To Play the King is a 1993 BBC television serial, the second part of the House of Cards trilogy. Directed by Paul Seed, the serial was based on the Michael Dobbs novel of the same name and adapted for television by Andrew Davies. It details the conflict between British Prime Minister Francis Urquhart and a newly crowned king. The book and TV serialisation follow on from the TV version of the first part of the trilogy. To Play the King reflect upon the end of the first series which saw Urquhart murder journalist Mattie Storin before becoming Prime Minister.