Belatedly: yes, the US House of Cards is really rather good

Usually I’m not that much of a fan of American remakes of shows or films first made elsewhere. That is both because it as shame that many Americans often seem only to appreciate a brilliant plot or amazing writing if it’s given an American context, but also because the remakes are often so poor compared to the originals.

So I was rather slow to get round to watching the American remake of House of Cards, especially as Ian Richardson was so amazing in the lead role of the original that it was hard for me to imagine anyone else ever matching up to him.

But I was wrong. Kevin Spacey is up to the task. What’s more, actors, writers, directors, camera and lighting folk all are superb in the US remake – and the opening credits sequence, with its use of a slowed down trumpet and the digital removal of people from the footage to give Washington DC an impersonal air, is a masterpiece.

Brilliant fun to watch.

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Buy House of Cards Season 1 here.