Sunday, December 18, 2016

What I’m Watching: The Affair


The Affair: Season 3, Episode 3 (B+)

I was very surprised when I saw the opening title card of this episode with Juliette’s name on it. I didn’t realize that she was going to be entitled to her own perspective since we just met her, but I guess the important part of this show is that it has to do with affairs centered around Noah and Alison, and there are plenty of people involved in that as the web of sex and lust just keeps growing. Juliette is undeniably a great character, and it was interesting to watch her just take in her students arguing about consent, contributing that sex might not survive since the articulate is the enemy of erotic. She’s awfully open about everything with her students, as Sarah Ramos’ Audrey showed up to proclaim that she hates Noah but all she can think about is having sex with him, and then Mike stayed behind for some intense sex of his own with his professor. Juliette has her own complicated marriage, and it’s very fortuitous that she stopped by Noah’s place just in time to save him from certain death from that stab wound and all that blood. I like that Noah’s subsequent perspective took right over from that very moment, continuing the story as Noah flashed back, in his delirium, to his time in prison. I saw Brendan Fraser’s name in the credits during the season premiere but didn’t spot him on the show, and it took me a minute to recognize him as the guard who was initially very friendly to Noah and then turned immediately into someone cruel, apparently horrible enough to Noah to make him think that he was the one who stabbed him. My favorite part of the episode was when Noah had to take a guess at which woman showed up at the hospital claiming to be his wife, with the far too domineering Helen proving to be the one. Telling her that she could stay but needed to stop talking was a great line, and she took it without any protest. I really wish we’d see more of Jennifer Esposito, who was great in one short scene as Noah’s sister. She should be on every show. Hopefully she’ll be back next time Noah is the focus of an episode.

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