Given Netflix's incomparably vast data on viewer preferences, we assume the company knows what it's doing when it green-lights a cartoon featuring an alcoholic talking horse and multiple instances of bestiality.

"BoJack Horseman," debuted on Netflix streaming last week to some very positive and some very negative reviews. Although the company shares almost no data about viewership, it was apparently confident enough to renew the show for a second season.

The show, which takes place in a world in which animals are interchangeable with humans, tells the story of a talking horse, BoJack, who used to have a sitcom and now lives a pathetic life in Los Angeles.

Created by comedian Raphael Bob-Waksberg, "BoJack" brings together elements of various shows thought to be popular on Netflix. It stars Will Arnett, a favorite actor from "Arrested Development," which was so popular on streaming that Netflix produced an exclusive fourth season. It guest-stars Aaron Paul, whose "Breaking Bad" is notoriously popular among binge-watchers. As a wry cartoon for adults, the show is a successor to "Archer" and "Bob's Burgers."

It's not like the show was created in a secret Netflix laboratory — it was actually developed over a few years by Bob-Waksberg and animator Lisa Hanawalt — but Reed Hasting's company knew what it was doing when it bought the show in 2013.

Netflix, which is still primarily a subscription service for non-original video, tracks a wealth of data about its over 50 million users, including not only show popularity and ratings but also every click, pause, skip or closing of the window. Senior data scientist Mohammad Sabah has speculated that the company may begin to “consider things such as volume, colors, and scenery" in the future, reports Gigaom's Derrik Harris.

Netflix's recommendation algorithm, which tells users what to watch, is the most obvious use of this data, but the company has also acknowledged using it to inform its original content — and why wouldn't the company use this powerful tool?

David Carr at the New York Times reported last year that Netflix drew from user data when considering "House of Cards," directed by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey, which would go on to be a major commercial and critical hit. Netflix "already knew that a healthy share had streamed the work of Mr. Fincher, the director of 'The Social Network,' from beginning to end. And films featuring Mr. Spacey had always done well, as had the British version of 'House of Cards,'" he wrote.

Netflix has an impressive hit rate when it comes to original content. Its 11 original shows and continuations received 45 Emmy nominations in the past two years, with massive critical acclaim for "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black," as well as success for "Lilyhammer,""Arrested Development,""Hemlock Grove," Derek," and others.

TV networks, working from relatively tiny market samples and old fashioned human intuition, are at a huge disadvantage. No wonder around 65% of new TV shows are canceled within a season.

Another advantage for Netflix is the ability to target niche audiences. Things as bizarre as "BoJack" or melancholy as "Derek" would never sustain a broad enough audience for network TV, but they work online where all interested viewers can find the content on their own time. The company has already proven that it can take shows that were considered failures via traditional TV models and breathe new life into them. The company revived Fox's critical darling "Arrested Development" and more recently AMC's fallen kidnapping drama "The Killing."

Other online media providers have adopted the same approach, such as when Yahoo picked up NBC's "Community."

If that weren't enough, Netflix has also shown it's willing and able to spend lots of money to get good content.

"The cheapest show is $3.8 million an episode," CAA TV literary agent Peter Micelli said at a panel last year, as reported by Variety's Andrew Wallenstein. "House of Cards’ started at $4.5 million and Fincher took it way above that. The next series is ‘Hemlock Grove’ and they’re doing that for about $4 million an episode. 'Orange is the New Black’ is just under $4 million as well. They’re huge budgets shows, they’re doing things in a huge way."

Kevin Spacey reportedly makes over $500,000 per episode on "House of Cards," while talk show host Chelsea Handler will make a whopping $1o million for her upcoming Netflix show.

Although Netflix did not win any major Emmys this year, the network has been brazenly touting itself as the entertainment of today— and that claim is getting stronger every year.

Netflix stock is up around 790% in the past two years, with profits jumping to $71 million in the second quarter of 2014 compared to $30 million the year before.

SEE ALSO: Why 'Modern Family' Keeps Winning Emmys Over Better Shows

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Politics and business have always had a sticky relationship.

The Brookings Institute released a ranking of U.S. billionaires according to their political influence. 

The billionaires' influences are measured by the "use of great wealth for campaign expenditures, activism through non-profit organizations and foundation, holding public office, media ownership, policy thought leadership, and behind the scenes influence."

20. Alice Walton

Alice Walton, one of the Wal-Mart fortune heirs, is an early backer of Hillary Clinton's "Ready for Hillary" super PAC.

