Wednesday, January 18, 2017

What I’m Watching: The Affair


The Affair: Season 3, Episode 8 (A-)

This was the best episode this show has produced in a long time, and I think the main reason for that may have been that we didn’t see Noah at all. I don’t think that he’s necessarily the problem, but his current plotline involving a mystery assailant, probably a vindictive guard, being after him, just isn’t as good as the rest of what this show has to offer. Luisa being the one to go on the stand and say that she’s not a fan of Alison but that she deserves to have shared custody was a game changer, and I think it’s because she’s finally able to separate Alison from Cole. The fact that, after lashing out at Alison because he didn’t think he could trust her and then jumping down her throat when she came to share good news about her new job prospect, he still can’t get her out of his head, and the only reason that he won’t stop pretending not to love her is because he’s not Noah doesn’t make him a particularly good man. It’s also not terribly fair to Luisa, but this was an episode of general female forgiveness for Alison as Helen too came to share a drink with her and barely lob any intense accusations her way. I think that Alison’s advice to Cole about trying to be a happy asshole instead of a miserable hero could work well, and coming from her, it means a lot considering how miserable she’s been for so long. Noah is obviously not the solution, but I think everyone on this show needs to decide what could really make them happy and stop focusing on what makes them unhappy.

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