# House of Cards Season 3



## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

Anyone finish it yet.

I'm homebound this weekend, gonna binge watch starting tonight


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

Just started...


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

Starting first thing in the morning.


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

He's alive... ALIVE!

Brad


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Watched 2 eps. I always thought Stamper would be alive. He much to calmly evil to eliminate from the show... And now frank needs him more than ever to continue the back channel intimidation and "violence"

And man, what's up with taking whiskey with a syringe to the mouth?


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

Hank said:


> And man, what's up with taking whiskey with a syringe to the mouth?


Yes, WTF is that about - metering his intake?

Did we see him actually inject thru the skin in the first 2-3 eps?


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

I'm going to take a stab (no pun intended) at the whiskey thing, and make a personal revelation at the same time. 

Many years ago, I was on a liquid fasting diet for weight loss. At that time, the only three flavors available were chocolate, vanilla and strawberry (obviously all sweet). So, every meal was a cold, sweet shake with varying amounts of ice etc. After a few months of that, it gets really difficult. 

Finally, I couldn't take not having the taste of anything savory, so I bought a couple of small bags of chips (like vending machine size) and stood at the sink. I'd chew a mouthful of chips, then spit them into the sink. I repeated until they were gone, and rinsed everything down the drain, having not swallowed any (well, except for obviously a little bit that might have went down with some saliva). 

My conscience was clear; I hadn't actually "eaten" anything, yet I had tasted the flavor of the food. This is Doug's way of having the mouthfeel and taste of the booze, but honestly being able to say he hasn't "taken a drink" (like into his stomach). I'm sure any alcoholic would say he's lying to himself, but that's my take. 

Brad


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

That does make sense, but why the syringe, and not just use 1/2 a shot glass? It's awfully specific.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I'm up to episode 5. It almost lost me. It seems to be moving slowly.


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

I just finished it. 

I'll wait for some others to catch up before I weigh in. 

Brad


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## kdelande (Dec 17, 2001)

About 5 eps in here. My take on the syringe is that while he needs the relief that comes from the alcohol, he's trying to avoid the sensation of having a glass of booze at his lips as that might be a stronger trigger to a full relapse. 

Glad to have him back, I really wasn't sure what his true fate was after S2. Seemed to be an awfully convincing image of a dead Doug last season. 

Francis certainly has had a rough go of things since assuming the POTUS role. I'm not sure if I'm excited Claire got her way with the Ambassador role. She's been up and down with how successful she's been and it's an obvious recurring theme that almost everyone doesn't take her seriously given her unique relationship with the Pres. and her lack of experience.


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## kimsan (Jan 23, 2002)

A thought on the syringe: Doug can *honestly* say he hasn't taken a drink, raised a glass, no liquor has touched his lips, and many other terms. It also holds him to a single small "shot".


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

I liked this season more than season 2. My wife felt the opposite. 

My mother is recovering from brain surgery and has left side weakness. No one mentioned this magic shot that lets people improve so quickly. Hmpf... the privileges of the elite, amiright?


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

I'm 9 eps in. It's fine, but definitely not as good as the previous 2 seasons. It could use with a lot less legitimate political maneuvering and a lot more back-stabbing and underhandedness.


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

Mostly non-spoilery observations: Frank is at his best when he's climbing the ladder, when he has a person(s) to focus his skills on. Once he got to the top, he realized that he had 300 million Americans (and 535 congresspeople) to answer to, and the results weren't as good. 

My first impression after it was done was that I was disappointed, but it was a logical conclusion. Did they say definitively that this was the final season? I can't really find anything saying that, but to me, the ending pretty much closes the door to any possibility of a fourth season. 

Brad


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## nirisahn (Nov 19, 2005)

I don't see how the ending closes the door on a fourth season. If anything, it leaves the door open for a fourth season. If they'd ended this season the way the UK version ended season 3, then there'd be no way there could be a fourth season.

I agree that this wasn't as good as the first two seasons. So far, I like season two the best. Frank's definitely better at backstabbing and maneuvering then he is at actually running the country.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

That's IT????
I was hoping to see Underwood go down in flames.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

nirisahn said:


> I don't see how the ending closes the door on a fourth season. If anything, it leaves the door open for a fourth season. If they'd ended this season the way the UK version ended season 3, then there'd be no way there could be a fourth season.


