The Affair

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Just wrapped ep 9 which was filled with some startling revelations and some powerhouse performances. Maura Tierney commanded the screen in part one as Helen tried to keep her world from unraveling after the article about Noah came out. I have to admit to being a little confused regarding these revelations about Noah's sexual escapades and I guess these things with these women happened during said time jumps. It was heartbreaking watching little Stacy read that story about that father. I'm also not thrilled about Sierra and the baby moving in with Dr. Vik's parents...that woman is a witch. Julia Goldani Telles did some strong work as Whitney faced some serious realities about the state of her messed up life right now. And why, after everything that's happened, would Helen all of a sudden come forward and claim everything is her fault, once again, letting Noah and the inability to keep his pants zipped, off the hook?



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The only thing I could think of was that Helen was still reeling over learning that Sasha had been the one to spill the beans to the Vanity Fair reporter in the first place, and that she fell for it ALL and set all that's happening in motion.

Of course, I don't agree that it's her fault -- how could she have known what Sasha would do? But I think watching that TV interview between Eden and that show host really got to her -- hearing herself belittled like that -- and she feels all this unnecessary guilt.

They sure are spinning everything out of control with only two episodes left. I see Whitney's story coming full circle, though, at least -- she's so much more mature than she was and far less self-centered. And I was glad to see Colin redeemed. Hard to believe they got me to change my mind about him in that ONE scene, after all this time.

Whitney's conversation on the plane was fascinating. Frankly, I tend to agree with her assessment of Audrey's situation: that Audrey shouldn't be ruining someone's complete career over hurt feelings (and not even actual sexual harassment in her particular case).

They're treating the MeToo movement with the multi-faceted complexities it contains, and I appreciate that. But I'm at a point where I don't even know who to root for anymore. Except I know I'm not rooting for Noah.



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I watched this early, with On Demand, so I'll say very little until others weigh in...

Except this:

WARNING: "spoilers re. episode 10" spoilers below
OH MY GOSH. What kind of nonsense was this? All that time wasted just so Noah and Helen could have a bunch of heartfelt conversations and a few near-death experiences to draw them back together? Sorry, it was frustratingly bad writing. Wasted 3/4 of an episode on this, when there are tons of characters waiting to wrap up their story arcs. Pleh. Good acting aside, the premise of this episode was ridiculous at this late stage.



What can I say? Ep 10 was absolutely dazzling entertainment. I've had pictures in my head for months about how I thought this show was going to wrap, and, of course, TPTB here have provided me with nothing I expected. That doesn't change the fact that I don't think I have ever been some completely mesmerized by an episode of this show as I was by this single episode. Bouquets all around for everyone involved, with particular nods to Dominic West and Maura Tierney, who killed it as Noah and Helen finally had the kind of confrontation that a lot of us had been hoping for. I've mentioned before that I thought this show would come full circle by concluding with Noah and Helen reconciling, but after everything they've been through together, a full blown reconciliation would be unrealistic, but I LOVED everything that happened in this episode. To think that the actions of the selfish, entitled, and unbelievably bratty Whitney would spark what happened to her parents was a the last thing I saw coming, not to mention setting it all against the canvas of a devastating brush fire destroying the canyon. I was literally holding my breath when Noah and Helen were climbing down that cliff and I loved the pre-rattler conversation as well, beautifully written and performed by the actors, both of whom deserve Emmys for their work in this episode alone. The sight of all those charred automobiles on the road...I got sad when I realized the couple expecting the baby that Helen picked up were dead. Just incredible television, curious to see how they're going to top this.



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I guess you and I finally part ways on this episode then. I found it way too convenient in terms of finding a way to isolate these two so that they could have a few deep conversations and open up to each other. Having been through a marriage that ended with a betrayal, I can tell you that, as far as Noah's actions and apologies to this point, I'd NEVERRRRRR take this guy back at this point. He's still too self-serving, even if he did carry Helen a mile. (That could easily have been out of a sense of guilt before he realized leaving the car had been the right decision.)

Anyway, I found the whole episode a stupidly contrived way to take a shortcut to true reconciliation. Even though their getting back together now seems completely inevitable, I just don't get a good feeling that this episode's revelations would necessarily lead to a permanent, solid marriage again for these two. No matter what they worked out in terms of the past, I just don't think Noah has really changed enough to be a good husband.

But perhaps I am jaded. I do know I didn't like the context of this episode. Contrived. Convenient. Out of left field. My two cents.

But yes, the acting was top-notch. Both of them were riveting, despite the backdrop of the episode itself.



i called it...I said weeks ago that this show would come full circle by having Noah and Helen reconcile. They sure made us wait for it, but it was worth the wait. I loved a drunken Helen in Noah's hotel room eating Pringle's. It was a little odd that Helen's father was in full blown Dimensia in Helen's episode but was having a "good day" in Whitney's. And I was blown away to learn that the guy romancing Joanie was Dr. Vik's baby all grown up. I so wanted Helen to raise him. Loved the flash mob and loved that Whitney got the lowdown on everything her father did for her wedding. I also loved that Noah set Joanie straight about her mother. Dominic West's old age makeup was terrible, but a tiny nitpick in what was a very respectful conclusion to this often bold and uncompromising drama.



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Agree on all of this. I wasn't sure they could do a satisfying finale after the weird pacing of the last few episodes. But they pulled it off beautifully. I didn't see the EJ = Eddie thing coming, either, but liked it when it happened.

I also liked the sly little bit that the novel Montauk that both Joanie and Noah were reading was written by his daughter Stacey. Looks like Helen had just recently died, too. 2051 on the tombstone. What year was that future stuff in? Something similar to that, right? So maybe she'd only been gone a few years.

I liked Noah telling Joanie to just do the difficult, brave thing... and liked that she did it. My first gut reaction was that she should have gone off with EJ (he was such a great character for such a NEW one)... but then realized the wisdom of what Noah had said to her. And the reunion with her family seemed genuine and satisfying.

Sad to see the show go... but it went out properly and I'm okay with it.