House of cards: Our in-house scriptwriters dish the dirt on season three

The hit political drama House of Cards launches into its third season today.

Our resident Underwood addicts, TJ Strydom and Yolisa Mkele, predict what they think will happen in one of the world's least predictable shows.

Frank Underwood is not the kind of president to kick back and fade into obscurity.

This man is going to start a war. He will send US troops to foreign shores to protect an amorphous personal interest.

Frank will replace Doug Stamper, his loyal henchman, with the sleazy new aide who has been helping him and Claire lie to the public. If that lobbyist Remy Danton is still around, the president will destroy him.

Expect Claire to develop a conscience. We saw the first pangs of emotion last season, but she's buried too much too shallowly. She'll crack and do something very unfortunate for the presidency.

Don't forget about rehabilitated prostitute Rachel Posner - who knows too much. Frank, probably using his Secret Service thug Meecham, will get rid of her. And that hacker guy we saw last season, he's probably still around. But let's see how Frank deals with a cyber threat. I'm guessing "control-alt-delete" - with the emphasis on control. - TJ Strydom

One of four things will kill Frank's plans for world domination:

• The Stamper/Posner debacle: Underwood's role in gubernatorial nominee and ally Peter Russo's death is likely to return to bite him in his presidential seat warmer. Season two ended with Posner, the former prostitute and murder accomplice, bludgeoning his henchman, Stamper, with a rock and fleeing into the night. Expect blackmail to follow.
• Republicans: Nothing irritates an opposition party more than seeing one of their sworn enemies ascend to the throne by bypassing due process. There is likely to be an almighty uproar from the GOP, replete with investigations, commissions and melodramatic pleas to the public about the death of democracy. A number of Underwood skeletons could rattle out of the closet.
• Re-election: What's the point of becoming the most powerful man in the world if you can't stay there? Unfortunately, democracies have an annoying tendency to hold elections. For all their strengths, Frank and Claire are not universally loved. It may have something to do with their inability to smile. Staying No1 is harder than getting there.
• Team Underwood: One thing we have learnt in House of Cards is that, as long they remain a team, no power on earth can stop the Underwoods in their quest for world domination. They can lie, murder and intimidate their way out of any situation and still come out squeaky.
• Season three of 'House of Cards' will air on DStv 102