The House of Cards

1990 • BBC

4.4

7 reviews

Eligible

Season 3 episodes (4)

1 The Final Cut - Episode 1

11/5/95

Francis Urquhart is 65 years old, and still holding onto power with a grip of iron. He has ruthlessly overcome and and all obstacles, but he knows he cannot remain leader for ever. And now he is beginning to have troubling dreams about his past. Perhaps it is time to think about his legacy?

2 The Final Cut - Episode 2

11/12/95

Urquhart makes Claire his private secretary, but is this wise considering her passionate relationship with his rival, Makepeace? Meanwhile, a plea for help from a young Greek Cypriot girl seeking to find her uncles' war graves reveals evidence of a cover-up.

3 The Final Cut - Episode 3

11/19/95

Urquhart’s bad dreams are worsening and Elizabeth is worried about him. He is making bad decisions, and party support is falling away. Even his foreign policy success can't save him. When a leadership ballot result proves disastrous for Urquhart, he has the most brilliant, ruthless idea of his life.

4 The Final Cut - Episode 4

11/26/95

The situation in Cyprus escalates quickly into tragedy. Urquhart's strong-arm tactics have backfired and surely this time there is no way out for the Prime Minister? With headlines screaming for his resignation, will anyone remain loyal to Urquhart?

About this show

Ian Richardson is Machiavellian monster Francis Urquhart up to his cold-fish eyes in a dirty political pond of back-stabbing, skulduggery and corruption in high places. Like Olivier's Richard III, he confides to the viewer his plot to eliminate his rivals, determined to get to the top, and, once there, stay there, no matter who gets hurt in the process. His victims include two beautiful mistresses and even the King. This satirical trilogy won numerous awards, and was brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies from Michael Dobbs' novels.

Ratings and reviews

4.4

7 reviews

A Google user

December 21, 2014

Ian Richardson is deliciously despicable as Francis Urquhart; one of the finest portrayals of a villain that I've seen.

Old Boy

May 7, 2022

The best, original version. SUCH awesome writing and cast.

A Google user

December 16, 2015

The original and the best thanks to great British acting

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