Source: Brookings Institute

19. Donald Trump

Multimedia master Donald Trump routinely comments on numerous political issues and has succeeded in amassing a large following of conservatives.

Source: Brookings Institute

18. Marc Andreessen

Marc Andreessen backed GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. He's interested in the future of journalism — and in particular, the swift transition from traditional media to digital.

Source: Brookings Institute

On Wednesday, actor Kevin Spacey gave an inspiring, funny, and f-bomb-filled talk about how big data is changing the world at a conference hosted by IBM in Las Vegas.

Spacey was there thanks to his breakout Netflix hit, "House of Cards," and he offered a number of interesting insights about it.

For instance, he said that when promoting shows, Netflix tailors its trailers to individual viewers. If you watch a lot of Kevin Spacey movies, your clip will feature a lot of Spacey. If you watch a lot of action flicks, your clip will feature action sequences.

That's the kind of the thing that can't be done on regular TV or cable.

He also indicated how much Netflix invested in "House of Cards" and how this ad-free model of internet-streaming TV can be very profitable.

Spacey said that it was "widely reported" that Netflix spent $100 million to create the first season of "House of Cards," although, in his best Frank Underwood accent, he also insisted he could not "confirm or deny" that figure. (But, we're fairly certain he'd know. He not only starred in the show, but was one of its executive producers.)

Industry pundits scoffed at the time, Spacey said, "[They said] we'd never make that money back."

The team calculated Netflix would "have to sign up 565,000 more members to break even," he said. Since the launch of "House of Cards" in February 2013, Netflix has brought in "he believes" about 17 million new members, he said.

Those numbers basically check out. The first season aired in February 2013. The internet-streaming service has grown to 50.7 million paid internet-streaming members worldwide, it said when it reported earnings earlier this month. That's up from 27.5 million at the end of 2012, when it reported earnings in January.

Although Netflix didn't grow subscribers last quarter as fast as Wall Street wanted, that success was not lost on others like HBO and CBS, both of whom are going to start offering their own shows through internet-streaming subscriptions.

More of that kind of competition from internet TV is likely to come, too.

The FCC said earlier this week that it is spearheading a proposal to create rules for internet streaming that won't allow the cable or satellite companies to interfere with the internet television subscriptions they deliver, even if those subscriptions compete with their own offerings.

SEE ALSO: IBM's Ginni Rometty Just Confessed To A Huge Failure — And It Might Be The Best Thing For The Company

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Netflix has more than 36 million paying customers in the US, but the viewing habits of its users have always been a mystery.

While Netflix has seen success with its original series like "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black," people have been curious to learn the breakdown of how much time customers spend on Netflix and which programs they're watching.

Because Netflix has been silent, CBS chief research officer David Poltrack has revealed his research on Netflix viewer habits, according to Bloomberg, and Poltrack says Netflix isn't any better at creating shows than traditional networks like CBS.

Here are some highlights:

• Netflix customers spend less than 10% of their viewing time watching Netflix original series like "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black"
• The average adult Netflix viewer watches 5.2 hours of Netflix per week
• Three of those 5.2 hours are spent viewing television programs, and only 6.6% of that time is spent watching Netflix original series

While Poltrack pointed out that Netflix's success with "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black" was vital for attracting new subscribers, he also said it had been "more than a year since Netflix introduced a true new hit program,"according to KETV.

"They do not appear to have any magic formula for success in that game," Poltrack said, arguing that Netflix had a success rate "below that of the pay cable networks as well as the broadcast networks."

Of course, Netflix is in the midst of preparing to launch new series including the $90 million "Marco Polo" later this week, in addition to "Bloodline,""Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and "Daredevil."

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Kevin Spacey is one of those rare actors who can make you loathe him and root for him at the same time. Case in point: his award-winning role as Frank Underwood in the Netflix series "House of Cards." Whether he's an insect villain or a downtrodden house-husband, one thing's for sure, Spacey always ends up with at least a few good life-changing lines. Here are some career lessons from your favorite Kevin Spacey characters (and here are some from the real Kevin Spacey himself, watch his Office Hours video):

1. Know your goals.

In "L.A. Confidential," Spacey (as Jack Vincennes) teaches us to always remember the reason you started something. If you don't know what you're working toward, you'll get off track.

Ed Exley: Rollo Tamasi is the reason I became a cop. I wanted to catch the guys who thought they could get away with it. It's supposed to be about justice. Then somewhere along the way, I lost sight of that… Why'd you become a cop?

Jack Vincennes: [long pause] I don't remember.

[brief hesitation]

Jack Vincennes: What do you want, Exley?

