Best Frank Monologues in 'HOC' Season 2

Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of House of Cards Season 2. There are a lot of things to like about the second season of House of Cards . Frank Underwood and Doug Stamper try to keep up with the schemes of Raymond Tusk, Claire gets back at a rapist, and Zoe Barnes... takes a long walk off a short Metro platform. Plus, Frank's monologues have gotten even more satisfying. Although Season 1 included a number of great moments of "breaking the fourth wall," the second season has mastered both the timing and tone for Frank's little moments with the audience.

Here are the four best Frank soliloquies of Season 2.

The First Time:

Episode: Chapter 14 (Season 2, Episode 1)

Frank Says:

Did you think I'd forgotten you? Perhaps you'd hoped I had. Don't waste a breath mourning Miss Barnes, every kitten grows up to be a cat. They seem so harmless at first--small, quiet, lapping up their saucer of milk. But once their claws get long enough, they draw blood, sometimes from the hand that feeds them. For those of us climbing to the top fo the food chain, there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: hunt or be hunted. Welcome back.

Frank's first monologue closed one of the most action-packed season openers in television history, and it couldn't have been timed more perfectly. Right when we thought there would be an episode without a moment when Frank stares into our souls, he stepped to a mirror and delivered this, either to us, or to his narcissistic reflection.

Two Views of Linda

Episode: Chapter 21 (Season 2, Episode 8)

Frank Says:

First, he snarls,

The backstabbing, vomit-inducing bitch.

Then, he reflects...

I've never thought higher of her than I do in this moment. She lost, but she played to win.

Frank's ever-changing relationship with Linda Vasquez propels the intrigue and back-channeling that Frank undertakes in the show, but it also shows a rare moment where Frank isn't the toughest person in the room. In this season, Linda plays resignation-letter-roulette and loses her job, but then testifies against Frank in a White House corruption investigation. This leads to many great Frank asides, which often occur in the middle of a conversation with President Walker.

Democracy is Dead

Episode: Chapter 15 (Season 2, Episode 2)

Frank Says:

One heartbeat away from the presidency and not a vote cast in my name. Democracy is so overrated.

Frank's quip about democracy foreshadows the end of the series, without actually showing us Frank's hand. When Frank is sworn in as president at the end, we feel that he has given us some warning, without ruining the surprise.

Frank Shows Remorse

Episode: Chapter 22 (Season 2, Episode 9)

Frank Says:

Do you think I'm a hypocrite? Well you should. I wouldn't disagree with you. The road to power is paved with hypocrisy, and casualties. Never regret.

Frank has done some terrible things at this point in Season 2, yet his greatest regret is losing Freddy as a friend and a supplier of ribs. Although Frank has his moments of depression at the end of the season, when he feels "exposed" by the investigation into his back-channeling activities, he comes out swinging in the end. Similarly, Frank's stylish speeches make us feel cared for, even as he destroys the lives and government of the American people.

Image: Netflix