Saturday, March 19, 2011

YOU MIGHT VERY WELL THINK THAT, I COULDN'T POSSIBLY COMMENT: Michael Dobbs, a one-time Chief of Staff for the Conservative Party, wrote House of Cards - a clever little novel about Francis Urquhart's devious ascent to the Prime Ministry in the wake of Margaret Thatcher. It was, in short order, turned into the best political dramas ever put out by the BBC. Sir Ian Richardson, as FU, is all but perfect as the antihero.

Now, Kevin Spacey is leading US-set remake. It's unclear quite how this works in a US setting. FU's rise was premised on the fact that election cycles were fluid, leadership of the legislature does meant leadership of the party and the country, and that scandals in the UK burn far faster there than here.

I like Kevin Spacey, of course. And House of Cards is so good I'm surprised it didn't get sucked over here years ago, but how does this show dirty, dirty politics without showing itself as a humorless West Wing?

7 comments:

  1. Joseph J. Finn1:16 PM

    While I'm in agreement, I'm more interested in the Netflix shot-across-HBO's-bow with this.  There's an interesting bit of inside pool about HBO not liking to play nice with Netflix and license their programs for streaming (or at least, not for the amount Netflix is willing to pay).  Granted, I'm not a huge fan of HBO's DVD policies anyway; they put out nice sets, but they're hideously overpriced (Band of Brothers is at this point a decade old, and the full set still retails for $79.98?)

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  2. The Pathetic Earthling2:21 PM

    Once in a while, though, you'll get some awesome Amazon deal for BoB for $24.99 or something.

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  3. spacewoman2:25 PM

    I'd "like" JJF's comment for the Neflix thing, but I can't, because BoB is worth so much more than $79.98 that I just can't get behind criticizing it. Half-like!

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  4. isaac_spaceman2:26 PM

    Do I need to say who that last one was?

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  5. Joseph J. Finn2:29 PM

    HAH!  OK, I'll take it.  How about each season of the Sopranos still retailing for $50?  And TPE, you're right about those occasional sweet Amazon deals.

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  6. Benner6:41 PM

    But when will "The Thick of It" be available in the states?  (Many of the same actors as "In the Loop," and with the Scottish Rahm Emanuel playing the same character.)

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  7. janet8:48 PM

    Band of Brothers at Amazon today for $40.49

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