This review contains spoilers , click expand to view . Mild spoilers may follow.



First, in regards to the previous seasons: I thought seasons 1 and 2 were quite well done, 3 dipped in quality and 4 was somewhat better but both were still fairly decent. I'm not very judgmental about TV seasons dipping in quality from the first ones because I come to expect it - as long as the next seasons keep up in some way, I'm alright with it.



That said, this season of House of Cards was pretty miserable and a noticeable decline in quality. Character development was really absurd and dull, the subplots go nowhere, the main plot's final twist was so stupidly orchestrated you wonder why you ever thought Frank was intelligent. Frank and Clair's political advancement/rise in power this season pretty much relies on having a lot of blind trust from allies, receiving convenient dirt on their enemies, and pulling off murders as if the threat of being caught did not exist.



For whatever reason, the suspense of the Underwoods falling from grace is pretty nonexistent in this season, but the reasons that they're able to get away with their dirty play has become baffling. The republican ticket is taken down by a couple of hot-headed audio clips, which is nothing compared to what the Underwoods have on their plate. No longer do the Underwoods seem all that cunning so much as everyone around them seems idiotic or hopelessly devoted (with the exception of Doug Stamper, this is pretty baffling).



I liked this show because it was fun watching Frank (and Clair) tenaciously and wittily claw their way to the top against formidable odds, but this season settles for a bunch of cheap plot points to keep them there. The last 5 minutes of the final episode were probably the best 5 minutes of the whole season simply because I think that was where the show logically should have ended up, but the ends very much do not justify the means in this case. This series is unfortunately showing that it's being dragged out far too long. … Expand