House of Cards is the first original online-only web television series to receive major Emmy nominations. Having re-watched it obsessively, here are 7 moments of foreshadowing that stand out.

1) Frank Is Making Plans To Murder Zoe While In Bed



That’s a map of the DC subway system on his screen and on the printed page he’s looking at, in the episode he gets Zoe. He tells Claire that he is “fully prepared” and that he has “been for some time”.

2) Frank Shows Us Exactly What He Means To Do To The President In The Second Episode Of Season 1

3) There Are Subtle Hints About Zoe’s Death

He tells Zoe that she shouldn’t “miss [her] train”.

Frank tells Remy that he doesn’t “use people unless [he] can throw them away afterwards”.

4) And There Is At Least One For Doug

That’s Doug getting hit on the head with a (foam) brick in the first season.

5) Lucas’ Fate Explains A Scene In Season 1

In what was one of the most inexplicable moments of season 1, Frank is leaving when he finds a seemingly mentally disturbed individual outside. It’s unclear why the scene is there, although the man does look sort of like the actor who plays Lucas Goodwin.

In retrospect there are parallels between the man outdoors and Lucas. Lucas’ quest to prove that Frank is a killer seems to lead him to a similar fate . What Frank tells the man on the street thus takes on new meaning: “Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares about you. Nothing will come of this”.

6) When Hammerschmidt Confronts Frank About The Murder Of Zoe, Frank Responds “Why Don’t You Ask Me When I Stopped Strangling People’s Pets”

Frank strangling pets is, of course, how this entire show began.

(Okay, so, that’s not strictly speaking foreshadowing. But…post-foreshadowing?)

7) The Opening Title Is Symbolic Of The Show Arc

It’s a mixture of clouds and darkness settling upon DC – just like Underwood’s reign.

You may want to take a look at some of the more fascinating details from BBC’s Sherlock.

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