fictional character protagonist american version portrayed variation protagonist british novel television series american series adapted married sexual relationship kate season appearance series pilot episode chapter south_carolina graduated sentinel fictionalized version citadel dialogue series presented direct address audience narrative technique breaks fourth wall character speaks southern accent season democratic majority whip united_states house_of_representatives season newly appointed vice president united_states president united_states season finale frank described manipulative evil series destroys people ends commits murder twice received positive reviews portrayal character criticized repetitive nature shared distinction leading web television roles nominated primetime emmy awards nominated golden globe awards winning including cast nominations including wins performance background description early life born november catherine south_carolina child raised impoverished circumstances threat bank farm lived entered sentinel military school charleston south_carolina loosely based citadel nearly expelled suffering grades volunteered campaign graduated soon accepted fall despite poor grades sentinel able graduate law school homosexual relationship friend military school year law school raised christian privately holds god complete contempt family great great great grandfather corporal confederate soldier served 12th brigade battle served bloody angle civil war killed head regiment middle night fascinated ancestry fell coma following assassination attempt appears dismisses confederacy weak calls cause preserving institution slavery great great grandfather killed father peach farmer home town died age heart attack lived poverty nearly lost farm frank child bank loan avoid father attended meeting bank manager member speaks father public political ploy audience describes father weak man accomplished life father grave season despite father influenced abusive alcoholic caused wife son years misery said walked father putting shotgun mouth asked pull trigger refused stated biggest regret killing father chance political career south_carolina legislature elected age south_carolina state senate youngest members state legislative history graduating harvard elected state senate second term state senator representative election elected democratic representative 5th congressional district south sworn january won consecutive elections winning final term elected whip democratic_party serving house majority whip thoughts series presented direct address audience narrative technique known breaking fourth wall immediately prior starring starred production william_shakespeare england character serves partial basis derived served democratic house minority whip smoking cigarettes hobby playing video games cuts online gaming service vice president takes creating model viewed portraying second season continuing learning process don know francis learning thought profession closest actor detective given clues writers lay try come alive character complex surprising maybe sexuality ambiguous seasons sexual men women explicitly identified sexual label season sources speculated homosexuality revealed chapter experience homosexuality college claire depicted having sex season slate journalist noted frank real life washington couple found having affair accused secretly gay turned women use pure power play sources definite stance sexuality sexually attracted claire season involved claire secret service agent season moment sexual tension biographer season features scene series claire sex exclusively according time television critic james_poniewozik end episode clear literally uses meat metaphor choice begin day celebratory rack ribs hungry today depicts life meat metaphors example describes white_house chief staff admiration tough dollar plans destroy enemy way whale bite time tedious weekly meeting house leaders tells audience imagining lightly faces hollywood reporter notes season new position vice president got power means fear enemies point season states road power paved casualties need prove vice president capable claire continue ruthless rise power threats mount fronts version original bbc series lead character post chief whip employs murder blackmail influence pursue office prime minister united_kingdom according series producer change stemmed feeling legitimately american sounding resonance birth self man television follows recent includes breaking bad unlike forced white birth soprano upbringing morgan review season slant_magazine writes evil choice character based bbc lead character interviews writing filming season creator showrunner said source themes issues addressed unlike right wing leads center left member democratic_party cares little ideology favor ruthless political influence power relationship described frank couple author trilogy novels british miniseries based compares compelling nature relationship favorably characters original miniseries strong feelings claire frequently plots night says love woman love sharks love blood claire like encourages husband necessary seize power washington_post describes ice queen wife encourages noting disapproval weakness saying husband doesn apologize overt encouragement gives credibility smith says proven robotic pursuit power viewing episode preview season says series sells husband wife power costs couple little good notes extraordinary frank claire deep love mutual respect way achieve operating completely different set rules rest typically los_angeles_times critic makes case love story levels