Support NeoGAF

[RatskyWatsky]

The third season of Showtime's acclaimed drama series 'The Affair' - which stars Dominic West, Maura Tierney, Ruth Wilson, and Joshua Jackson - premieres Sunday, November 20 at 10/9c. The third season will consist of ten episodes.

The season three premiere has been released early on a variety of different platforms - free on YouTube and Sho.com.

At once deeply observed and intriguingly elusive, 'The Affair' explores the emotional effects of an extramarital relationship. Noah is a New York City schoolteacher and novelist who is happily married, but resents his dependence on his wealthy father-in-law. Alison is a young waitress trying to piece her life and marriage back together in the wake of a tragedy. The provocative drama unfolds when Alison and Noah meet in Montauk at the end of Long Island.

Award-winning playwright and writer/producer Sarah Treem (House of Cards, In Treatment) wrote the original script from a story created with Hagai Levi. They first worked together on the American adaption of Levi’s show In Treatment.

Videos:

• The Affair Season 3 | Official Trailer
  
• Dominic West on Noah Solloway
• Maura Tierney on Helen Solloway
• Ruth Wilson on Alison Bailey
• Joshua Jackson on Cole Lockhart
  
• Seasons 1 & 2 Recap

Reviews:

Dark and thrilling, The Affair returns with a huge wallop--and glorious French star Irène Jacob is in the house.

Maura Tierney's Helen continues to hold the emotional center, while Ruth Wilson's Alison is as haunting as ever.

The Affair continues to keep us intrigued, which is always an accomplishment worth noting; we’ll definitely be watching as Season 3 proceeds. If only because the show has built up a rich tapestry beyond its most problematic character.

 

[biosnake20]

Can't wait for them to re-air season 2.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Can't wait for them to re-air season 2.

lmao I know I fucked it up. pm'd a mod

 

[SunDimension24]

Are we going to find out who killed season 3 and made it season 2 again

Spoiler

excited for this Sunday! Wonder how Noah is going to deal with prison

 

[redhood56]

This is such a god tier show so excited.

 

[Discotheque]

whooo so in for this. the murder plot got really soap-operaish but i think the acting from all 4 leads has been great and props this show up. especially ruth in season 1 and dominic west and maura in season 2.

didn't know it was starting so soon. hyped.

 

[30yearsofhurt]

Fucking McNulty...

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Thanks for the OT. I enjoyed the first episode. Not happy about having another Sunday show to watch but I'm glad The Affair is back.

I hope we get more episodes from Helen's perspective this year.

 

[Wollan]

Been looking forward to this. Dominic West is an incredibly talented actor.

 

[UrbanRats]

whooo so in for this. the murder plot got really soap-operaish but i think the acting from all 4 leads has been great and props this show up. especially ruth in season 1 and dominic west and maura in season 2.

didn't know it was starting so soon. hyped.

Yup, basically my opinion, too.
The therapist episode of season 2 was great.

Even though he grew as a character in season 2 though, i want to see more from Cole, he's a bit too clichè reliant for my taste, so far.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I completely forgot what my opinion of season 2 was. Like, I don't even remember how much I liked or disliked it (and how I felt about it compared to season 1). That's weird.

Anyway, I thought the premiere was good, though I'm disappointed that they, for some inexplicable reason, decided to

Spoiler

tack on yet another (murder?) mystery subplot. Especially when the murder mystery was the most maligned aspect of the first two seasons. I've always felt that the interpersonal drama was more than strong enough to carry the premise on its own, and it seems to me like most feel the same way, so I'm honestly baffled that the writers have doubled down on it.

Also,

Spoiler

why did Noah only go away for 3 years after he confessed to a murder? Shouldn't he be in for at least a couple decades?

Season 3, Episode 1 Spoilers

Spoiler

- Loved loved loved the dinner party scene. This show is at its best when you just have characters having heated conversations. It's fun to see the writers of the show look at criticisms that people may have had with scenes in the show, and then address them in universe.

Completely agree, that was a fantastic scene.