I wish they'd gone that route, the ending to the UK version was brilliant. But, overall, it was more black comedy and satirical than this version so I'm not sure it would have worked. But I wish they'd wrapped it up somehow, not sure if there's enough left in the story and the characters for another season.


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

nirisahn said:


> I don't see how the ending closes the door on a fourth season.


IMO:


Spoiler



Frank can't win the nomination without Claire. No nomination, no re-election. No re-election, no future for Frank. No future for Frank, no House of Cards.



Brad


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## nirisahn (Nov 19, 2005)

True. But


Spoiler



Just because Claire walked out on him at the end of the episode doesn't mean they aren't going to reconcile. There's still hope.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Not read the thread because it useless until I have watched all the episodes, too scared of spoilers. Wish there were episode threads, but not enough to start them.


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

Finished last night.

Viktor is a bastard, but he was right about Claire. She was completely unfit for that position.


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

nirisahn said:


> True. But
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...





Spoiler



Or he has her murdered or "suicided" and gets the grieving widower sympathy vote. However, my money's on Frank announcing Claire as his "running mate." Claire wants power, and he'll give it to her to retain his own.


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## nirisahn (Nov 19, 2005)

Carlucci said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Or he has her murdered or "suicided" and gets the grieving widower sympathy vote. However, my money's on Frank announcing Claire as his "running mate." Claire wants power, and he'll give it to her to retain his own.


Interesting supposition. I wouldn't mind seeing how that would play out.


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

That would be unconstitutional, unless Claire is not a resident of South Carolina.


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

Can we just admit that there are going to be full season spoilers beyond this point? I'll put some space before I begin:
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Maybe I'm just too, I don't know, pedantic or something, but I just don't see a clean way to resolve Claire and Frank splitting up. I've seen the first two seasons three times each, and everything that's happened across the three seasons has built up to this, and Claire is done. Surely, the fact that it is now completely clear that Frank is gay (or at least a Kinsey Five or so) was a major factor in her leaving. The humiliation over the whole ambassador thing (despite the fact that she brought that on herself) and her resulting loss of power, means that they are no longer (and IMO, can never be) the "power equals" again. 

As for Carlucci's idea, to me, that would go against the integrity (such that it is, come on, don't laugh ) of the show too much. Peter's murder was a stretch, but whacking the first lady? No. 

It's over, folks. 

And since nobody else has mentioned it yet: I was disappointed that they spent so much time in the last episode resolving the Rachael/Doug storyline. The resolution itself was OK, but it took too long and had too little benefit. Having said that, it's the thing that will set Doug free emotionally, so I guess it was needed. 

Still, it's over, folks. 

Brad


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## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

I am up to episode 5.

can't wait to read this thread....


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I gotta wonder if Frank and Meechum still had trysts.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Whether there will be another season or not, I don't know, but clearly (to moi, anyway) there is _meant_ to be. It ended _much_ too abruptly. "I'm leaving you, Francis." Bang. Over. There has to be some kind of denouement, there was none. This was meant as a "cliffhanger" season finale, not a series finale.


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

JETarpon said:


> That would be unconstitutional, unless Claire is not a resident of South Carolina.


She now resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC. Nobody would challenge that. And there's precedence with Dick Cheney changing his residence to Wyoming just before being put on the ticket.

Unless RW wants off the show, I too doubt they would kill her. The show has always been about the dynamics of an elite power couple. Which is why I think it's far more likely she'll get the VP nom.

If one assumes that Claire honestly wants to end the marriage, then Frank's re-election would certainly be doomed. But, like everything else they have ever done, it's a power play. I think she's using the marriage itself as a bargaining chip, and doesn't intend to leave Frank, but does intend to force him to add her to the ticket. That's the motive for her refusing to continue playing the dutiful wife on the campaign trail. And what choice would he have? They hit us over the head repeatedly with just how much more popular she is than Frank, and she could destroy Jackie in the VP debates. I salivate thinking about the potential for treachery and distrust in S4 with her as VP, and still wanting more, while Frank struggles to control her and simultaneously further his agenda. And if they really ever do completely turn on each other, hold on to your freakin' hats!

