House of Cards (2013)

:

Season 3
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Feb 1, 2013
Season #: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 450 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 338 out of 450
  2. Mixed: 59 out of 450
  3. Negative: 53 out of 450
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User Reviews

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  1. Rdemsick
    Mar 6, 2015
    4
    A huge disappointment and unnecessary season. It goes nowhere offers no real challenges to overcome but creates drama by trying to make it seem more difficult to overcome challenges that have already been faced in previous seasons...and overcome. Hopefully season 4 will be a redirect an apology for this poor excuse for a season getting the Underwoods back to barely overcoming WashingtonA huge disappointment and unnecessary season. It goes nowhere offers no real challenges to overcome but creates drama by trying to make it seem more difficult to overcome challenges that have already been faced in previous seasons...and overcome. Hopefully season 4 will be a redirect an apology for this poor excuse for a season getting the Underwoods back to barely overcoming Washington with devilish tactics, that's what we want to watch.… Expand
  2. Prosmooth
    Mar 6, 2015
    4
    The first season was brilliant--the second was far from that, and now this season is even worse. Even Spacey seems bored by the whole silly thing. Bad main plot. Pointless filler galore. Sad.
  3. NikolayG
    Mar 8, 2015
    6
    The tension that made Season 1 so good, is gone. Season 3 is not anywhere near the quality of season 1. There are two major events that are so unbelievable, it largely spoiled the season for me. Claire Underwood does something she would never, ever, ever do, that greatly affects the plot. Freddie from the rib joint says something that he would never ever ever say, which causes another mainThe tension that made Season 1 so good, is gone. Season 3 is not anywhere near the quality of season 1. There are two major events that are so unbelievable, it largely spoiled the season for me. Claire Underwood does something she would never, ever, ever do, that greatly affects the plot. Freddie from the rib joint says something that he would never ever ever say, which causes another main character to do something that greatly affects the plot. Freddie was a dish washer before the President did him a gigantic favor. Freddie would just not say what he said. If these two events were minor, I could forgive them. But each has a huge impact on the plot - one directly, the other by prompting someone else to do something. I'll watch season 4 I guess, but not with the same intensity and interest as before. It's too bad. The show was great once.… Expand
  4. podaddy
    Mar 24, 2015
    4
    Just finished season three. Season One was a breeze, bouncing from episode to episode, it was so good. Season Two was not quite as stellar as S1, but still quite good, but Season Three was a huge disappointment. The writing and story lines just weren't there. I won't say it quite jumped the shark, as it was still better the most TV dramas, but if Season Four doesn't offer a markedJust finished season three. Season One was a breeze, bouncing from episode to episode, it was so good. Season Two was not quite as stellar as S1, but still quite good, but Season Three was a huge disappointment. The writing and story lines just weren't there. I won't say it quite jumped the shark, as it was still better the most TV dramas, but if Season Four doesn't offer a marked improvement over the lackluster effort of S3, I'll be done with this series. Seems the viewers have a better pulse on this show than the critics, as critics deemed Season One only marginally better than Season Three (7.6 vs 7.2), while the drop with viewers is significant (9.0 to 7.2)… Expand
  5. Nitroussoda
    Mar 20, 2015
    5
    When I first started watching house of cards, season 1 and 2 were absolutely captivating for me. I was watching 4 or 5 episodes well in to the night. Season 3 however, just did not have that same power to hook me as the first 2. Whereas seasons 1 and 2 had unpredictable twists and turns everywhere, it seemed like the writers were just throwing disaster after disaster at the Underwoods andWhen I first started watching house of cards, season 1 and 2 were absolutely captivating for me. I was watching 4 or 5 episodes well in to the night. Season 3 however, just did not have that same power to hook me as the first 2. Whereas seasons 1 and 2 had unpredictable twists and turns everywhere, it seemed like the writers were just throwing disaster after disaster at the Underwoods and every time they would manage to scrape by, really making things predictable and offering little excitement. Still an entertaining show but a seemingly lacklustre effort compared to the first two seasons.… Expand
  6. jeremyismediocr
    Apr 21, 2015
    4
    This season felt nothing like Season 1. If not for the likelihood of the House of Cards universe continuing I never would have finished watching Season 3. Gone are the interesting schemes. Gone are the subplots that the viewer can already see colliding in interesting ways. Gone is any resemblance of research in to the political world the show is exploring. Political issues that come upThis season felt nothing like Season 1. If not for the likelihood of the House of Cards universe continuing I never would have finished watching Season 3. Gone are the interesting schemes. Gone are the subplots that the viewer can already see colliding in interesting ways. Gone is any resemblance of research in to the political world the show is exploring. Political issues that come up never go beyond buzzword form. And Underwood's asides are too numerous to consider as a reward for the viewers, they feel more like a redaction from the conversation you were hoping to see add some more depth to this underdeveloped collection of episodes. Despite carrying the name 'House of Cards' it is difficult to picture a 13 episode season starring a US president with so little to balance.… Expand
  7. Fb29
    Mar 3, 2015
    5
    Hard to put your finger on one specific thing that's wrong, but season 3 is definitely a step down.

