Round Two: The Affair

The Affair: Season 1, Episode 2 (B+)

This show was definitely appealing in its second hour, maintaining its format of showing half the episode from Noah’s perspective and the other from Alison’s and also continuing to position its events relative to someone’s murder in the present day resulting in the interrogation of both parties. What’s interesting is just how different their recollected experiences are, particularly in Noah saying that he spent $12 at her stand and Alison remembering him buying one of everything for a grand total of $40. Noah describing Alison as disaster was intriguing, and his inability to remember his wife’s birth year was also noteworthy. I’m ready to see where this relationship goes, and happy to see that Helen and Cole are still substantial characters, not relegated to just the role of discarded spouse. Helen fixing Alison’s outfit was a particularly impactful moment, and Noah wasn’t shy about his distaste for his father-in-law after he spoke negatively about Alison. Even the kids get to play a big part in the overarching saga of this forbidden romance, which makes things all the more engaging. Martin jumped at the chance to work on the ranch, and this show has woven quite an interconnected web by making Cole his new mentor. Whitney was not shy about saying hello to the boys, and we got to see that Cole didn’t go for the flirtation, which makes his and Helen’s inevitable discovery of Noah and Alison’s affair all the more likely to truly sting and do lasting damage to both marriage.