I have managed to watch the first four episodes of the 3rd season for you, to give you a preview. This preview gives you just enough to know what's going on, but not enough to ruin anything. And there are no spoilers here.
我看了第三季的前4集，給大家一個預告。這個預告只會告訴你大致發生了什麼，但不會劇透任何細節。
1. Faster, Leaner Quicker
1.節奏更快
The biggest problem with "House of Cards" Season 1, is that it was incredibly slow, like first season of "Breaking Bad" slow. Season 2 got a little better on pacing but the plot still meandered near the 3rd act.
該劇第一季最大的問題就是節奏太慢，和《絕命毒師》的第一季一樣慢。第二季的時候稍微好點了，但是劇情結構依然松鬆散散。
Like any good trilogy "House of Cards" seems to have worked out the bugs in this third season. The stories are much more self-contained and the pacing is better.
和其他經典的三季劇集一樣，《紙牌屋》似乎在第三季中將之前出現的所有問題都解決了。劇情更加獨立完整，節奏恰到好處。
2. Everybody Hates Frank
2.大家都討厭弗蘭克
Until this season Frank Underwood was like the Batman of Washington D.C. Somehow, someway this congressman from South Carolina always managed to outsmart, outplan and outwit superpower foes and allies alike despite being a mortal man. It was cute in the first season but by season 2 it just got ridiculous.
到這季為止，弗蘭克·安德伍德就像是華盛頓的蝙蝠俠。不知怎的，這位來自南卡羅來納州的國會議員儘管只是一個普通人，可卻處總能在各個方面超過他的對手和同盟。第一季的時候感覺很可愛，可第二季時就開始有點可笑。
Fortunately Season 3 begins with a bit of course correction. While Claire and Frank's plans are just as diabolical as in the past, everyone else in the show seems to have grown up and wised up. So while there are fewer over the top mind games, the show is actually more complex as Frank has to deal with real power dynamics and not a punch of political straw men.
好在第三季開始的時候有所改善。除了克萊爾和弗蘭克的計劃依然和以前一樣殘忍之外，劇中的其他人似乎都成熟了、覺醒了。所以雖然智力上的較量不多，但該季劇情實際上更加複雜了，因為弗蘭克開始需要對付真正的強大對手了，而不再只是一群政治假想敵。
3. Bring On The Think Pieces
3.引發更多的思考
"House of Cards" is a political phenomenon that gives journalists, pundits and commentators the Rorschach test they always dream of. This season can be seen from several vastly different political angles.
《紙牌屋》是一種政治現象，它給了記者、評論員們一個類似做羅夏墨跡測驗的機會。這一季也不例外，可以從多個不同的政治角度來看。
It was clear that the original British program from 1990 was a critique of the final years of Margaret Thatcher but Season 3 seems much less about skewering a particular administration than it is about telling Frank's unique journey.
很明顯，1990年該劇的英國原版是對柴契爾夫人作為英國首相的最後幾年的一種批判，但是美版第三季中似乎沒有針對任何一個具體的政府，而只是簡單講述弗蘭克這個人物的故事。
4. Breakout Performances
4.兩個亮點
Just four episodes in, there are two definitive stand outs in season 3. The first is Lars Mikkelsen who plays fictional Russian President Victor Petrov. He is outstanding in his portrayal of what is likely the most realistic and fascinating depiction of Vladimir Putin, interacting with a U.S. president.
雖然只看了前4集，但已經能看出第三季中的兩個亮點。第一個是扮演劇中俄羅斯總統的拉斯·米科爾森。他的外形與現任俄羅斯總統普京確實非常像，而且他在角色的刻畫以及與劇中美國總統的互動方面都表演的非常到位。
The second breakout is Elizabeth Marvel as Heather Dunbar, the solicitor general who brought down president Walker and is now taking on a major role in the third season. Her depiction of power and savvy, and the lectures she gives to Frank Underwood in the Oval office will resonate throughout this entire series.
第二個亮點是扮演希瑟·鄧巴的伊莉莎白·馬弗爾，這位將前總統沃克拉下臺的司法部副部長在第三季中成為了主要角色。她對權力和機智的刻畫，以及她在橢圓形辦公室向弗蘭克·安德伍德做的演講貫穿整個劇集。
5. Predictions
5. 預測
I must admit, that to fulfill my "House of Cards" longing during the summer of 2014, I cheated a bit and watched the final season of the original British version of the show, "House of Cards: the Final Cut." The seasons are playing out a bit differently in partbecause the UK seasons were only about 4 episodes a piece and the American version is 13 episodes long.
我必須承認，去年夏天為了滿足我自己對《紙牌屋》的期望，我去看了這部劇英國版本的最後一季。兩個版本有不同之處，英版一季只有4集，而美版一季有13集。
Further, the cast of characters in the American version are much more varied and the show is much less satirical and more of a straight drama than the original version. That said, all signs point to a less than stellar end for Frank and Clare Underwood.
另外美版的角色也更多，相比英國原版，諷刺性沒那麼強。所有跡象都表明弗蘭克和克萊爾·安德伍德的結局不會特別好。