Ed Exley: I just wanna solve this thing.

Jack Vincennes: The Nite Owl *was* solved.

Ed Exley: No; I wanna do it right.

Jack Vincennes: Even if it means paying the consequences?

[Exley nods his head, Vincennes stands up from his chair]

Jack Vincennes: All right, college boy, I'll help. But there's a case you boys in Homicide don't care about, you think it's just another Hollywood "homo"-cide. Well, I don't. You help me with mine, I'll help you with yours. Deal?

2. Leadership isn't easy.

In "A Bug's Life," Spacey plays Hopper, the evil grasshopper leader. The one lesson we can take from Hopper's experience (he eventually gets eaten by a bird) is that leadership isn't easy. However, you should always stand up for your team working beneath you. It's an important facet of showing respect and will encourage them to work harder for you.

Hopper: First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault.

3. Don't be afraid of change.

Spacey's character in "American Beauty" is one of his best known, and though his fate doesn't end well in the critically-acclaimed drama, he teaches us an invaluable lesson—don't be afraid to change.

Lester Burnham: [narrating] It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.

4. Challenge yourself.

Similarly, in "Pay it Forward" his professor Eugene Simonet tells us to have high expectations of ourselves.

Trevor McKenney: Are you saying you'll flunk us if we don't change the world?

Eugene: Well, no. But you might just scrape by with a C.

5. Change is a good thing.

In "21," the lesson from Spacey's Micky Rosa comes with a bit of mathematics: always expect change, and use it to your advantage.

Ben Campbell: Well I wouldn't really care. I mean, my answer's based on statistics–based on variable change.

Micky Rosa: Variable change? But he just asked you a simple question.

Ben Campbell: Yeah, which changed everything.

Micky Rosa: Enlighten us.

Ben Campbell: Well, when I was originally asked to pick a door, I had a 33.3% chance of choosing right. But after he opens one of the doors and re-offers me the choice, it's now 66.7% if I choose to switch… So yeah, I'll take door number two and thank you for the extra 33.3%.

Micky Rosa: Exactly. People, remember–if you don't know which door to open, always account for variable change.

6. You're not going to like everyone you work with.

In "Horrible Bosses," he's completely horrible. The only lesson to be learned from him is that sometimes there are just people you have to deal with in life. You're not going to like everyone you work with, but just think of Karma to get you through.

Dave Harken: Let me tell you something. You stupid little runt. I own you. You're my bitch. So don't walk around here thinking you have free will, because you don't. I could crush you anytime I want. So settle in, cause you are here for the long haul.

7. It's not all about money.

And finally, in his most recent role as Francis Underwood in "House of Cards," Spacey teaches the audience that despite all of his machinations for glory and power, at least he's aspiring to something more than money.

Francis Underwood: Such a waste of talent. He chose money over power. In this town, a mistake nearly everyone makes. Money is the Mc-mansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who doesn't see the difference.

Though most of his characters come with a bit of grit and edge to them, Kevin Spacey has chosen roles over the years that teach the audience powerful lessons, too. And, luckily for us, not all of these lessons have to apply directly to card-counting in Vegas or trying to take down a President.

Did you miss Kevin Spacey on Office Hours this week? Watch here as he talks about the moment he knew he was an actor, the role that changed his life, and his advice for Millennials. 

SEE ALSO: If You Don't Have A Mentor, Then Good Luck Starting A Successful Career

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With so many new shows premiering in 2015, it's hard to remember when all of your favorites, like "House of Cards" and "The Walking Dead," are returning.

Below is a list of when the popular shows will be back from hiatus or will kick off their midseason premieres.  

Tues., Jan. 6
"Pretty Little Liars," season 6 premiere, 8 pm., ABC Family
"MasterChef Junior," season 3 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"Cougar Town," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., TBS
"Switched at Birth," season 4 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC
"Chicago Fire," midseason return, 10 p.m., NBC

Wed., Jan. 7
"American Idol," season 15 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"American Horror Story," midseason return, 10 p.m., FX
"The Mysteries of Laura," midseason return, 8 pm.,  NBC
"Law & Order: SVU," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"Chicago PD," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC 

Thursday, Jan. 8
"Portlandia," season 5 premiere, 10 p.m., IFC
"Archer," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., 
"Parenthood," midseason return, 10 p.m, NBC

Friday, Jan. 9
"Glee," midseason premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"Hart of Dixie," midseason return, 9 p.m., The CW
"Banshee," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., Cinemax
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" season 4 premiere, 11 p.m., IFC

SEE ALSO: Here's What's New On Netflix In January

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With so many new shows premiering in 2015, it's hard to remember when all of your favorites, like "House of Cards" and "The Walking Dead," are returning.

