'House of Cards' Season 3, Episode 4 Recap: More Trouble for Frank
Remember Heather Dunbar, the scrupulous solicitor general who investigated that money laundering scheme last season? Well, she's back and apparently running for president in 2016.
At the moment, Dunbar is inside the Supreme Court disclosing that, yes, the United States is responsible for issuing drone strikes and, yes, sometimes they kill innocent people. Frank is at Arlington, attending the funeral of some Navy SEALs when he gets the bad news from Remy and Jackie.
Dunbar's ambitious, they warn, and unlike him, her record is spotless. Adding insult to injury, she comes from big money.
Still, Frank has a plan. He invites Heather into the Oval Office and offers to nominate her to the Supreme Court. So what if he urged Justice Jacob not to retire; Frank is determined to push him out anyway.
Heather accepts, but Frank's terrible, no good day isn't over just yet. Next up to visit the president is a man who lost his legs in the American drone strike. He's suing the government in that Supreme Court case and doesn't look happy. Frank, who spent part of his morning boning up on the Koran, tries to explain he makes tough decisions like this all the time and that's how he keeps America safe.
The man isn't having it. In a moment of raw candor, he tells Frank that before coming to the White House, he dreamed about strangling him to death.
In the meantime, Ayla Sayyad, the scrupulous journalist from the Wall Street Telegraph, is pressing Seth for access to senior administration officials so she can learn what's really going on with "America Works." She's got a hunch Republicans don't want to let it through Congress, and she's right. But Seth isn't budging.
At the next news conference, Ayla hammers Frank on a number of topics, including his stance on gay rights. (Given his tryst with Meechum and experimentation in college, it's hard to see this is as an issue, but moving on.) Frank ends the news conference in a huff and Seth vows to get even.
In the next scene, Seth calmly tells Ayla that her White House press credentials have been revoked. He promised the head of the White House Correspondents Association he would give everyone in the press corps the interviews they wanted on "America Works." And in return, the correspondents association was fine with booting Ayla out. As Ayla tears up, Seth tells her she can "keep the plastic if she wants, as a souvenir. That's all it's good for now."
Meanwhile, the bad news keeps coming. Justice Jacobs tells Frank he came around to his way of thinking and doesn't want to retire anymore. And Heather holds a news conference announcing her intention to run for president after all.
Afterward, she storms into Frank's office, resignation letter in hand. Frank tries to tell her he can't accept it, but Heather knows better. She reveals she knew Jacobs, who is a close friend, had Alzheimer's all along and that Frank was trying to "sideline" her. As Frank's face darkens, she adds that Jacobs won't be stepping down either. "Someone needs to scrub the stink from this office," she hisses.
Cut to: Frank tracking down the priest who delivered the sermon at the SEAL's funeral, which oddly made an impression on him. The two exchange some high-minded words about faith and God and what it really means to be a good person, which isn't exactly Frank's realm of expertise. He identifies more with the Old Testament god, he says, all punishment, no sense of love. Frank asks for a moment alone and the leather-clad biker priest leaves.
Frank looks around, then approaches a plaster statue of Jesus nailed to a cross. "Love," he says darkly, "that's what you're selling?" Jesus' tender expression seems to say so. "Well, I don't buy it." Frank spits in its face. When he goes to wipe it off, the statue comes crashing down and shatters into pieces. Meechum runs in and asks if everything is all right. Oh yes, of course, Frank assures. He was just praying!
Frank struts off screen, plaster Jesus ear in hand, and tells the audience he has God's ear now. Not cool.
Read our episode 3 recap here.
You Might Also Like