importantly claire story man commit crime pursuit power political wife gives encouragement pursue power claire engage secret service bodyguard point season largely given sex favor pursuit power critic notes relate quotation barnes season great man said sex sex sex power avoiding sex retain balance power relationship relationship claire season relationship barnes develops intimate relationship reporter claire knowledge begins barnes desperate rise covering beat covering going veil power capitol end episode barnes begin relationship barnes promising earn trust ask questions return supplying sensitive political information end season ends personal relationship begins investigating connection congressman apparent suicide fact killed locking car closed garage ultimately kills barnes season premiere pushing oncoming washington metro train begins follow clues related murder relationship fond head secret service detail hinted times harbor sexual feelings watching pornography claire joke sexual chemistry men shortly vice president claire remains bodyguard president appear continuing sexual relationship remains fiercely loyal warns biographer write damage reputation season traces hand marker walls white_house wants replace confederate painting suggests likes instead shoots campaign event trades fire assassin killed instantly death claire mentions press briefing gun control bill buried arlington national cemetery rare privilege agent recovers finds hand tracing painted expresses grief regret loss claire says people truly understood breaking fourth wall summed relationship viewer breaks fourth wall like best friend person viewer serves indication true feelings intentions typically courtesy people season premiere having gone episode addresses viewer directly saying think forgotten hoped addition season argument claire ends looks directly viewer seasons character break fourth wall end fourth season wife silent addresses camera directly frank biography season start democratic majority whip house_of_representatives represented south_carolina 5th congressional district passed appointment united_states secretary state promised position ensuring election colorado governor president walker chief staff gives news prior january united_states presidential inauguration aid claire fiercely loyal chief staff uses position house whip seek retribution quickly allies reporter uses undermine rivals press course season befriends pennsylvania encouraging quit drinking run governor pennsylvania create pressure race push russo publicly falling wagon career finally murders makes look like suicide persuades vice president resign run office previously held governor pennsylvania race wide open following russo death season finale chapter appointed vice president replace season assumes position vice president united_states course season faces challenges similarly ambitious businessmen chinese government congress continues pursue political aspirations plotline revolves battles involving chinese money course season biggest challenges institutional power power industrialist finds new rivals seeks maintain position walker right hand adviser intrusion communications director working beginning season trying links russo death kills barnes oncoming washington metro train frames colleague lover early task newly promoted finding replacement house majority whip supports military veteran term representative california offering public backing end season walker downfall secretly leaks details money walker blamed publicly supporting walker works scenes sharp help season finale chapter walker succeeds president united_states season season begins presidency rocky start months term unpopular public congress blocking attempts legislation forward plans secure legacy ambitious jobs bill democratic congressional leadership refuses support tell support seeks presidential nomination election matters worse claire nomination united_states ambassador united_nations defeated makes senate nomination hearing announces run reelection advocates intends pay stripping programs fails jobs bill congress uses reason promise run solicitor general heather announces seek presidential nomination actually gives battle convinces sharp married announce candidacy sole reason women votes point withdraw accept nomination presidential debate attacks sharp announces withdrawal race gives support ultimately wins iowa marriage gives claire ambassador job appointment forced resign order solve diplomatic crisis claire begins question loves husband ugly fight tells season ends claire leaving prepares new_hampshire primary season trails polls eventually losing new_hampshire primary realizing needs claire win persuades come promising support run senate seat texas prospective candidacy endorsing political ally daughter order claire focused campaign day south_carolina primary claire arranging photos leaked father posing putting campaign jeopardy claire leaks confronts claire admits puts forth proposition run vice president angrily rejects idea released prison seeking revenge barnes death shoots campaign rally hitting liver mortally wounds manages kill wounds rushed hospital immediate surgery rendering coma soon discovered needs liver manages bump list survives recovers agrees let claire run vice president drops race discovery meeting days attempt life begins planning maneuver claire spot use illegally obtain voter information spy republican nominee conway happens claire advocate controversial gun control bill sole purpose creating atmosphere divisive potential running mates resulting open convention runner secretary