Warning: major spoilers for seasons 1 & 2 ahead

When Netflix made the decision to produce an American version of the BBC’s “House of Cards,” it was a major gamble. The Internet powerhouse poured millions into its first real attempt at original programming, which meant it had a lot riding on the success of “House of Cards.” A lot of hopes were placed in the star power and talent of Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, as well as the directing prowess of David Fincher, who directed the first two episodes of the first season and serves as executive producer.

Two years later and it is abundantly clear just how much that gamble paid off. 670,000 people watched the entirety of the second season’s opening weekend, last year, and even more probably watched the third season this year.

That is for a good reason: “House of Cards” is consistently excellent entertainment, which makes it a show worth binging. In fact, that is probably the best way to watch it, as that allows the viewer to enjoy the series without looking at it too closely. While something of a masterpiece, stylistically, with acting that is of the absolute highest caliber, “House of Cards” lacks any real depth and folds under even the most casual scrutiny.

That is not to say that anyone should be deterred from watching it. It is deliciously entertaining to watch, with more melodrama than “Days of Our Lives” could shake a stick at. Kevin Spacey’s portrayal of ruthless southern Democrat Frank Underwood is one of the best things on television, today, and one particular scene towards the end of the season may finally put him in serious contention for an Emmy this year.

One of the key criticisms during “House of Cards’” first season was the lack of any real worthy opponent for Underwood. Adversaries were either easily vanquished or otherwise got too little screen time to make much of an impact. Season 2 attempted to rectify this with the introduction of multi-billionaire Raymond Tusk, but he did not prove to be the challenger audiences and critics wanted. This problem is not totally solved in season 3, but it is definitely an improvement, with the introduction of two characters, which will not be spoiled here.

The atmosphere and tone are largely the same as the last two seasons, though there is one small, but noticeable, adjustment. After two full seasons of watching Frank Underwood climb the political ladder, this season shifts gears as he now fights to keep his place at the top. This results in an underlying note of desperation in Frank’s scheming; something that did not exist during the first two seasons. With so little difference in the atmosphere between the first two seasons, it is a welcome, albeit subtle, change.

All in all, season 3 is not going to change the minds of any doubters, but for those looking for more of the same, it succeeds. There is just enough new to keep things from growing stale, and while it never hits the points of brilliance that the first season hit so consistently, it is consistently better than season 2, except for maybe season 2’s first and last episodes. This third season even took the time to make the audience reflect on their own values, once or twice, an element totally missing from the first two seasons.

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