Anybody else enjoying House of Cards (2013, Neflix)? I've just watched a few episodes so far and am enjoying it quite a bit -- maybe more than expected.

This Netflix version, starring Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood, is a much expanded and Americanized version of the the 1990 BBC mini-series of the same name, starring Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart. Despite the obvious borrowings from the BBC series, ("I couldn't possible comment", etc.), the new series is a lot more than a cheap knock-off.

I'm giving a the Netflix version a tentative 8/10* while the BBC version gets 9/10*. Both are great but the edge goes to the BBC for its more compact story and because, though Kevin Spacey is a very fine actor, the late Ian Richardson was a great actor.