House of Cards has always felt like an escapist fantasy version of politics. It presents a standard picture of the U.S. Congress and the rest of the government—ensnared by gridlock, personal vendettas, powerful corporations and obstinate jerks. But Frank Underwood had found a way around all that: Kill people who got in his way, or at least sideline them through underhanded dealings. It was a fun release. But House of Cards season 4 focuses on the show’s version of the 2016 election, and it’s going to run into a problem: It can’t possibly portray an exaggerated version of real life, because the real life version is totally ridiculous.
House of Cards Season 4 Plot: More Down-To-Earth Than The Actual Election
House of Cards always made things a little more dramatic than real life. That’s what TV does, after all. Gaffes, long-lost documents possibly written against Israel, and family drama take on outsize importance. It’s like real life, only more dramatic, and more about people than about policy.
Welcome to the 2016 Republican primaries. They’re more ridiculous than anything House of Cards season 4 could possibly portray. Don’t rush to the comments just yet—I’m not even talking about the positions of the candidates or whether or not they’re crazy fascists; that’s up to you to decide or deride. But this year’s Republican primary is a dog-and-pony show of the first order. Donald Trump is a showman of the first order, and being showy does seem to be his primary goal. If Frank Underwood or his primary opponents said the things that Trump says so bluntly, you’d never believe it… in part because it has never happened before, at least not in our lifetimes.
The House of Cards season 4 primary election looks tame in comparison to real life. Underwood has some scandals behind him? He lies to his ally to get her to put her foot in her mouth? His wife might run against him? Yawn! That’s nothing compared to the drama of whether Joe Biden would run, compared to Trump’s gaffe invulnerability, compared to Ben Carson’s total outsider appeal. The things these candidates say would sound ridiculous in a television show. They sound pretty unusual in real life, too. Only Veep really nails the ridiculousness.
What I’m saying is, House of Cards season 4 shouldn’t try to up the ante. It can’t top what’s really going on. It has its own kind of drama, but when it comes to the wars of words, Donald Trump has them beat… and that’s not going to change.
