When Kevin Spacey and David Fincher started developing their upcoming TV show House of Cards (based on the British mini-series) without a network attached, we anticipated a bidding war. What we couldn’t have expected — because it’s never happened before — is that Netflix would swoop in and outbid suitors like HBO and AMC with a staggering two-season, 26-episode commitment. In one fell swoop, the streaming giant not only picked up a marquee series (which will star Spacey, with Fincher directing the pilot), but also upended the way television deals are made: Never before has anyone made such an up-front commitment to a one-hour drama, and suffice it to say, it’s a landmark move away from networks and towards a new Internet-derived future, as well.