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It’s hard not to be at least a little bit obsessed with House of Cards. The Netflix drama is just believable enough to make you feel like you’re learning something about the White House and just crazy enough so that it could never actually happen. Throw in all of that scheming, the terrible, manipulative garbage person that is Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), and those steamy hook-ups, and the show goes from being entertaining to addicting.
House of Cards gets a lot of heat for playing a bit fast and loose when it comes to believable storylines. However, there’s a chance that the series is even more brilliant than you previously thought, and it has everything to do with the show’s title. Welcome to Really Internet, where we take apart some of the craziest fan theories this side of the internet. This week we’re all about House of Cards. Spoilers ahead.
WHAT’S THE THEORY?
This one has been bouncing around Reddit for a while now. Each season of House of Cards actually represents a suit in a deck of cards, which makes a crazy amount of sense when you think about the name of the show.
WHY IT’S NOT THAT CRAZY
There are a lot of little details working together to make this theory add up. First of all, there are 13 episodes in a season, just like there are 13 cards in each suit. That means at the end of Season Four, we have all 52 cards for our deck. However, the theory takes it a step further by actually assigning thematic suits to each season.
Different threads have claimed that each season is represented by different suits, but I prefer the more metaphorical interpretation, as first pitched in this thread. According to this specific theory, the season breakdowns are as follows:
Season One — Spades: A spade is typically a tool used for digging, and with the focus on Zoe in this season, there was a lot of digging for the truth. At the same time, Frank was using a lot of dirt to cover up his tracks.
Season Two — Diamonds: Diamonds are representative of money and wealth, and Season Two was all about the Benjamins. The season revolved around a series of scandals that involved election money, bribery from the Chinese government, and Frank’s head-to-head battle with the wealthy Raymond Tusk. This season was also a glamorous step up in general as Frank finally made his way into the White House as Vice President.
Season Three — Hearts: As many a Valentine’s Day has taught us, hearts are representative of relationships, and Frank and Claire’s (Robin Wright) was in peril this season. Season Three followed the long and steady collapse of our power couple’s marriage, ending in Claire asking for a divorce. However, they weren’t the only couple to get attention this season. Doug and Rachel, Jackie and Remy, and even Frank and his author “buddy” Tom Yates shared several heart-to-hearts.
Season Four — Clubs: Clubs can either refer to a blunt instrument, which would be indicative of violence, or it can refer to a clover. I’m using the clover theory because Season Four was all about luck, or more accurately, Frank and Claire’s luck running out. Several things that the duo had been putting off — Frank’s many murders, the American population’s reaction to their forced president, and even that jaw-dropping terrorist plot at the end of the season — came back in full force to haunt the duo. Frank and Claire’s luck was running low in Season Four, but they’re not out of the game. (Note: This is my addition to the theory. The original theory was posted before Season Four.)
WHY IT’S QUESTIONABLE
The biggest point against this theory is the fact that we’re getting a fifth season of House of Cards. Though the series’ 2017 season will be created without the involvement of showrunner Beau Willimon, we can expect more of the Underwoods in our future. Perhaps you can make the argument that Season Five can be representative of Jokers, which is a fitting image for this insane series. However, this new season will likely have 13 episodes, which throws of the series’ deck count. This theory is a smart and creative way to look at an incredible drama, but it unfortunately doesn’t hold much real weight. At the very least, the themes of the four suits in a deck of cards — spades, diamonds, hearts, and clubs — are all prominently featured in this drama. Keep being brilliant, House of Cards.