Below is a list of when the popular shows will be back from hiatus or will kick off their midseason premieres.  

Tues., Jan. 6
"Pretty Little Liars," season 6 premiere, 8 pm., ABC Family
"MasterChef Junior," season 3 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"Cougar Town," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., TBS
"Switched at Birth," season 4 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC
"Chicago Fire," midseason return, 10 p.m., NBC

Wed., Jan. 7
"American Idol," season 15 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"American Horror Story," midseason return, 10 p.m., FX
"The Mysteries of Laura," midseason return, 8 pm.,  NBC
"Law & Order: SVU," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"Chicago PD," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC 

Thursday, Jan. 8
"Portlandia," season 5 premiere, 10 p.m., IFC
"Archer," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., 
"Parenthood," midseason return, 10 p.m, NBC

Friday, Jan. 9
"Glee," midseason premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"Hart of Dixie," midseason return, 9 p.m., The CW
"Banshee," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., Cinemax
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" season 4 premiere, 11 p.m., IFC

SEE ALSO: Here's What's New On Netflix In January

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With so many new shows premiering in 2015, it's hard to remember when all of your favorites, like "House of Cards" and "The Walking Dead," are returning.

Below is a list of when the popular shows will be back from hiatus or will kick off their midseason premieres.  

Thurs., Jan. 1
"A to Z," first of remaining four episodes, 9:30 p.m., NBC
"Bad Judge," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"Lucas Bros. Moving Co.," season 2 premiere, midnight, FXX

Fri., Jan. 2
"Blue Bloods," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS
"Hawaii Five-0," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta," season 8 premiere, 10 p.m, TLC
"Undercover Boss," season 6 premiere, 8 p.m., CBS

Sun., Jan. 4
"The Simpsons," midseason return, 8 p.m., Fox
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine," midseason return, 8:30 p.m., Fox
"Family Guy," midseason return, 9 p.m., Fox
"Bob's Burgers," midseason return, 9:30 p.m., Fox
"Celebrity Apprentice," season seven premiere, 9 p.m., NBC
"CSI," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS
"Downton Abbey," season give premiere, 9 p.m, PBS
"The Good Wife," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"Madam Secretary," midseason return, 8 p.m., CBS
"The Mentalist," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"Resurrection," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"Revenge," midseason return, 10 p.m., ABC
"Sister Wives," season six premiere, 9 p.m., TLC

Mon., Jan. 5
"2 Broke Girls," midseason return, 8 p.m., CBS
"Mike & Molly," midseason return, 8:30 p.m., CBS
"Scorpion," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"NCIS: LA," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS
"Gotham," midseason return, 8 p.m., Fox
"Sleepy Hollow," midseason return, 9 p.m., Fox
"The Bachelor," season 19 premiere, 8 p.m., ABC
"State of Affairs," midseason return, 10 p.m., NBC

Tues., Jan. 6
"Pretty Little Liars," season 6 premiere, 8 p.m., ABC Family
"Switched At Birth," season 4 premiere, 9 p.m., ABC Family
"MasterChef Junior," season 3 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"New Girl," midseason return, 9 p.m., Fox
"The Mindy Project," midseason return, 9:30 p.m., Fox
"Cougar Town," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., TBS
"Marry Me," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"About A Boy," midseason return, 9:30 p.m., NBC
"Switched at Birth," season 4 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC
"Chicago Fire," midseason return, 10 p.m., NBC
"Forever," midseason return, 10 p.m., ABC
"NCIS," midseason return, 8 p.m., CBS
"NCIS: New Orleans," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"Person Of Interest," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS

Wed., Jan. 7
"American Idol," season 14 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"American Horror Story," midseason return, 10 p.m., FX
"The Mysteries of Laura," midseason return, 8 pm.,  NBC
"Law & Order: SVU," midseason return, 9 p.m., NBC
"Chicago PD," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., NBC 
"The Middle," midseason return 8 p.m., CBS
"The Goldbergs," midseason return, 8:30 p.m., ABC
"Modern Family," midseason return, 9 p.m., ABC
"Black-ish," midseason return, 9:30 p.m., ABC
"Duck Dynasty," midseason return, 9:30 p.m., A&E
"Wahlburgers," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., A&E