If this is the end of the show (and as of this writing, no announcement for Season 4 has been made), I will be bitterly disappointed. We need to see the "House of Cards" fall, with preferably the duo paying for their crimes, or at least leaving office with a legacy of failure and scandal.


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

Carlucci said:


> She now resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC. Nobody would challenge that.


Sure they would. Where does she vote? What's on her driver license? Where does she file her taxes?


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

There's still 18 months until the election, plenty of time for her to carpetbag to wherever she wants. The fact that she's so popular makes it even more unlikely to meet with a serious constitutional challenge. See HRC's move to NY for example, and the aforementioned Dick Cheney move.


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

Both of which were challenged. (Though I don't recall whether Hillary's was challenged in court).


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## nirisahn (Nov 19, 2005)

Maybe Claire's leaving Frank is a power play to be the VP nominee. If she leaves him, establishes residence somewhere other than SC, then they won't both be from the same state and she can be the VP nominee.

They did end things too abruptly and with too many loose ends. I can't believe they'd end it in the middle of the primaries. I've got my fingers crossed for a fourth season.


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

So has anybody else played Monument Valley?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

JETarpon said:


> So has anybody else played Monument Valley?


Yeah great game.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Gunnyman said:


> Yeah great game.


I enjoyed it as well.


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## kdelande (Dec 17, 2001)

Another game referenced, albeit vaguely, is The Stanley Parable. Frank was frustrated playing it with the author guy, and it's a game about the illusion of choice. Great Game.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

I wasn't too impressed with this season.



Spoiler



Watching Doug's recovery... who cares. Rachel Posner, a ridiculous obsession. FU making bad decisions and being caught with his pants down over and over.

There had better be one more season so we can see Doug and FU both go down in massive flames.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

Yeah this season spent _way_ too much time on Doug, especially the last episode. They should have just killed him off in the previous season. So Doug is made Chief of Staff, to fill the void made by Remy, but then he has time and the anonymity to wander off to go execute some multi-day murder plot? I was expecting a better finale, instead half of it involved Doug driving around in a van, dealing with his issues.

Aside from all of that minutia, the actual political parts of the show were great. I thought that debate scene was really well acted, I found myself on the edge of my seat as if it were real.

I also liked the scenes on Air Force one. I wonder how accurate those were? The one thing that sort of bugged me was how flimsy the presidents desk chair seemed, even though it had a seatbelt on it.

Also who else was waiting for some scene for Frank to knock over or destroy that Buddhist sand painting in a fit of rage?

Once I recognized that author as the same actor who played Micky Doyle on Boardwalk Empire, every time he was in a scene I would hear that goofy Micky Doyle laugh in my head.


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## kdelande (Dec 17, 2001)

This was a pretty weak season for me, compared to 1 and 2. Hated the author character/acting. The change in reporter never really amounted to much. I agree with whomever said that I much prefer the wheeling and dealing that got Frank to the Presidency as opposed to him actually running the country. This season just had a much different tone that I didn't care for as much. And yes, the constant focus on Doug was tedious for next to no payoff.

I hope there's a S4 to redeem this, for me, and show how the Frank/Claire story plays out.


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## sushikitten (Jan 28, 2005)

I'm amazed that I finished the entire season in three days. Now I get to go back to actually paying attention to my children instead of sitting them in front of movies. 

I definitely think Claire is angling for the VP position. 

Anyone else think the writer was going to end up as a fling for Frank?


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

DeDondeEs said:


> Once I recognized that author as the same actor who played Micky Doyle on Boardwalk Empire, every time he was in a scene I would hear that goofy Micky Doyle laugh in my head.


Totally this! Every time...



sushikitten said:


> Anyone else think the writer was going to end up as a fling for Frank?


Yeah, considering that one scene they had with the hand touching 

Brad


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## MonsterJoe (Feb 19, 2003)

I was a little disappointed in the season up until episode 5 or 6 when it really picked up for me. 

I enjoyed it overall.

I was waiting for FU to announce Claire as his running-mate for the last handful of episodes (or whenever Sharp left), and they've left it open for that to still be a possibility.

That would be a super lame ending to a 3 season series for him to gain and lose the Presidency during one season. I have a hard time imagining that happening, especially with how popular it is.


