(Spoilers ahead.)
While he sucks at making sandwiches, Frank Underwood excels at making the audience feel like they’re in on the political intrigue. No one loves breaking the fourth wall as much as Frank, except for maybe Ferris Bueller or Malcolm from Malcolm In The Middle. Frank’s little monologues to the viewers help us follow the dizzying threads of who’s against whom in House Of Cards, which can seem a bit complicated when you’re sitting through 13 episodes in a row. They also let us know that, throughout all the backstabbing and affairs, Frank will always have a captive audience to whom he can share his life’s stories and plans that can’t be shared with anyone else. He just loves gloating to someone who’s there to watch his manipulations and can’t do a thing about it.
While they were used much more frequently in the first season, by season four, Frank has reached an even balance of keeping us in the know and letting us figure things out for ourselves. There’s a wide variety of his best monologues in the video above, but let’s take a moment to look at some stand-outs.
With the first scene of the series, right off the bat, we have a clear-cut glimpse at what we are in store for with House Of Cards: Frank killing something weak and telling us exactly why he’s doing it. No one gets to see the side of Frank that we are welcome to with every episode.
This one, right at the end of the second season premiere, reminded us that even though Frank was reaching vice-presidency and had murdered Zoe, he would always have time for us. Who else would he open himself up to? Claire? That’s not the Frank we know and love. Plus, he’d lose out on using dramatic statements like “every kitten grows up to be a cat.”
Frank Underwood doesn’t even have to say anything in his direct addresses to the audience. Once he finally has the position that he’s fought mercilessly for, a dagger-filled stare and two ring taps say more than his words ever could.
House Of Cards certainly knows how to end their seasons and leave you wanting more. With Claire breaking the fourth wall along with Frank, so many questions are asked and won’t be answered until season five.
