“Hunt or be hunted.”

Wow. No spoilers here, but episode one of House of Cards season two offers up one jaw-dropping moment. Never have Francis and Claire Underwood been quite so devious in their respective spheres. They give new meaning to political hardball (surely never what Chris Matthews intended).

Here’s a bit of what I wrote about the series originally:

There are things to recommend this series, a show that follows House Majority Whip Underwood as he exacts revenge on everyone who kept him from a plum political appointment he expected. But, despite moments and scenes and even sequences that engage me at times, I remain ambivalent about the series as a whole.

So far, I have not changed my mind. The series remains for me viewing in one of these categories (1) detached interest or (2) a desire to finish the lot of episodes or (3) a sense of responsibility to join the conversation about House of Cards than it is a passion series.

No more episodes today unless I get a lot of work done. Though, admittedly, the season opener includes a startling plot twist. If this is your cup of tea, enjoy.

I feel like I need a shower. Okay, so I’d take a shower right about now anyway, but I feel like I need two showers after watching the season opener.