    There are two major plotlines that are so drawn out (let's call the 2 plot lines Remy and Stamper). Even if there are great parts to the stories, they just seem stretched. I saw written elsewhere, maybe this season should have been condensed into fewer episodes and it would be better? I    Hard to put your finger on one specific thing that's wrong, but season 3 is definitely a step down.

    There are two major plotlines that are so drawn out (let's call the 2 plot lines Remy and Stamper). Even if there are great parts to the stories, they just seem stretched. I saw written elsewhere, maybe this season should have been condensed into fewer episodes and it would be better? I have no idea.

    There are still lots of things right with the show, but this season is in the 5-6 range out of 10 for me. I would give the past two seasons an 8 or 9. This season is not bad but not as good as it has been.    … Expand
  8. davidlieb
    Mar 1, 2015
    4
    Eh. I loved season 1 & 2. I binge watched all of season 3 in a day-and-a-half, and there were some pretty good moments, but most of it was... well, it was mostly boring. The intrigue, twists, and turns were not there. Most of the acting was top notch, but the story was way below what I've come to expect.
  9. Matt314159
    Mar 3, 2015
    5
    House of Cards carries itself like a prestige drama that belongs on HBO. Instead, I find a political potboiler that would feel more at home among its intellectual peers at CBS.

    The acting is great--Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright do admirable work with what they're given, but I just can't get myself to swallow any of it. The dialogue can be cringe-worthy; the writing and overall story    House of Cards carries itself like a prestige drama that belongs on HBO. Instead, I find a political potboiler that would feel more at home among its intellectual peers at CBS.

    The acting is great--Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright do admirable work with what they're given, but I just can't get myself to swallow any of it. The dialogue can be cringe-worthy; the writing and overall story arcs lack substance. There's very little character development so I find that I just don't care much what happens to any of them.

    Yet I came back for a third season. Someone explain that one for me, because I don't know, myself. I guess I just love the "binge" model of television.    … Expand
  10. MoneyPepsiGlory
    Feb 28, 2015
    5
    too many storylines I didn't give a hoot about. Wish they stuck to the political stuff/changing journalism,= landscape, etc. Claire's development was very good and the season ended with a big twist but the rest felt, eh not the same. I still enjoyed watching it but by the time I got to the season finale I was glad it was over.
  11. Minkmaat
    Mar 2, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all, if you're in it for the acting or the drama you might rate this higher then me, because the acting is very good. However, I'm in it for the plot.

    I fell in love with season 1 because of the constantly alternating political landscape the cool and unexpected storylines and most of all, the fast pace in which Francis Underwood was working towards his goals.

    Season 2 was decent. But season 3 is just not fun to watch. The plot is narrowed down to the daily struggles of mr. president and a gruesome slow storyline about Doug in recovery. Overall this season it becomes predictable, boring and slow. A few episodes in, it came to the point I started fast forwarding complete scenes. The only reason I sticked to it is because I hoped for something disruptive and clever. I hoped that it was worth watching all episodes, that the season would eventually amaze me.

    Unfortunately for me, the first episode something disruptive happened was in the final episode and it turned out be very disappointing, predictable and anti-climatic.

    I don't think I will watch season 4.    … Expand
  12. Hrodwulf
    Mar 10, 2015
    6
    The thing I loved about seasons 1 and 2 is that Frank and Claire worked together to outsmart everyone. That and the unapologetic ruthlessness they both exhibited. In season 3, they don't work together well and there is an undertone of discontent and they seem adversarial. The show has lost some of its smartness and edge. Too bad.
  13. jim_taltontish
    Mar 1, 2015
    5
    Seasons 1 and 2 were fantastic, but the first was my favorite. Season 3 started out great, but there was way too much filler (e.g., the writer, most of Doug's story). I'm guessing they're required to produce 13 episodes, but it could've easily been cut in half. Claire's character has almost completely flaked out compared to how I understood her in the past. Frank stays prettySeasons 1 and 2 were fantastic, but the first was my favorite. Season 3 started out great, but there was way too much filler (e.g., the writer, most of Doug's story). I'm guessing they're required to produce 13 episodes, but it could've easily been cut in half. Claire's character has almost completely flaked out compared to how I understood her in the past. Frank stays pretty consistent, but the dialogue is sounding tired when stretched over so much irrelevant material. Spacey also sounded congested, as if he had a cold, in many of the episodes, so I wonder if filming was rushed.

