'House of Cards' news: Author praises Claire's role, wishes he emphasized wife's role in the original

Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in "House of Cards"Facebook/HouseofCards

Netflix's political thriller Emmy Award-winning series "House of Cards" is filming for its next run, and its executive producer and writer of the source novel started his two-week tenure at his alma mater and talked about the series.

The series was inspired by Michael Dobbs' books of the same title. Dobbs is also the executive producer of the show, and he had recently returned to Tufts University to teach as a visiting professor for contemporary politics. His 1989 book is about the intricacies of politics, which he wrote after serving as an adviser to then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. 

Dobbs returned to the university's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and started his two-week teaching period by giving a talk about the hit series "House of Cards." In an interview with Boston Globe, he said "the underlying story of 'House of Cards' remains the same," though modern politics was at play greatly in the show. 

The author also lauded the leads for their outstanding portrayal of the characters. Kevin Spacey, who plays Frank Underwood, "plays with more darkness," to the extent that he was becoming fearsome, Dobbs said. It can be recalled that the leads for "House of Cards" had previously won Golden Globes for their performances.

When asked how the BBC miniseries differed from Netflix's rendering, the EP said that Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright, had been given far more importance compared to that seen on the mother show. "I just wish I had been brilliant enough to raise my original character — the wife — to the level that Claire has raised it," he added.

Meanwhile, Netflix's "House of Cards" recently made the news, as the production reportedly locked down since the location of the production was near the site of a shooting. But, reports denounced the rumors and said that the Maryland set was not affected. The 37-year-old gunman shot three people dead and left two wounded.