Thursday, Jan. 8
"Big Bang Theory," midseason return, 8 p.m., CBS
"Mom," midseason return, 8:30 p.m., CBS
"Two And A Half Men," midseason return, 9 p.m., CBS
"The McCarthys," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS
"Elementary," midseason return, 10 p.m., CBS
"Portlandia," season 5 premiere, 10 p.m., IFC
"Archer," season 6 premiere, 10 p.m., 
"Parenthood," midseason return, 10 p.m, NBC

Friday, Jan. 9
"Glee," season 6 premiere, 8 p.m., Fox
"Last Man Standing," midseason return, ABC
"Cristela," midseason return, 8:30 p.m., ABC
"Shark Tank," midseason return, 9 p.m., ABC
"Hart of Dixie," season 4 premiere, 9 p.m., The CW
"Banshee," season 3 premiere, 10 p.m., Cinemax
"Cold Justice," season 3 premiere, 8 p.m., TNT
"Real Time With Bill Maher," season 10 premiere, 10 p.m., HBO
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" season 4 premiere, 11 p.m., IFC

A version of this post originally ran Dec. 19, 2014. It has been updated with additional return dates.

SEE ALSO: Here's What's New On Netflix In January

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Kevin Spacey won his first Golden Globe ever Sunday night for his role on Netflix's original series "House of Cards."

The streaming site celebrated the huge win by releasing the first trailer for the third season of the political drama, and it looks incredibly intense.

We could cut the tension in this image with a knife.

After ending season 2 on a high note (no spoilers), it looks like politician Frank Underwood's secrets are finally going to come back to haunt him and his wife (Robin Wright).

"House of Cards" returns to Netflix Feb. 27th.

SEE ALSO: Kevin Spacey gives emotional speech during first Golden Globe win for Netflix's "House of Cards"

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February is nearly upon us, so you know what that means: We're that much closer to a new season of "House of Cards."

Netflix has announced its list of February releases.

In addition to the long-awaited return of Kevin Spacey to the streaming site, we're getting every season of Starz hit "Spartacus" and five seasons of "M.A.S.H." 

The movie pickings look a bit slim at the moment, but we'll continue to update this list and rerun it at the top of the month.

Here's what you should check out on Netflix in February:

TV

"M.A.S.H." Seasons 1-5 (available 2/1)
We're kind of bummed there are only five of the Emmy-winning series' 11 seasons to stream.

"Spartacus" The Complete Series (available 2/1)
If you've never seen the hit Starz show, there are only three seasons of the series that follow the famous Gladiator. "Spartacus" carried on even after lead actor Andy Whitfield died after a battle with cancer in 2011.

"Hawaii Five-0" Seasons 1-4
Sorry, guys, this isn't the original series. The remake of the original long-running CBS series follows a new task force led by Alex O'Loughlin and Daniel Dae Kim ("Lost").

"House of Cards" Season 3 (all 13 episodes available 2/27 at 12:01 a.m.)
Fresh off his Golden Globe win, Kevin Spacey returns as ruthless politician Frank Underwood. However, it looks like his many secrets may come back to finally haunt him.

Movies

The pickings are pretty slim so far.

"Joe" (available 2/1)
Nicolas Cage may have had one of the worst-reviewed movies of last year; however, he also had this gem where he played a role model to an abused 15-year-old boy.

"Proof" (available 2/1)
Gwyneth Paltrow received a Golden Globe nod for her performance as a grieving daughter to her recently deceased mathematician father, Anthony Hopkins.

"RoboCop" (available 2/21)
If you missed out on Sony's reboot last year, here's your chance to check it out.

"Dwight Howard: In the Moment" (2014) (available 2/10)
2014's Epix documentary follows Howard's life from high school to when he first started out with the Houston Rockets.

For the kids: "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" (available 2/11)
One of DreamWorks Animation's latest movies which follows the adventures of the characters from "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." 

Here's the full list of February releases so far:

Available 2/1

"Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse" 
"Dark Ride" 
"Departures" Seasons 1-2 
"Gimme Shelter"
"Gucci: The Director"
"Hot Pursuit"
"Houseboat"
"Into the Blue 2: The Reef"
"Joe"
"King Arthur"
"Magic City" Seasons 1-2
"MASH" Seasons 1-5
"Naruto Shippuden: The Movie"
"Now: In the Wings on a World Stage"
"Proof"
"Spartacus" The complete series
"The Brothers Bloom"
"We Could Be King"
"We're No Angels"
"Zapped"

Available 2/5

"The Little Rascals Save the Day"

Available 2/6

"Ever After High: Spring Unsprung"
"Danger 5"

Available 2/7

"Dead Snow: Read vs. Dead"
"Elsa & Fred"

