You might very well think that, but I couldn't possibly comment

[cdybedahl]

Last night we watched House of Cards, a BBC-produced mini-series from 1990, since it turned out that my mother-in-law hadn't seen it, and I got reminded what a wonderful, wonderful little series it is. It's about a (hopefully fictional!) British politician by the name of Francis Urqhart. At the start of the series he's the Chief Whip of the Tory party, which has just won a general election. He has been promised a cabinet post, and when he doesn't get it he gets pissed off and decides that he's had enough of waiting. He then proceeds to lie, manipulate, blackmail and generally act like a complete and utter bastard until he has what he wants. Urqhart is probably the most fantastically entertaining bad guy I've ever seen, and it certainly doesn't hurt that he's being masterfully acted by Ian Richardson.

It's unfortunately not out on DVD, but only on VHS. There are two follow-up mini-series, To Play the King and The Final Cut, in which we get to see more of his even nastier wife.

Comments

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I only saw The Final Cut but I thought it was absolutely bloody brilliant, and wanted to see more of it.

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

You can get all three series from Blackstar, for between 17 and 20 pounds each.

http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000020842
http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000037278
http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000042806

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

Argh argh argh... Really Can't Afford It.

Thank you for putting temptation in my miserable way. ;-) Really, thanks: it's nice to know it's possible to get it, and to have an answer if someone asks "What do you think you would like for your birthday?"

[seaya.livejournal.com]

Ack think they sell them ntsc?

I loved this series.

Creepy as fuck.

I used to watch bbc series stuff on pbs with my parents from an early age, even with sex and violence in it. For the first one I was 13. Saw the second series, did not see The Final Cut. Damn.

Anyhow, imagine my parents having to explain to me why Mattie called him daddy. :)

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

That must've been fun for them :-)

And I'm quite sure that Blackstar doesn't sell NTSC tapes, so I'm afraid you're going to have to look elsewhere.

[seaya.livejournal.com]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009MGGI/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/002-8569023-1430449

Amazon has dvds!!!!

[jennyo.livejournal.com]

Dude, I've loved House of Cards since my AP Government teacher showed it to us instead of explaining British government. And oh, it has just come out on DVD, cuz I saw it there at Best Buy recently...