House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 4, 2017

As House of Cards grows ever more complex and, if it weren't so serious, comically absurd, the more it proves to be ever-so-slightly ahead of the curve, mirroring not the exact ins-and-outs of Washington today but certainly the wide-reaching qualities that have turned it into the "swamp" that, in real life, the American people elected an outsider to drain. The show seems to be leading the charge in depicting with some depth and detail and seemingly all-too-true realities the ever-widening chasm not between the two political parties, but between political parties and the populace. The show offers increasingly lurid but still enthralling glimpses into the madness behind the power brokers who have mastered the art of operating in the shadows even in broad daylight, with cameras rolling, microphones in their faces, and all eyes on them. Season five continues the show's fascinatingly steady glimpse into the seedy world of Washington's power players, growing even more preposterous but, at the same time, eerily familiar and easily believable as a make-believe reflection of the very real cesspool where, for everyone with a good heart, a thousand stand in their way, each with their own hearts set on only enriching themselves no matter the cost.

Before proceeding further, newcomers should be sure to start back at the beginning and work forward. For reviews of the previous three seasons on Blu-ray, please click through the links below:

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four

Official synopsis: In the midst of the presidential election, tensions mount in the White House as Frank (Golden Globe winner Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Golden Globe winner Robin Wright) continue to navigate their political careers and redefine their relationships -- particularly with each other. Season five of the Emmy Award-winning political drama is marked by violent power plays, new alliances, stunning betrayals and, as always, a desire to win at any cost -- and not just from Frank Underwood.

Season five maintains a steady cadence, a beat-beat-beat of political and personal upheaval, widespread and intimate manipulation, all of the sordid permutations that have made the show so popular. It would be amazing escapism if it weren't hitting so close to home with every episode, were it not so capable of revealing at least a hint of the real calculus going on behind the scenes. It's impossible to watch the show and, even through the excitement of plot developments, the enjoyment of the quality performances, and the highlights of its narrative and construction, not feel in some way turned off simply because it so often feel like watching the news, not watching a show. But season five marches forward through a fierce elections campaign, Frank Underwood's push to wage war on the terror group ICO, and his relationship with wife Claire. In traditional House of Cards fashion, there are plenty of twists and turns that lead to a major swerve by season's end.

But it's not really the macro level shenanigans that make the show what it is. Sure the crude maneuvers, which ultimately lead to the season's big twist, propel the show upward and onward, but it's the micro level character details that allow the show to shine. Kevin Spacey's career will be remembered for his portrayal of Frank Underwood, not because it's coming at the tail end of his career but because he's so adept at micromanaging the character and presenting him in a full 360-degree field of view where only he and the audience, and perhaps not even the latter even through five full seasons, truly understand the man's depths, his personal and political ambitions and ambivalence to anything that doesn't further his stature. Now as President, the man remains unchanged. Cold, calculating, often operating -- and particularly in this season, as a big reveal at the end of the first episode shows -- outside of the law he is charged with upholding and the morality he is to espouse on his pillar, which stands higher than anyone else's in the world, he has proven to be one of the most complex and despicable, but for his calculus in a way admirable, characters on television. He's matched by Robin Wright as his wife Claire, herself now a major power player on the political scene with aspirations of her own and, again going back to that final episode, changing the game with her own guile and ambition that must at least match, if not overpower, that of her husband. Season five is certainly not shy about digging into the Underwood underworld very deeply. It's satisfying, it's sad that it feels all too plausible, but it's ultimately very rewarding television if only to witness the terrifically drawn characters, first-rate performances, and discover the next layer of personal and political muck that these characters will somehow turn to gold.

The following episodes comprise House of Cards' fifth season. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray insert. Spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• Chapter 53: Frank (Kevin Spacey) diverts attention from a congressional investigation into his political misdeeds with his most audacious declaration ever.
• Chapter 54: An opportunity to exploit the dark side of the digital frontier gives Frank a chance to influence swing state voter turnout.
• Chapter 55: Election day worries push Frank and Claire (Robin Wright) to the edge of their terror campaign and their marriage.
• Chapter 56: With his chances of re-election slipping away, Frank embraces a dangerous gamble to create doubt about the election's outcome.

Disc Two:

• Chapter 57: With the fate of the presidency in Congress' hands, Frank steps into a familiar role, whipping votes while Claire is forced to reexamine her own ambitions.
• Chapter 58: While Frank learns of a new coalition forming against him from within his own party, Claire faces her first crisis in a new role.
• Chapter 59: As the Underwoods fight to remain in the White House, a terrorist threat endangers D.C., straining the balance of power between Frank and Claire.

Disc Three:

• Chapter 60: An elite gathering in the woods and an international incident provide the Underwoods with a chance to rise above their nature.
• Chapter 61: It's a hollow victory as the strange bedfellows Frank and Claire have made along the way begin to sow mistrust in their inner circle.
• Chapter 62: Frank and Claire test their new team's loyalty as the past comes home to roost in the Underwood administration.

Disc Four:

• Chapter 63: Alarming leaks from the White House cause Frank and Claire to take drastic measures, even against those in their trusted inner circle.
• Chapter 64: Frank's almost certain political downfall forces Claire to pay the ultimate personal cost to remain in the White House.
• Chapter 65: Loyalties strain as Frank and Claire negotiate the terms of their future together, and, most terrifyingly, apart.

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season arrives on Blu-ray with another good all-around 1080p transfer. The digitally photographed show does tend towards a somewhat flat appearance but it's also more than capable of revealing high quality details throughout. Fine textural nuances abound, particularly evident on the usual suspects (speaking of Kevin Spacey), which include finely defined skin details, quality suit jackets and neckties and general apparel, fine appointments around the White House, and quality complex element around other locations throughout the season, indoor or out, rich or ragged, natural or manmade. Colors are nicely balanced as well. Positive saturation is evident, and even in some of the more bronzed, low light interior core primaries shine through with satisfying depth. Black levels hold up well. Skin tones appear accurate. Light noise creeps about, but rarely to a distracting extent.

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season features a well-rounded DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Though it occasionally struggles to offer total balance around the stage -- the raucous din of yelling and screaming politicians in House chambers early in the film when President Underwood arrives and makes a scene and a speech on the House floor stretches well to the sides but can't quite find complete rear channel immersion or seamless detail -- it more often than not enjoys firm envelopment and command, particularly with regard to music. The opening title track delivers satisfying depth and breadth alike, matched by fine clarity and a sufficient low end accompaniment. Atmospheric support is always engaged, even if it's just in the form of small little things like circulating air, minor beeps, slight chatter, just enough nuance and detail alike to fill in the gaps and create a more agreeable sense of place. A few harder-hitting effects present with stout detail and stage placement, but the show is largely driven by core dialogue, which presents without issue throughout the four-disc set.

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season contains no supplemental content. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase. As a quick aside, it's nearly impossible to get the discs out of the packaging without fingerprinting them or feeling like the effort is going to tear the cardboard. They're packed in tight, the slots are tighter. It looks nice, but bad job.

House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

From a very base perspective, considering what fans have come to expect from the show, House of Cards' fifth season doesn't upset the proverbial apple cart. It just keeps pushing it along, traversing all of the cracks and crevices and pitfalls and minefields through which it so happily maneuvers. Characters are unchanged yet go through many new trials that test the Underwood brand and shape and strain the political world like never before. It's good television, often riveting, though at the same time it's hard to watch without feeling some sort of morbid fascination; the show often feels like a reflection of Washington, not a make-believe variation of it. House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season's Blu-ray is disappointingly absent any extra content. Video and audio are fine. Recommended.