Available 2/8

"Blood Ties"
"Catch Hell"

Available 2/10

"Dwight Howard: In the Moment"

Available 2/11

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman"

Available 2/12

"Young Ones"
"The Two Faces of January"
"Scary Movie 5"

Available 2/13

"Mako Mermaids" Season 2

Available 2/16

"Save the Date"

Available 2/17

"The Overnighters"

Available 2/18

"Earth to Echo"
"In Secret"
"The Fluffy Movie"

Available 2/19

"White Bird in a Blizzard"

Available 2/20

"Richie Rich" Season 1

Available 2/21

"RoboCop"

Available 2/24

"Hawaii Five-0" Seasons 1-4 (the CBS update)
"1,000 Times Good Night"

Available 2/26

"Open Windows"
"Russell Brand: Messiah Complex"

Available 2/27

"Ralphie May: Unruly"
"House of Cards" Season 3
"Boys"

SEE ALSO: Everything leaving Netflix in February

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Ten episodes of "House of Cards" Season 3 briefly leaked on Netflix on Wednesday afternoon.

All 13 episodes were not supposed to be released on the streaming site until February 27.

The episodes have since been pulled from the site, but not before we were able to grab screenshots of descriptions for the 10 episodes made available.

There are spoilers ahead.

Here's how Season 3, episode one, opens: 

According to CNBC, the leak was due to a "bug in the system."

A Netflix representative emailed us the following response:

"Due to a technical glitch some Frank Underwood fans got a sneak peak. He'll be back on Netflix on Feb 27. #nospoilers"

SEE ALSO: The 'House of Cards' Twitter account had the perfect response to Season 3 leaking online

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NOW WATCH: This Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie could become the next Kate Upton

Wednesday afternoon, 10 episodes of "House of Cards" season 3 leaked two weeks ahead of its scheduled premiere on Netflix.

The "House of Cards" Twitter account had the perfect response.

All 13 episodes will premiere on the streaming site February 27.

SEE ALSO: "House of Cards" leaked two weeks ahead of its season 3 premiere on Netflix

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NOW WATCH: This Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie could become the next Kate Upton

The first ten episodes of “House of Cards” season 3 briefly leaked onto Netflix Wednesday afternoon.

Netflix pulled the episodes from the streaming site pretty quick, but not before we could read through the episode descriptions for the first 10 episodes. 

A Netflix representative confirmed to Business Insider that the leak was caused by a “technical glitch.”  

All 13 episodes will be available to stream February 27. 

Check out the descriptions below.  

Warning: There are some minor spoilers below (obviously!) if you’re not caught up.

Season 3, Episode 1 (Chapter 27)
"A rocky start for the Underwood Presidency. Frank wants to introduce an ambitious jobs program, while Claire sets her sights on the United Nations."

Season 3, Episode 2 (Chapter 28)
"Claire's U.N. bid runs into trouble. Frank fights off mutiny with a bold address to the country."

Season 3, Episode 3 (Chapter 29)
"The Russian president's state visit becomes a cold war of wills, and some punks heat things up." 

Season 3, Episode 4 (Chapter 30)
"Claire bypasses Russia at the U.N. Frank tries to outmaneuver a potential challenger and ends up face to face with a higher power."

Season 3, Episode 5 (Chapter 31)
"Frank declares war on Congress to jump-start his jobs program. Claire spars with the Russian Ambassador."

Season 3, Episode 6 (Chapter 32)
"Frank and Claire travel to Moscow to negotiate the return of an imprisoned U.S. citizen. Claire takes a stand that jeopardizes their plans."

Season 3, Episode 7 (Chapter 33)
"The damage is done and the Underwoods must repair it. But deep wounds don't heal fast, and sometimes not at all."

Season 3, Episode 8 (Chapter 34)
"A hurricane endangers more than just the entire East Coast and Frank must make a difficult choice."

Season 3, Episode 9 (Chapter 35)
"The Jordan Valley erupts in chaos as Frank's campaign is picking up steam. Claire gets distrubing intel and counsels him."

Season 3, Episode 10 (Chapter 36)
"Frank needs to deal with Petrov one on one while Claire tries to preserve the peace-keeping mission. Sacrifices must be made."

SEE ALSO: 10 episodes of "House of Cards" season 3 leaked two weeks ahead of its premiere online

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Apple users have been paying money for a ringtone on the iTunes Store that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.

No, BlackBerry hasn't tricked people as part of a viral marketing campaign. It's related to the hit Netflix show "House of Cards," a TV series about politicians in the US. Just like in real life, most of the politicians in the show use BlackBerry phones.

