Has anybody else watched this? I'm halfway through the first season on Netflix, and enjoying it immensely. Kevin Spacey is great as Frank Underwood. I love the dirty politics, the spin tactics, and the ruthlessness behind some of the characters, protagonist Underwood especially. I also like how we're seeing the politics from so many sides, including journalists and even the citizens who get caught in the crossfire of continually conflicting ambitions.

I also love just how fucking hysterical the series can be at times, particularly with Underwood's ongoing narration of events (giving a speech about how great his father was and how much he grieved his passing to an audience, before turning to us as the audience and informing us that actually, he didn't rate his father that much, but the truth isn't as great a speech, is one brilliant example). A problem I have with some shows and films is that the writers are too focused on serious drama while seeming to forget that funny things can happen in life as well as terrible and tragic things, so it's fantastic that as dark as this drama can get at times, it's also not afraid to lighten things up a bit. In fact, at times, it reminds me of one of my favourite series The Thick of It (a satire that walks as close to dark drama as House of Cards walks as close to satire), particularly one cringe inducing moment that Underwood has on TV (you'll know it when you see it).

To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to like this show as much as I would, considering it's a remake of a British classic, although I knew its chances of being decent at least were good considering (a) UK and US politics are very different beasts (superficially, at least) and (b) it's been over twenty years since the original House of Cards mini-series was broadcast, and technology has changed so many aspects of politics and journalism, particularly the use of the Internet. But House of Cards (US) is that rare thing: an adaptation that takes the core elements what made the original series so successful - including the dirty politics and the ruthlessness of the power hungry villain protagonist - while telling a fresh story of its own. To be honest, I don't even try to compare them, and that's incredibly rare. (I will say that I do prefer Ian Richardson's Francis Urquhart in the original series, as he was arguably more charming and more vile than Underwood, but like I said, Spacey is still excellent in the role he's in.) Honestly, it's one of my favourite American adaptations I've seen since The Office. Probably even better.

So has anyone else checked this out? Or anyone planning to watch it?