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## bluntspoon2 (Jul 6, 2014)

Not as good as the first two seasons.

I disagree with those that think Claire is looking for a VP position. I can see the next season (if there is one) starts three years from now with Frank having lost the nomination, the Dems having lost the election and Claire getting ready to run for ..... President.

The couple of scenes at the end where she was practically screaming how being in the White House was not enough, that it's was Franks desk and not theirs. She wants the top job, just like Dunbar wanted it once she got a taste of the possibility.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Still not reading the thread for fear of spoilers but..... I found it weird, the jumps between episode, suddenly the Republican house leader is gone for example.

Well after accidentally leaving Netflix running it turns out I went straight from Episode 9 to Episode 12, missing 10 and 11, and I barely noticed. A few things had changed but I just assumed more time jumps.

Once I realized it I have gone back to watch 10 and 11, but the fact that I kind of didn't need to is pretty revealing (though of what I am less sure).


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Yeah, the disappearance of Benito Martinez was really weird. Like, clearly caused by external factors to the show, I think.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

It's a good thing I loved the first two seasons enough to stick out the first half of this season. Bleh. I could barely pay attention. Loved the second half.

I enjoyed Claire as the ambassador. I hated how she got there and she was impulsive and foolish in Russia but liked everything but that. It was good to see her get to do real work again.

I'm seeing a lot of speculation about Claire as VP. Did anyone else wonder about her as president? Running as an independent.

Tom has made himself both a powerful ally and a powerful foe. Can you imagine Frank processing that the last person she talked to before leaving him was Tom? I think Claire's going to have Tom finish the book.

They foreshadowed the Tom/Frank (almost) dalliance pretty hard with the talk about contacting his college friend just before.

I'm perplexed as to what Frank and Kate saw in Tom. Annoying voice. Nothing to look at.



bsnelson said:


> My first impression after it was done was that I was disappointed, but it was a logical conclusion. Did they say definitively that this was the final season? I can't really find anything saying that, but to me, the ending pretty much closes the door to any possibility of a fourth season.


Are you kidding? It opened a door, window, and an escape hatch in the floor.

Frank is in deep **** without Claire and he knows it. She's numero uno in the house of cards. With her gone it all tumbles so he needs to go grovel or he's done.



kdelande said:


> Another game referenced, albeit vaguely, is The Stanley Parable. Frank was frustrated playing it with the author guy, and it's a game about the illusion of choice. Great Game.


I don't know it but the description reminded me of computer game in Ender's Game.


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## MonsterJoe (Feb 19, 2003)

I considered her running for POTUS briefly - but discounted it because I don't know what they do with Frank in the lead role if that's the case.

Doesn't mean they won't, of course - just that I couldn't think of it.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

OK so I finished it. I always think I want to write a long post but then can't remember what I was going to say .

I love the show and still enjoyed it but in reality this season was utterly terrible. Many of the major characters personalities completely changed from 1 & 2. In the earlier seasons episodes flowed from one to the next, here undefined periods passed in between with events you needed to know about occurring. There were a lot of strands such as Doug and the writer threads that ultimately served zero purpose. Doug "grew" as the season progressed, embracing his family etc, then in the last ep goes off the deep end again for seemingly zero reason. So many other issues. Kim Dickens newspaper woman served no purpose whatsoever in the end.

I think the performances carried it but the underlying storytelling was poor, I still kind of enjoyed watching it though.


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## MonsterJoe (Feb 19, 2003)

I do agree that there were some weird and/or confusing gaps in the timeline throughout the season.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

I think Doug's reason, or at least part of it, was tying up loose ends. This way she can't come back to hurt him politically.


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## MonsterJoe (Feb 19, 2003)

He let her go initially because of the growth he had done during the season. He went back and finished the job, because not finishing the job is what got him in that position to begin with.

That's how I read it, anyway.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

That's perfectly OK, except after 12 episodes of his personal growth that were undone in 5 seconds.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

There was one really interesting moment to me early on in the season, when the SC Justice told Frank he had Alzheimer's. Frank did one of his patented 'talking to the camera' asides, and the Justice heard him. He remarked on whatever Frank was saying to the camera with something like "what did you say?" I don't know why I found that fascinating, but I did. It's like he could hear Frank's internal monologue.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

David Platt said:


> There was one really interesting moment to me early on in the season, when the SC Justice told Frank he had Alzheimer's. Frank did one of his patented 'talking to the camera' asides, and the Justice heard him. He remarked on whatever Frank was saying to the camera with something like "what did you say?" I don't know why I found that fascinating, but I did. It's like he could hear Frank's internal monologue.