Here's a still from the show depicting lead character Frank Underwood with his trusty BlackBerry:

And here's what the ringtone sounds like:

What you know as Frank Underwood's ringtone is actually the default BlackBerry "Spirit" ringtone that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.

Ringtone companies are selling knockoff versions of BlackBerry Spirit because "House of Cards" has made it so distinctive.

While the BlackBerry ringtone is still free, there are lots of versions of  the "House of Cards ringtone" up for sale on the iTunes Store. For example, this is what you see when you search for "House of Cards" in the ringtone section of the iTunes Store:

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Netflix held an event for its new show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" on Thursday evening at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City. 

The Tina Fey comedy was originally set to debut at NBC before heading over to Netflix in November. 

We attended the event premiering the first two episodes of the series and were welcomed by a room full of monitors playing ads for new and returning Netflix series including "Daredevil" and "House of Cards." IPads on tables streamed episodes of "Friends" and the Netflix original series "BoJack Horseman."  

Couches were covered with Netflix pillows, and artwork from series favorites adorned the walls.

The coolest part of the shindig were the drinks.  

Five beverages had names drawn from the worlds of the Netflix series "Grace and Frankie,""Orange is the New Black,""Bloodline,""House of Cards," and "Bojack Horseman." 

Here's the full list:

Gin and Frankie (for "Grace and "Frankie")
Dorothy Parker gin, honey, lemon juice

The Slammer (for "Orange is the New Black")
Pueblo Viejo Blanco tequila, cranberry juice, fresh orange juice, lime juice

The Bitter Bloodline (for "Bloodline")
Gordon's gin, campari, sweet vermouth, served with an orange twist

The Underwood (for "House of Cards")
Evan Williams whiskey, dash of angostura bitters, sugar cube

Bojack & Coke ("Bojack Horseman")
Jack Daniels whiskey, coke, served with a maraschino cherry

Our drink of choice? We went straight for coming series "Bloodline," better known as a Negroni. But if this was an event for "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," where was her drink?

She had a table full of popcorn and candy that included Twizzlers, Snickers, Twix, and M&Ms. (It will make more sense after watching the first episode of the series when it premieres March 6.)

SEE ALSO: Here's how Netflix snagged Tina Fey's new show from NBC

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NOW WATCH: The trailer for the final season of 'Mad Men' is here

Apple users have been paying money for a ringtone on the iTunes Store that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.

No, BlackBerry hasn't tricked people as part of a viral marketing campaign. It's related to the hit Netflix show "House of Cards," a TV series about politicians in the US. Just like in real life, most of the politicians in the show use BlackBerry phones.

Here's a still from the show depicting lead character Frank Underwood with his trusty BlackBerry:

And here's what the ringtone sounds like:

What you know as Frank Underwood's ringtone is actually the default BlackBerry "Spirit" ringtone that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.

Ringtone companies are selling knockoff versions of BlackBerry Spirit because "House of Cards" has made it so distinctive.

While the BlackBerry ringtone is still free, there are lots of versions of  the "House of Cards ringtone" up for sale on the iTunes Store. For example, this is what you see when you search for "House of Cards" in the ringtone section of the iTunes Store:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do

Netflix released another trailer for the third season of its smash-hit original series "House of Cards," and it's scary as hell.

The 30-second clip suggests the Underwoods, having officially become the first couple, may be in over their heads. The trailer's eerie mood can be largely attributed to the use of the unsettling song"Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of War Drums" by the band A Perfect Circle. 

The new season premieres on Netflix on Friday.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Kelly did everything he could to stay under the radar.

"For a year, I've had to keep everything so secret," he said. "I feel awful for having to lie, but what else could I do?"

So lie he did. And if you don't know what he lied about, you might want to stop reading right here.

Kelly, of course, rode strong on Netflix's political thriller "House of Cards" in its first two seasons as the sotto-voce psycho Doug Stamper, the glowering henchman to Francis Underwood (series star Kevin Spacey) in his rise from House Whip to vice president to POTUS.

But as Underwood schemed his way into the White House at the tail end of last season, an even more startling thing occurred: Stamper was bashed in the head with a rock by an assailant and left for dead.

Now it can be told: Stamper lives! And he, in Kelly's staunch portrayal, resumes his driven, devilish mission as "Cards" unveils its 13-episode third season Friday on the Netflix website.

Stamper's survival was a secret that, against all odds in this post-secret era, almost went the distance. A consensus held firm among the "House of Cards" faithful: Stamper was dead, with Kelly regrettably out of the series.

