In the end, House of Cards is all about Claire
TORONTO — The creative heads behind House of Cards say there was a catharsis on set when the political thriller shot its final episode.
Season 6 is now on Netflix and marks the end for the show after star Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct and fired last fall.
Spacey played U.S. President Francis Underwood, who in Season 5 resigned and handed over his position to his wife and vice-president Claire, played by Robin Wright. In the new and final season, Francis is dead and Claire is leading the country.
Golden Globe-winning Wright is Season 6 executive producer and directs the series finale, which just “felt right,” say co-showrunners Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese.
“That felt really important for all of us, cast and crew, everyone who worked on the show,” said Gibson. “We went through it together and it was very cathartic.”
House of Cards was Netflix’s first original series.
Season 6 sees Claire grappling with the loss of her husband, the scandals of the past and misogyny from her administration and the American public. Facing death threats from those who don’t want a female president, she struggles for autonomy as aides question her decisions.
“It was really important to us, this season in particular, to reveal Claire Underwood to be as every bit a complex antihero that Francis had been for the prior five seasons and establish a ruthlessness equity — that she is this empowered, complex, flawed, fascinating character,” Gibson said.
Gibson and Pugliese said when production was halted on the show following the allegations against Spacey, they had already written 11 episodes for Season 6 and had to immediately start exploring the possibility of doing the show without him.
“That was a lot to digest and a reset,” said Gibson.
His eventual firing didn’t affect the storyline too drastically, as the show was already set to conclude after season 6 and shift the focus on Claire, who closed out last season by declaring to the camera: “My turn.”