Season 3 released in full tomorrow - can't wait for this to come back, a very cool and gripping political drama. No doubt I will be finished with this come Sunday evening!!

Same here. After having seen the British original first I was unsure of watching the U.S. version. But I was really glad I did. Kevin Spacey is perfect in it.
A few long nights in order now.

I can't believe Spacey's missus in HoC is Jenny from Forrest Gump!

Not that I know anything about politician salaries, and even less about US ones - but anyone watching this so far in S3, when Xxxxxxx is negotiating for a salary why are they asking for money and points (which are for what??)?

I'm only up to episode 3 so far (I know I'm a pansy amateur) but might it be like some sort of pay grade? Or I think in the US teachers have what are called salary points which they increase with experience, attending courses etc and IIRC go toward their pension.

I watched it all over Sat and Sun! Very sad I know!

It was just one of the little things in the show that I'm guessing US audiences will pick up on and know about, but not necessarily anyone outside the US. Not an important thing but just though someone here may know.

Think I've just got to the part you mean. Where Doug is negotiating with the woman running for President?

"Points on the ad buy"?
I believe it's basically a commission on top of his salary. So if Doug's package was a salary of $200k plus 5 points on the ad buy he'd get, obviously his salary of $200k, but also 5% of however much money the campaign spends on advertising.

Just catching up on The Sopranos, and yeah seems like you are right with the percentage on top of whatever he would make.

"points: percent of income; cut." from Wikipedia (on a page about mafia related words )

Finally got around to watching the first few of these over the past week or so; it's absolutely outstanding!

Really well made, brilliantly cast and razor sharp writing - I'm hooked. Even if some of the technical elements of the US political system sometimes go over your head, as they do mine, it's well worth a watch.

I wouldn't worry about missing references to the American political system because it bears about as much resemblance to it as the British version. Although, it's still closer to reality than Armando Ianucci's "Veep".

I thought Season 3 was way down on the first two. They've cut the cast and got rid of too many good actors. Don't care too much for the switch to marital drama, either. And the Vladimir Putin stereotype seems closer to propaganda.