I noticed that, too. I was like, wait, what? It didn't seem to make any sense and was not consistent with other asides. Odd.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

Me three.

Do you think there's any greater meaning to the justice being able to hear what's normally his inner monologue? Or were they just being goofy?

Interesting that Frank was unable to have rough sex with Claire. We know he likes it (Zoe) and I'm virtually certain Claire knows it too. But from experience?


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## rifleman69 (Jan 6, 2005)

Robin said:


> I think Doug's reason, or at least part of it, was tying up loose ends. This way she can't come back to hurt him politically.


Yep, once he was going to become Chief of Staff, that little loose end had to be "fixed".


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

rifleman69 said:


> Yep, once he was going to become Chief of Staff, that little loose end had to be "fixed".


So, to repeat myself, why 12 episodes of personal growth ?


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## bsnelson (Oct 30, 1999)

Robin said:


> Are you kidding? It opened a door, window, and an escape hatch in the floor.
> 
> Frank is in deep **** without Claire and he knows it. She's numero uno in the house of cards. With her gone it all tumbles so he needs to go grovel or he's done.


You did see where I said this, yes? 


bsnelson said:


> Frank can't win the nomination without Claire. No nomination, no re-election. No re-election, no future for Frank. No future for Frank, no House of Cards.


Claire is DONE. She knows she's not an equal in the "power couple" any more. She won't go back to Frank. Ergo, show's over. 

Brad


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## rifleman69 (Jan 6, 2005)

JohnB1000 said:


> So, to repeat myself, why 12 episodes of personal growth ?


Because he didn't want to ruin all of that growth for that one loose end that could bring him down. It's not rocket science.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

bsnelson said:


> You did see where I said this, yes?
> 
> Claire is DONE. She knows she's not an equal in the "power couple" any more. She won't go back to Frank. Ergo, show's over.
> 
> Brad


But that was my point. Her leaving him doesn't end the show. It makes it more interesting.

He thought she was a sure thing. It's going to be great fun watching him learn otherwise.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

Finished this weekend. What a let-down! Liked Season One. Loved Season Two. 

Season Three was just too slow and not enough conniving on FUs part. He was more interesting when he was trying to get to the top. Now that he's there, there was nowhere for him to go.

I would probably watch Season Four if that meant, as someone said here, that Claire would run for the Presidency.


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## ireland967 (Feb 27, 2003)

Renewed for Season 4.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

That's good. I hope he goes down in a huge ball of flames.


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## Philosofy (Feb 21, 2000)

Why would Claire as VP be unconstitutional?


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## JETarpon (Jan 1, 2003)

President and vice-president can't be from the same state.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

You all keep mentioning Claire as the VP running mate for Frank.

But the first thing I thought of at the end if the episode is that Claire is going straight to Dunbar to be her running mate and in combination totally crush FU in the primaries. 

Yes Jackie Sharp threw her support behind Dunbar, but as of yet, Dunbar has not picked a running mate. It's going to be Claire, and Frank's house of cards will fall.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

JETarpon said:


> President and vice-president can't be from the same state.


Are you trolling? That is completely and utterly false. The only constitutional issue is that electors from their home state couldn't vote for both members of such a ticket per amendment 12.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

It's a pretty common misbelief.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I was tired of Claire by the time I finished this season.

I'm not happy that Doug went back and killed that woman. His obsession with her was silly.

I kinda hoped that Meecham would punch the author in the face.

This season wasn't as exciting as the previous two but I'm definitely watching season 4.


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## speedcouch (Oct 23, 2003)

I know I'm VERY late to the party, but just got Netflix and watched season 3.

Am very surprised no one mentioned this: They show Frank sneaking smokes even more this season. He went to make a speech and started coughing. To me, it seemed obvious he has cancer or something. Perhaps him getting ill or simply having a scare will serve two purposes: It will bring Claire back and get him the sympathy vote.

Anyone think about this?

Cheryl


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