In what was likely a complex, calculated move by Netflix to ferret out the rats among us, the entire third season of House Of Cards was briefly released on the service today, only to be taken down as soon as viewers squealed and were subsequently dealt with. The new episodes (10 of them, at least) suddenly appeared weeks ahead of their scheduled Feb. 27 premiere, causing many to share their excitement on social media and across various blogs. Some 25 minutes later, the episodes were taken down—as were those who spread the information without regard for discretion. Bleating lambs to the slaughter, all.
According to a statement Netflix gave CNBC, the whole thing can be blamed on “a bug in the system,” which is what we all are.
Meanwhile, the official House Of Cards account attempted to disarm you by making a joke of it, sort of.
Viewers who managed to catch some of the new episodes before they were removed were treated to surprises like, presumably, Kevin Spacey striding purposefully down a hallway, perhaps to a room where he smothered the premier of China with a pillow then had a menage a quatorze with his wife and the entire Supreme Court. But we’re not rats, so we don’t know.