What I’m Watching: House of Cards

House of Cards: Season 4, Episode 6 “Chapter 45” (B)

It almost seems like it was never a possibility that Frank wasn’t going to recover, though Doug was the only one totally secure in that belief from the start. Obviously, Kevin Spacey is the star of the show and there’s no way it could go on without him, but it’s pretty crazy to think about just how much Claire was able to do while he was unconscious in the hospital. Getting into Donald’s ear was the important step, and somehow she managed to get herself on a plane to Brandenburg after being specifically disinvited from the trip and then negotiated a deal with Petrov all by herself. Not turning the plane around and refusing to take Frank’s call when he regained consciousness were monumental power plays, and that made it all the more impactful when, after a weak Frank told her that he wanted her back, she decided to stand by him and, at least for the moment, rethink leaving him. It’s way too early to tell whether that’s going to last, but it’s definitely an interesting turn of events. Doug crossed a line – not the first one, of course – getting Frank bumped to the top of the transplant list, and he didn’t even seem fazed by getting an e-mail with a picture of the man he let die and his family. Jackie and Remy’s relationship seems like it’s winding down now that Jackie is furious about Remy for caving to Claire’s pressure. Seeing some of Frank’s demons in his fever dream was haunting, and they seem like such distant memories.