What I’m Watching: House of Cards

House of Cards: Season 3, Episode 11 “Chapter 37” (B+)

If there’s one thing that Frank hates more than anything, it’s insubordination. I’m not sure I can think of a case where such insubordination was more legitimate than Jackie dropping out of the race and endorsing Dunbar, even without the offer of a vice presidential bid. Her objections to Frank’s plan to have her attack Dunbar as sexist and then seem like a hypocrite because her husband’s kids go to private school were perfectly solid, and he had no right to throw her under the bus, permanently aggrandizing himself while taking others down with no thought to their independent futures, political or personal. Remy calling Frank out on his treatment of Jackie and then apparently resigning is the bigger shock since he’s been on both sides of Frank’s world, and his feelings for Jackie were what pushed him over the edge to recognize the wrong committed by Frank in this case. Frank chatting with Remy and Freddy was an oddly intimate moment, one in which Frank seemed so at ease with Freddy and so guarded in how he spoke to one of his most loyal lieutenants. Claire passing out while giving blood in New Hampshire prompted an unexpected fiery and brave response from Tom, who up until now has pried but has largely kept his own feelings to himself, and now felt comfortable enough telling the president off for trying to control what Claire was doing and where she was rather than actually being there for her. Doug finding out about Rachel being alive is bad news, and let’s hope he doesn’t do something stupid in his eternal pursuit of the moment who forever changed his life.