House of Cards ( up to s5)

Frank Underwood regards a political setback as something to return to its sender. The American House of Cards follows his manoeuvring through Washington, with Claire Underwood as a partner whose ambitions cannot simply be treated as an extension of his.

The strongest stretches make conversation feel transactional. A favour creates a debt, an apparent concession has another purpose, and the people drawn into the arrangement do not always understand its full cost. Robin Wright's restraint is particularly effective beside the show's more theatrical displays of power.

It grows increasingly extravagant as it continues. The early procedural cunning is more convincing than some of the later escalation, but the central partnership remains an important reason to keep watching through the period covered here.

My recommendation stops at season five; season six did not work for me. For another dark political lead, Boss is worth considering. The West Wing provides the much more hopeful alternative, with professional ability directed towards something other than acquiring leverage.