Does The ‘House Of Cards’ Season 4 Trailer Signal Shift In Frank Underwood?


House of Cards premieres its fourth season on March 4, 2016, and it has a slightly different shift in tone. The Netflix original series released a trailer for the upcoming season, and while the 20 seconds seemed to offer very little details about upcoming events, there was enough to tempt viewers into watching the show.

As NME reports, the trailer shows main character President Frank Underwood – played by Kevin Spacey – at a tree planting ceremony. However, Frank Underwood leaves the dirty work to his Chief of Staff Doug Stamper, who’s played by Michael Kelly. The fact that Frank Underwood allows someone else to do his dirty work for him goes beyond the desire to stay clean. Instead, it alludes to previous plot lines in which Doug Stamper has been involved with under-handed doings on behalf of Frank Underwood.

While Frank Underwood is next to Doug Stamper in the trailer for Season 4 of House of Cards, noticeably absent is his wife Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright. Season 3 saw her leaving Frank Underwood and Season 4 may bring about divorce proceedings.

The division between Frank Underwood and Claire Underwood, however won’t remain simple. The two characters seems to be forever linked with each other. In an interview with NME, Kevin Spacey suggested that “Frank’s nothing without Claire.” Robin Wright echoed the sentiments, but with one caveat.

“She’s nothing without you, if you’re a good boy.”

So far, House of Cards has shown that Frank Underwood is incapable of being a good boy. Instead, he has bounced from one scandal to another, desperately trying to keep his ruthlessness and manipulation under wraps.

Netflix is notoriously tight-lipped about upcoming seasons of their shows, so little is known about Season 4 of House of Cards, except that it will explore Frank Underwood as he settles into his presidency and the relationship he has with his wife.

While on the Red Carpet at the SAG Awards this weekend, Pop Sugar interviewed Elizabeth Marvel, who plays attorney Heather Dunbar on House of Cards. She was asked to describe Season 4 and came up with this vague yet intriguing description,

“It almost gets morose at times and then it gets to fiery and explosive. It’s definitely not what you see coming. I will tell you that. You will not see this season coming.”

In addition to Season 4, House of Cards has also been renewed for a fifth season. However creator Beau Willimon won’t be a part of that season. According to the Huffington Post, Beau Willimon talked glowingly about his time working on House of Cards.

“After five years and four seasons, it’s time for me to move on to new endeavors, but I’m supremely proud of what we’ve built together, wish the show much continued success, and leave it in the hands of a very capable team.”

The fact that Beau Willimon is leaving House of Cards was on everyone’s mind at the SAG Awards, especially star Kevin Spacey. He won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series on Saturday and thanked Beau Willimon in his acceptance speech.

“I would like to first thank our creator—no, not that one, the one grounded here on Earth. Beau…you have been an extraordinary collaborator, a remarkable challenge, I’ve loved every single time that we have tousled, fought and argued these four seasons. We will do our best to honor what you have started with House of Cards. We wish you the very, very best.”

It was the second time that Kevin Spacey won for his portrayal of Frank Underwood in House of Cards. House of Cards was nominated in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, but lost to Downton Abbey.

House Of Cards
House of Cards actors Michael Kelly and Kevin Spacey embrace during the recent SAG awards show. [Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]
House of Cards is just one of several original shows that will come to Netflix in 2016. A reboot of the 1990’s family series Full House and Luke Cage – the third segment of the Marvel Defenders series – will debut this year. House of Cards joins several other shows that have been renewed for another season on Netflix, including Orange Is The New Black and Jessica Jones.

Netflix will air all of the episodes for Season 4 of House of Cards on March 4, 2016, and viewers will be sure to turn in to see just what President Frank Underwood will do to maintain his hold on the American people.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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