Poll: Is House of Cards the most video game positive mainstream show out now?

[Luthor55555]

I love watching House of Cards (HoC) and after finishing season 3 I have to say that they are continually putting in scenes of Frank Underwood playing games. Most shows with an older main character don't even deal with video games but in HoC its one of the only activities that he is shown to enjoy. His love of playing online FPS games like CoD in season 1 is what starts this look into his hobby but it doesn't end there. He is disappointed when he moves up in the his importance to the country and new security measures say that his Xbox is unsecured and they get rid of it making it a major sacrifice on his part. And this season, he plays a mobile game on a tablet (which I can't remember the name of off the top of my head but it was something with the word princess in it) and THE STANLY PARABLE! The writers not only put an obscure but beloved indie game into the show, they used it as an allegory for the events of the whole season!

Now, all of this has been to say that I think with these developments the show should earn some recognition but that's why I'm asking all of you.

P.S.
Just as a clarification, I specifically state mainstream show because I know some shows cover games a bit more but I would say they are specifically aiming at the gamer demographic with those shows and house of cards is not.

Edit: The FPS that he plays is Killzone 3 not CoD and it's on PS3. The tablet game is Monument Valley.

 

[tippy2k2]

NOTE: I have not seen Season 3 and I would greatly greatly greatly greatly greatly *breath...greatly appreciate it not being spoiled (so please; friends don't let friends not use spoiler tags).

I'm not sure. The only character that seems to enjoy playing video games is Frank Underwood and...well...he's not exactly the greatest role model (and I've only seen two seasons! I'm really excited to get the time to watch Season 3 and see what new shenanigans he gets himself into!).

But you may be correct in that. Most shows that I've seen with games in them are either bad stereotypes (see Big Bang Theory or that one stupid cop show where two people "hack" the computer together in order to catch a serial killer or something in a video game...I'd look it up but I'm afraid of losing more brain cells) or they don't really do anything with them.

I know a few shows have had one-offs with games with Scrubs being one of my favorite examples where Turk and JD just want to have some fun guy love time (nothing gay about it [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cFKFFKyLrw]) but for mainstream shows that deal with games on a more routine basis, Cards might just be one of the better examples...

I still haven't decided if that's really good or really bad.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

In the sense that it's shown as a hobby of a person that leads an otherwise productive life? Yes, it's very positive.

In the sense that the person in question is a GOOD person? Well...I don't know that there's a correlation between Frank's behavior and video games, really. It's pretty clear he plays them for stress-relief, so I'm not sure how much influence they have on him. Furthermore, well...with the way the show presents many of the characters, none of them are saints (only working my way through second season now myself) and many of them, in their own ways, can be just as bad as Frank is. It's just that Frank is better at being that kind of bad than the others are at most times. He can still lose, he still gets out-maneuvered or blind-sided. But most times, he's the deadliest snake in the pit.

I suppose you can say that in effect he's a good representation because he has drive, ambition, a want for power. He's not content to sit in the basement and game all day. One could even say he helps to display some of the traits gamers have: competitive drive, pragmatism and problem-solving, situational ruthlessness, etc.

Is he a good person or a role-model? No. Lord no. But I think he exhibits some traits that people may find in gamers that can become useful or used for good things.

 

[Luthor55555]

Yeah he is kind of an anti-hero/villain so him liking games might not be the best representation. Especially considering that he isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty (I'm trying to keep this as spoiler free as I can, even of the earlier seasons). But I would still say that the overall impression of games is positive.

 

[L. Declis]

Big Bang Theory is kinda game-positive; while it shows them as losers, it at least shows people having fun and having some kind of successful life. I don't know, it feels like it's written by both the geek enjoying the game, and then the arsehole who bullied him gets to alter the script for laughs. It's also a bit more central than Mr. Underwood's occasional foray in CoD. It also covers wider range o games, from Rockband, to board games, to tabletop RPGs.

 

[Ishal]

I've only seen season 1, but calling it "positive" is a bit of a stretch, though. Don't you think?

To me it just seemed kinda neutral. Games are how he relaxes. A small hobby on the side. Sometimes he mentions them on the side. That's all.

Maybe it changes in season 2, I don't know. But from what I've seen I wouldn't call it positive. However, with the recent SVU episode and the litany of other before it, I suppose being neutral might as well be positive.

 

[TallanKhan]

On one hand yes. I found it refreshing to see gaming portrayed on television as the past-time of someone other than stereotypical "nerds" or "geeks" and particularly for it to be someone older.

On the other hand, Frank Underwood, as much as I love the character, isn't exactly a poster boy for well-adjusted human beings and showing gaming as the only entertainment of choice for someone like him doesn't necessarily paint gaming in a good light.

Also,

his Xbox

It was actually a PS3.

 

[Olas]

It's just product placement. I'm not exactly sure what the demographics are but I'd be willing to bet Netflix shows are watched by a younger audience than regular TV, and House of Cards probably appeals at least slightly more to a male demographic, so choosing vidyagames makes sense.

I'll admit it's unusual, and cool, to see a man over 40 playing video games. Especially a well adjusted (well, in a certain respect) one.

 

[Luthor55555]

I've only seen season 1, but calling it "positive" is a bit of a stretch, though. Don't you think?

To me it just seemed kinda neutral. Games are how he relaxes. A small hobby on the side. Sometimes he mentions them on the side. That's all.

That's part of my point. video games are viewed as just another part of his life, no "OMG I'M A NERD AND ALL I DO IS GAME!" or "I WANT TO KILL EVERYONE CUZ GAMES ARE VIOLENT AND I PLAY THEM!" its just one more part to a relatively normal human. That's the part that makes me see this as a positive, the normality of it.