'House of Cards' bosses feel 'catharsis' with Wright directing series finale

Actor Robin Wright is shown in a scene from "House of Cards," which launches season 6 on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Netflix-David Giesbrecht

TORONTO -- The creative heads behind "House of Cards" say there was a "catharsis" on set when the political thriller shot its final episode.

Season 6 launches Friday on Netflix and marks the end for the show after star Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct and fired last fall.

Spacey played U.S. President Francis Underwood, who in season 5 resigned and handed over his position to his wife and vice-president Claire, played by Robin Wright. In the new and final season, Francis is dead and Claire is leading the country.

The Golden Globe-winning Wright is also an executive producer on season 6 and directed the series finale, which just "felt right," say co-showrunners Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese.

"That felt really important for all of us, cast and crew, everyone who worked on the show," said Gibson. "We went through it together and it was very cathartic. We all enjoyed working with each other so much, and the bonds are so deep.

"It felt like we'd really gone through something meaningful together."

"House of Cards" was Netflix's first original series and has won two Golden Globes and several Emmys.

Season 6 sees Claire grappling with the loss of her husband, the scandals of the past and misogyny from her administration and the American public. Facing death threats from those who don't want a woman president, she struggles for autonomy as aides question her decisions and billionaire siblings Annette and Bill Shepherd (played by Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear) put political pressure on her.

"It was really important to us, this season in particular, to reveal Claire Underwood to be as every bit a complex antihero that Francis had been for the prior five seasons and establish a ruthlessness equity -- that she is this empowered, complex, flawed, fascinating character," said Gibson.

Gibson and Pugliese said when production was halted on the show following the allegations against Spacey, they had already written 11 episodes for season 6 and had to immediately star exploring the possibility of doing the show without him.

"That was a lot to digest and a reset," said Gibson.

His eventual firing didn't affect the storyline too drastically, as the show was already set to conclude after season 6 and shift the focus on Claire, who closed out last season by declaring to the camera: "My turn."

"I think the actors, crew and everyone involved felt that the best response would be to finish the series, finish the story, tell it with integrity as a response," said Pugliese.

"We knew going in no matter what season 6 was, that it would be a season of reckoning. Part of that reckoning was for Claire and these characters to reckon with their complicity with each other and the partnership in the marriage, and the complicity with the audience."

The new season has a noir vibe and speaks to timely themes surrounding the .MeToo and Time's Up women's movements, as Claire faces sexism and recalls harrowing experiences as a child.

The showrunners said they weren't responding to the latest headlines or the Spacey scandal, noting the story was already headed in the direction of having Claire face herself and explore who she is outside of her marriage.

"Maybe we were feeling something that was in the air and it was coming, but we had been thinking about it and setting it up, so when it happened ... it was of a (cultural) moment," said Pugliese.

"I think there was something about the moment that raised the stakes this sixth season, which is what it's like to have a female president and ... who owns the White House -- the power behind the power."