It’s House of Cards season again on Netflix, and the political thriller is back with a vengeance. Fresh off last year’s jaw-dropping season finale (season 4 picks up within hours of where season 3 left off), Frank and Claire are officially at odds with one another. If you thought that the previous season took a slow-burning, restrained approach, Season 4 is a full throttle sprint to the season finale with little time to breathe along the way.

This year, House of Cards takes full advantage of the absurdity that is the American political system, incorporating hints of real-life scandals and introducing a fresh lineup of cutthroat politicians. The Underwood/Dunbar rivalry continues to heat up as the candidates clash over the Democratic nomination, and the show lines up another rival, New York Governor Will Conway, as the looming Republican threat for the general election.

Season 4 dives deeper into Claire’s personal history with the introduction of her mother (Ellen Burstyn), and a congresswoman from her home state of Texas. Now that Frank has made it to the oval office, the show splits the difference between Claire’s ambitions and his own, and proves them each to be political masterminds only paralleled by one another.

The fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat storytelling employed in the earlier seasons of House of Cards is back and better than ever, with many characters from previous cycles also making return appearances. Loyal fans to be thrilled with this latest installment, and many who expressed frustration with the pacing of season 3 should be pleasantly surprised. With peak performances across the board and writing as polished as ever, season 4 is House of Cards at its best.