughts/observations:

– Doug tries to have a senator revert donations from his campaign to give Rachel some cash. Real smart idea, guy – that will never come back to bite you in the ass.

– did anybody expect Christina not to go back to Russo? Frank basically pushes their genitals together through osmosis.

– Matthews was mostly invisible to this point, but his indignation at his seat during the bill signing, followed by his resignation about his career having the sole responsibility of boosting other, younger careers.

– “you don’t get to come back from the dead twice,” which means Russo knows he only has one shot at this sobriety.

– Drugs! Sex! Orgies! Alcohol! Sounds like Russo went on a Sterling Archer worthy vacation to Thailand a few years ago.

– As Matthews gets pushed aside, Frank continues to gain more and more support from the President and his cabinet. I smell something brewing here.

– What does Russo think will win him the election? Look everyone, I ‘found’ God!!!

– Claire is practicing origami, trying to recreate the swan the homeless black man made for her in the last episode.

– another parallel: are secrets a trap, or a freedom? I suppose it depends on if it’s your secrets or someone else’s.

– the spider in Zoe’s apartment can’t quite crawl out of the glass: Zoe and Frank’s secret is safe… for now.