When you’re someone who watches as much television as I do, every evening presents you with the question ‘why am I still watching this?’ I’ve found that the more I watch, the less patience I have for television that doesn’t compel me, or simply doesn’t make me feel good at the end of the episode. The Affair , belongs to the first category. The series traces the life of a struggling, married writer, Noah Solloway (Dominic West), who jumps headfirst into an affair with a waitress, Alison (Ruth Wilson), jeopardising not only his life, but also the lives of those around him. The third season premièred last week, jumping three years from where the last season finished. Noah has just completed his term in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and is back in the city, trying to put his previous life back together. He’s living with his sister, who’s the only person who believes his innocence, and has a part-time job teaching writing at a reputed university.
His wife, Helen (Maura Tierney) seems to be hopeful of reviving their relationship, although Alison doesn’t want to hear from him again. His children and his new students aren’t very fond of him either. He does, however, meet an attractive French professor at the university, and in typical Noah Solloway fashion, makes his love life more complicated than it actually is. Noah also seems to be plagued with disturbing dreams and visions of his time in prison (which includes Brendan The Mummy Fraser as a scary-looking prison guard), so even though the third season has done the time hop, we can be sure that it’ll explore Noah’s stint in prison, and how it changed him.
The reason the obviously unoriginal premise of an affair works well is because the story is woven through the perspectives of each of the characters, and takes into account their memory biases. As a viewer, you’ve to bring your own objectivity, and you never really know who ‘the good guy’ is, or even whom to root for. The first episode of this season is all Noah, but the show’s creators have announced that the story will move through five characters (as opposed to the previous season’s count of four), so this is a season where you’ll be required to pay more attention than ever.
I’m quite old-fashioned when it comes to viewing order, but strangely, I’ve found that watching the current episodes, and then going back to the previous ones makes you appreciate The Affair more as a show, than you would if you went in order. So, if you’re new to the series, I’d recommend that you begin with the third season, which is barely two episodes old, before you start catching up on the previous seasons. Each episode begins with a rather comprehensive recap, so you’re not going to feel like you’ve missed anything massive, either. I must warn you, however, that The Affair is not some kind of commentary on modern marriage. It’s dark, dramatic, and drives home the point that nothing is ever what it seems.
( The Affair is presently telecast on Star World Premiere HD.)
