Francis Underwood is the House Majority Whip in the US Congress. He's just been instrumental in helping the new President win election, and he expects to be rewarded for his efforts by being appointed Secretary of State.
The President has other plans, however, and Underwood finds himself left in his current role, ostensibly because his skill in getting legislation through the house makes him "too important" to leave Congress.
For an ambitious man with almost no moral scruples, this is like a red rag to a bull, and Underwood sets out to advance his own interests, whatever the cost to those around him. Of course, there are others who will oppose him, and even his own allies can become threats over time ...
Back when I reviewed the original UK House of Cards, I remarked that I thought this US adaptation was better. It's longer run time allows more depth to the characters and also for Underwood to face more setbacks and challenges than his UK counterpart ever did.
The show is also helped by excellent performances. Kevin Spacey is a powerhouse as Francis Underwood - both he and Robin Wright definitely deserve the Golden Globes they later won for the show - and the rest of the cast is very solid as well, without a poor performance to be seen.
I guess some people might find Underwood too unpleasant to be a compelling protagonist, but for everyone else, this is cracking stuff.
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