We are two episodes away from the end of Season 4, which was a very impressive season and one of 'House of Cards' better ones. It settled much quicker than the for me still solid Season 3, people won't agree with this, and even the season's, or at least as far as the previous episodes of it go, weakest "Chapter 45" was still more than decent. "Chapter 43", "Chapter 46" and "Chapter 49" though were exceptional and reminded me so fondly of the previous seasons of 'House of Cards' at their best.
"Chapter 50" has a lot of great things and is a very well done episode on the whole, doing absolutely nothing to disgrace the season or 'House of Cards' overall. At the same time, with it following on from one of Season 4's, and 'House of Cards', best episodes (so it did have a Herculean task to equual or better that episode's quality) part of me wished that it could have been more and much better than it turned out to be.
Do agree that the writing could have been a little better. Most of it is fine, with enough bite and intrigue, but there is some decision making that are not given an awful lot of prior build up and seemed on the extreme side. Could sort of see where Frank was coming from when he said that Freddy was coming over as over-sensitive and took offense too quickly, while also understanding Freddy's point of view as well considering Frank's poor choice of words that a lot of people could easily misinterpret.
Also didn't buy how too quick and easy Frank's acceptance was, something that didn't really fit his character at all (with him being a manipulative and ruthless one, and this is something he would have fought against) and just came over as strange.
However, "Chapter 50" is beautifully made as usual, the classy photography adding a lot to the atmosphere. The music complements very well, the direction is both alert and sympathetic and the writing is thought-provoking on the most part. The story is absorbing, with Frank and Claire's chemistry being unusual but fascinating and Doug's subplot just about avoiding being melodramatic. The high point is Frank and Freddy's, making a welcome brief return, confrontation, which seared with intensity.
Cannot find fault with the performances, Kevin Spacey is wonderful as always and Reg E. Cathey's turn is a scene stealing one. Michael Kelly brings intensity and pathos to Doug.
In conclusion, very well done if a slight let-down after such a brilliant previous episode. 8/10