
Just hours before the US inaugurated President Donald Trump, Netflix gave us an update on House of Card‘s fictional President Frank Underwood in the form of a new teaser trailer.
The trailer tells us two things: that season 5 will be released on May 30, and that scheming President Underwood is likely gearing up for his most devious work yet.
The trailer opens simply – an American flag waving over a cloudy sky as children recite a somber version of the Pledge of Allegiance. As the camera pans back though, the US Capitol comes in to view, and eventually the whole US flag – which is upside down, a traditional sign of emergency or distress.
Is Netflix making a statement about the current condition of American politics? That we don’t know. But the timing of the trailer release is no coincidence.