state catherine surrendering delegates uses public sympathy claire mother death ensure claire nominated american loyal terrorist group kidnaps suburban family allows conway negotiate making opponent look like hero releases data proves conway illegally influenced congress soon afterward hit crises leader orders followers kill hostages journalist crimes facing disgrace possible decides declare war allow public hostage die order distract scandal create atmosphere widespread fear claire exploit weeks election critical response season called politician evil things new_york_times said quest power television new_york_daily_news critic says congressman easily complex san_francisco_chronicle describes character chance use considerable power gain power especially involves pulling colleagues wool eyes producer original series feels lacks charm original character independent praised portrayal menacing character hiding rage southern charm old fashioned courtesy noted addressed audience partly spirit fun sparked wit wasn amusing mocking machine like ambition affection wife calculation praises accent saying gives silky southern accent pour crushed ice mint derby day nancy smith wall_street_journal describes accent mild missing accent time listed influential fictional characters season according frank hasn changed brand political theater lost villain according variety performance politician foremost strengths weakness failure present protagonist equally matched foes feels town built power particularly adept recognizing says constantly magnetic delayed use fourth wall perceived clever says unlike frank feels peace ruthless pursuit power reminds fact camera ruthless admire noted frank lighter season noting season delivered frank notes remains delight watch pump humid breath life arid capitol character weren dominant surroundings reason series movements feel mechanical far nearly league adversaries battles directly sad sacks knowing notes preview episodes frank survivor stabbing beginning feel bit repetitive lack foil issue things fall place president come sided newsday notes remorse sense washington tradition certainly second thoughts perfect monster moment pleasing honey toned new_york_times says power broker master influence scenes assigns order purpose real life endless toe stalemate npr says blends charm menace like character television critic notes series aired golden age dramatic house cards good reminder reason wasn center unexplained cruelty constant kindness hitfix reviewer alan_sepinwall highly critical performance accused good begin season reviews season positive critics found character repetitive critical consensus review site rotten_tomatoes held season introduces intriguing new political personal elements character feels like power daily telegraph wrote house cards agenda secret attic thrill horror lie degree catch reflections real life dark cool critics opined character interesting goal president actually govern seriously long didn seriously long took place dream world imaginary fantasy politics wrote compared cartoon president starts look fake real real cartoon frank plays role president cartoon president things actually reality kind great good true old frank evil true president dull fantasy props center stage critics continued praise performance new_york_daily_news wrote appetite dark dealing keeps help bad guy win season season jacob wrote review episodes season centred character outward expression power mention hunger writers stripped instead focusing character internal fears way tony dream sequences later added root frank end episodes hand hollywood reporter critical performance writing performance theatrical series began grown enjoyable having reached pinnacle way root frank anymore commit urging root frank downfall considerable mention evolution relationship claire heir partnership entirely professional exercise shared lust power having supplanted conventional bonds wrote variety atlantic remarked utter displayed season finale represented jump shark moment series murdered politician journalist damage activities set maintain power cost mass casualties hasn said seasons come hard imagine longer crossed compared storyline season presidential election guardian wrote house cards felt like real presidency evil junior pushing journalists trains real life bizarre presidential race starting look viable parallels election campaign campaigns hillary_clinton awards nominations nominated drama series portrayal july earned primetime emmy award nominations original online web television primetime emmy awards web series earned nominations time primetime emmy nominations lead roles web television series outstanding lead actor drama series portrayal outstanding lead actress drama series portrayal outstanding lead actor comedy series portrayal submitted chapter consideration earn nomination earned nomination television series drama nomination outstanding performance male actor drama series nominations season won television series drama golden globe awards male actor drama series 21st screen actors guild awards nominations primetime emmy award outstanding lead actor drama series primetime emmy awards nomination outstanding ensemble drama series season nominated primetime emmy award outstanding lead actor drama series primetime emmy awards nomination role nominated outstanding performance male actor drama series outstanding performance ensemble drama series 22nd screen actors guild awards season performance earned nomination primetime emmy award outstanding lead actor drama series primetime emmy awards
Frank Underwood (House of Cards)