    Overall, I'm very disappointed with the direction the show has gone. It has greatly reduced the amount of focused political chess, and diluted it with boring, almost meaningless drama. I love good drama, but the writing quality just isn't there this season. All the filler has caused Season 3 to lose its bite. Not sure why the professional critics are rating it on par with past seasons, because it's not.    … Expand
  14. OMGmyFACE
    Jul 24, 2015
    5
    It's as if the first two seasons emulated those of the UK House of Cards with some changes while the third season, realizing it was going to end, had to come up with a completely different path out of nowhere so it could get a fourth season. However, in doing so, the writers predictably made some considerable mistakes. You could tell they were running out of steam when **** Riot showed upIt's as if the first two seasons emulated those of the UK House of Cards with some changes while the third season, realizing it was going to end, had to come up with a completely different path out of nowhere so it could get a fourth season. However, in doing so, the writers predictably made some considerable mistakes. You could tell they were running out of steam when **** Riot showed up during the Russia So Nasty arc but when the show kept sliding downward afterwards, it was just embarrassing. The first half of the season resembles none of the latter half, which is a shame since the last half was dreadful and boring.… Expand
  15. TimW001
    Dec 24, 2015
    5
    This season of House of Cards is not the best. You can watch the first two seasons and feel pretty satisfied you watched a good show.
    But season three is really average melodrama portrayed with great character actors.
  16. DPtdryste
    Apr 18, 2015
    6
    I'm interested in politics, so I watch HoC. But this is no longer a show about politics. In fact, this season makes you realize that it never was: it is a drama, with politics as the canvas the show is painted on. Season 3 is the worst HoC season, but it has its good moments. The show has to deal with the complications involving Frank attaining his coveted position, and striving to makeI'm interested in politics, so I watch HoC. But this is no longer a show about politics. In fact, this season makes you realize that it never was: it is a drama, with politics as the canvas the show is painted on. Season 3 is the worst HoC season, but it has its good moments. The show has to deal with the complications involving Frank attaining his coveted position, and striving to make that interesting. S1 and S2 benefited from what felt like dominoes falling against each other; S3 starts with us having to accept that Frank was the last domino, and he's supported (and trapped) by a wall.

    It suffers from the overly-emotional and absurd performances of our anti-hero. TV tropes that attract the general public are ignored in favor of unexpected plot twists, but the twists never seem groundbreaking in hindsight, and the show leaves you wondering why it doesn't just try to simply entertain using an action or sex scene. Hell, halfway through you may realize that you're already halfway through, you can't stop watching now. It is a show damned by being a topic of conversation, in that aspect.

    I give this a 6 because I enjoyed it sometimes. I liked the arcs involving Remy, Jackie, Dunbar, Doug, the hacker, and Rachel. Frank and Claire's arcs could have been better. Yates takes up half the screen this season, there's not even a reference to ex-president Walker; it all feels a bit unreal. Nowhere near enough Lucas or Raymond Tusk this season, Seth's teeth are vastly dulled, and the sexy Christina is relegated to a cameo appearance where her acting and beauty are muted by producer incompetence. Seriously, as a male watcher, I was upset we only see her once!

    The end of S3 doesn't have me as excited for S4 as S1 had me for S2, or S2 for S3. But I won't give up on this show just yet. I'll be watching Daredevil now, hoping Orange keeps our summer TV-watching simultaneously lighthearted and interesting, and praying that HoC makes a venerable return next year. Oh, and Netflix, please, Frank's F-bombs are cringeworthy... let's not do that anymore haha.    … Expand
  17. Ripandread
    Nov 2, 2015
    4
    This show seems to have lost its ‘grit’ when Underwood went from being a scheming back-stabbing Congressional leader to the President of the United States.

    Now instead of trying to destroy his political and media enemies, which was the backbone of the show, Frank Underwood and his wife seem hell bent on destroying each other.
  18. RuyWang
    Dec 23, 2018
    6
    The third season takes a major step back, the last few episodes this seems entirely like a marital drama. Sure their relationship has always been key to the show but here they start to act like children without any sense, they are not the powerful couple we saw in S1 but the problem isn't there, it's the reason behind it, it feels entirely like the sole reason they are fighting each otherThe third season takes a major step back, the last few episodes this seems entirely like a marital drama. Sure their relationship has always been key to the show but here they start to act like children without any sense, they are not the powerful couple we saw in S1 but the problem isn't there, it's the reason behind it, it feels entirely like the sole reason they are fighting each other is to give the show something to rely on, and that plot isn't nearly as good as the previous two seasons.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Best TV Season of 2015
20
#20 Most Discussed TV Season of 2015
69
#69 Most Shared TV Season of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Uncle Barky
    Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    Mar 12, 2015
    91
    Whatever your takeaway, the performances of Spacey and Wright remain assured and now ingrained in a series that ranks as the best body politic drama ever.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Chris Cabin
    Mar 4, 2015
    63
    House of Cards is at its best when investigating the uneasy balance of studied, built-up political performance and personal dogmas, obsessions, gripes, and fears, but as many of these masks begin to give way in the story, the series noticeably struggles to keep up its addictive tension.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Evan Sawdey
    Mar 3, 2015
    70
    Ultimately, House of Cards Season Three is a great continuation of a show that remains deliciously dramatic even with a few glaring flaws.
    Read full review
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