Great TV: House of Cards.

The most cunning, the most devious of them all.

The most cunning, the most devious of them all.

The “House of Cards” trilogy, starring the late Ian Richardson as the devious, urbane British politician, Francis Urquhart, is in a class of its own as a political drama. From Richardson’s career making performance to its direction (with Richardson occasionally breaking the fourth wall to address the audience directly, which turned out to be a brilliant tool for recruiting the audience to the villainous chief whip’s side) and themes (the first season has the camera constantly cutting away to rats!) it is just superb television. Throughout the series, Richardson is joined by some excellent co-stars including Susannah Harker, Michael Kitchen, Colin Jeavons, and the brilliant Diane Fletcher as Richardson’s Lady MacBeth, Elizabeth. Is this the best British political drama ever made? You might say that…