In Baltimore, where "Cards" was shooting its third season, Kelly had taken pains to wear a hat and contact lenses rather than his usual glasses when out in public, and if approached with the inquiry, "What are YOU doing here?" he'd explain, "I'm a producer" or "These are my friends I'm coming back to visit."

That was then.

"To be able to speak freely! It's been a year," said Kelly over omelets with a reporter recently. It was his first chance to break his silence, his first chance to explain to "Cards" fans (whose gratitude that Stamper was alive might be unsettled by annoyance at having been misled) that his survival was no cheap trick.

When the scene was shot with Stamper unconscious on the ground in woods outside Washington, Kelly said he got clear directions: "You're breathing. It's very, very shallow breathing," and he demonstrated his near-death status for his breakfast companion, complete with a microscopic twitch of an eye.

From February 2014, when Season 2 premiered, the secret held. That is, until Netflix let its own cat out of the bag. Just a few days after the chat with Kelly, Netflix inadvertently posted new episodes online in what it termed a "technical glitch," very briefly but long enough for alert Web surfers to pounce, turning a leak into a social-media geyser.

As a handful of viewers glimpsed then, and everybody else can behold now, Stamper begins the season in a hospital battered and bruised and suffering from severe brain damage. He faces lengthy rehabilitation, a state all the more cruel for keeping him sidelined from his cherished role as the president's right-hand man.

"He's so different now from the character I played the first two years!" said Kelly. "But when someone suffers a brain injury, the variables of what can happen to that person are so vastly different. Playing him, I was more challenged than I've ever been as an actor."

It was a bit more rudimentary when Kelly won the part.

"('Cards' creator) Beau Willimon told me, 'Here's the deal: I don't want to ever see you emote,'" Kelly recalled with a laugh. "I said, 'OK, I can do that.'"

Born in Philadelphia, Kelly, 45, grew up near Atlanta and, after college in South Carolina, headed to New York and studied at the Actors Studio while making ends meet with jobs that ranged from waiting tables and construction to working in a consignment shop for high-end designers "where women brought in Hermes bags they no longer wanted."

He landed roles in such films as "Man on the Moon," ''Changeling," ''Now You See Me" and "Man of Steel," and the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill," as well as being a regular on "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior." This fall he will be seen in "Everest," a historical action-adventure film in which he stars as Jon Krakauer opposite Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal and his "Cards" co-star Robin Wright.

He modestly described his career as a slow build, "little step by little step."

But it was a giant step into "House of Cards" and the chilling anti-hero he brought to life. Meanwhile, Kelly's own manner — animated, easygoing — is unexpected evidence of his skill for transformation.

"Every interview I've ever done, they say, 'You SMILE!'" Kelly noted with amusement. "But you want to know the truth? That's all I ever do. I feel so blessed to be doing what I do, it's pretty easy for me to smile."

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The Emmy-winning series "House of Cards" returned to Netflix on Friday. 

The show's lead character, Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, is known for his signature asides in which he breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the viewers.

More of these moments will occur in season three, but do you know how many times it has happened on the show so far?

Dadaviz's Jody Sieradzki made an infographic breaking down Underwood's camera asides over 26 episodes. Underwood noticeably made fewer comments to the audience in season two. 

The graphic also breaks down how many threats Underwood has made and the number of murders he has committed per season.

Check it out below.

Season three of "House of Cards" became available to stream on Netflix on Friday at midnight Pacific Time. 

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NOW WATCH: The new trailer for Season 3 of 'House of Cards' is terrifying

To be clear,"House of Cards" has excellent cinematography.

Every shot is composed with precision and austere elegance, all emphasizing the cold, calculating world of Frank Underwood.

In this podcast interview, the series cinematographer Igor Martinovik elaborates on how the show uses its visual style to emphasize its story; for instance, the camera never pans and tilts at the same time, helping create a sense of stillness.

But, that consistent excellence includes one trait so consistent it becomes baffling.

Almost every single frame of this show is composed to place a pale blue object in the foreground with a pale yellow light in the background.

Now, sometimes the foreground object is more black than blue, sometimes the background veers toward a sickly green, sometimes they're outside and the background is necessarily blue or black sky, but once you begin noticing this particular habit of the "House of Cards" color palette, it is hard to unsee.

I became so obsessed with this quirk I had to make a video demonstrating it. I chose three episodes from seasons one and two, scrubbed randomly through them, and excerpted a shot from the scenes I landed on. Every scene I found contained this color combination. Check it out above.

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NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do