This is a very good episode of “House of Cards” because it’s such a contained one: the State of the Union address is clearly its focal point, and the forced interactions between Claire and Frank, in which both suppress their increasing anger toward each other, build effectively to the first lady’s climactic decision to “think bigger” during “this election cycle.” That said, the moves Frank makes in response to his wife’s clandestine attempt to fund one of his Democratic rivals are both diabolical and entertaining to watch. Burstyn has already established herself as this season’s M.V.P., a steel magnolia of the highest order and the actor most likely to land an Emmy nomination for “House of Cards” later this year.Įlizabeth also provides more proof that the women on “House of Cards” are, as usual, more interesting than the men, a notion that Season 4 seems to be doubling down on so far.
“I am the mother!” Elizabeth screams, ripping off the turban that makes her look a little like the wicked queen from “Snow White.” (“For God’s sakes, don’t wear ivory!”) I also love watching her erupt in brokenhearted fury when Claire asks her for $1.5 million, then threatens to sell the family house from under her if Elizabeth won’t provide it. I love watching her, as Elizabeth Hale, fashion-police Claire over the phone while a chemotherapy I-V drips poison into her veins. That woman is single-handedly infusing “House of Cards” with a vitality and heart that (given the show’s usual dark-midnight tone and emotionally dead characters) is often absent. Before delving into the secret donations and the breast-cancer-clinic chess match that dominates this episode, let’s take a moment and bow down before the glory that is Ellen Burstyn.