Everyone remembers House of Cards, the legendary series that helped launch Netflix.

It was the pinnacle of a political drama disguised as a brutal power struggle, keeping viewers up late on weekend nights.

However, not many people remember how this great drama ended.

Or perhaps they don't want to remember.

They know all too well how a masterpiece fell apart due to the scandal of its lead actor.

These days, it seems like we often see filmmakers, webtoon creators, and screenwriters who were once thriving suddenly facing major issues and crashing down. Is this a trend? Haha.

Without a doubt, 90% of the success of House of Cards was due to Kevin Spacey.

The character he portrayed, Frank Underwood, was a devilish politician who deceived the public without hesitation, choked his rivals, and delivered monologues directly to the camera. His deep voice and chilling gaze embodied the phrase "this is the taste of real power." From Season 1 to Season 5, his ruthless climb to the presidency, even resorting to murder, was pure exhilaration.

The problem arose in 2017, when reality outside the show took a turn. Following actor Anthony Rapp's allegations, Kevin Spacey's past sexual misconduct accusations came to light. Netflix, which was just about to start filming the final season, was thrown into chaos. Should they keep the show's mascot and identity, or cut ties?

Ultimately, Netflix made a decisive move. They fired Kevin Spacey immediately and scrapped all the footage that had already been filmed.

Among fans of the show, there were concerns about whether the story could conclude without Frank Underwood, alongside reactions like "Good riddance to that devil of a man."

At that point, the writers seemed to believe they could somehow revive the show.

Then came the release of Season 6. The way the production team chose to write Frank Underwood out was utterly absurd.

From the start of the season, Frank is already dead, lying on a mysterious bed.

Yes, the great Frank Underwood never appears on screen and is dealt with as a corpse.

The role of the protagonist is taken over by his wife, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), who becomes the first female president of the United States.

This part was fine. The problem arose when they tried to erase Frank's massive presence, resulting in a complete breakdown of the story's coherence.

Claire constantly battles the shadow of the deceased Frank, and from the viewers' perspective, it felt like watching a scene where she was fighting an invisible ghost, leaving us with the frustration of having eaten 100 sweet potatoes. As Frank, the strong central figure, disappeared, the motivations and stories of the surrounding characters began to unravel. Yesterday's enemies suddenly acted friendly, and secret organizations appeared out of nowhere to shake up the political landscape.

In the final episode, the shocking and unexpected developments left many fans wondering, "Did I really endure to Season 6 for this?"

At the moment the show ended, instead of feeling moved or reflective, a sigh of disbelief escaped: "Is this really the end?"

In fact, after years of tedious legal battles, Kevin Spacey was ultimately acquitted of sexual assault charges by a UK court in 2023.

However, it was too late to fix the shattered pottery and the ruined drama.

This may be one of the most representative and bitter examples of how real-life events completely destroyed the integrity of a show, and House of Cards stands out in that regard.

One can't help but wonder if it would have been better to end it neatly as an unfinished masterpiece in Season 5 or to cancel production altogether.

What do you think?

Was the ending of House of Cards without Frank Underwood truly the best choice?