Spoiler

The French professor is a great addition to the cast.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

New episode tonight!

301

Spoiler

Season 3 begins with Noah being haunted by a recent hardship and struggling to navigate the challenges of his old life while trying to adapt to a new one. A new love interest isn't enough to overcome a sense of dread. And someone is watching him.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Also,

Spoiler

why did Noah only go away for 3 years after he confessed to a murder? Shouldn't he be in for at least a couple decades?

Completely agree, that was a fantastic scene.

Spoiler

The French professor is a great addition to the cast.

Spoiler

I'm thinking he must have caught a very light sentence on a vehicular homicide charge. Maybe a nice plea deal? Somehow the determination that it was an accident must have come up. So I could see taking the hit for Helen but that light of a sentence...must have come up that he didn't intentionally do it.

French professor is so great. I have to imagine Noah is alive, otherwise her story would end right there. I'm scared to find out what's going on with the prison story. It's going to be so fucked up, I just know it.

 

[-Stranger-]

No one watching this anymore?

 

[CreepingFear]

No one watching this anymore?

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure Showtime did a good job promoting this as I think I just found out the season premiered tonight. I'm excited though.

 

[-Stranger-]

First episode is really good

 

[Grizzlyjin]

No one watching this anymore?

I'm with this show until the end. Sometimes the bigger elements like the murder mystery angle are completely uninteresting to me, but the nitty gritty moments between characters are where they hit it out of the park. They keep giving me those "real" moments and I'll keep coming back.

I say no way is Noah dead. Attacked, yeah. But there has to be more to his story moving forward. Obviously filling in the gaps of his time in prison but I wanna see where his new relationship might go.

 

[CreepingFear]

I'm not ready for scary fat Brendan Frasier.

 

[Chumley]

S3 premiere was solid, some really nice moments but a few lame melodramatic ones too (as usual). Ending was lol worthy though, of course Noah doesn't die.

 

[-Stranger-]

Did anyone else think that.

Spoiler

Maybe Noah slit his own throat and the guy stalking him was just his imagination and paranoia

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Spoiler

I'm thinking he must have caught a very light sentence on a vehicular homicide charge. Maybe a nice plea deal? Somehow the determination that it was an accident must have come up. So I could see taking the hit for Helen but that light of a sentence...must have come up that he didn't intentionally do it.

But then why are people treating him like he's an evil murderer?

 

[Lego Boss]

I want to watch this from the beginning in the UK, but it's only on Sky/Now TV I guess? Can't see it on Netflix opr Prime.

Mot giving Murdoch any of my money, no matter how good the TV.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

But then why are people treating him like he's an evil murderer?

I'm thinking that to the layman, it's all the same. He killed a guy with his car and the circumstances are muddled. Perhaps people think he got off on a technicality. His personal life being laid out for the public might have played a part too.

 

[pieface]

Did anyone else think that.

Spoiler

Maybe Noah slit his own throat and the guy stalking him was just his imagination and paranoia

Kinda, I personally think that

Spoiler

When Noah was in prison he got shanked by a prison officer, which was also the cause of his muscle pains he's having. He's afraid that the same prison officer is coming to find him now he's out of prison. He's so scared/paranoid about it he keeps seeing him everywhere. In the final stage of episode one, I don't believe Noah is actually bleeding at all, I think it's in his head and he's reliving the previous trauma

Though, that's a guess.

 

[Don Draper's Hat]

Kinda, I personally think that

Spoiler

When Noah was in prison he got shanked by a prison officer, which was also the cause of his muscle pains he's having. He's afraid that the same prison officer is coming to find him now he's out of prison. He's so scared/paranoid about it he keeps seeing him everywhere. In the final stage of episode one, I don't believe Noah is actually bleeding at all, I think it's in his head and he's reliving the previous trauma

Though, that's a guess.

That's EXACTLY how I see it too.

 

[TVexperto]

Just watched the second episode....worse than the first one. Noahs storyline is so much better

 

[dcelw540]

Noah looks like he could pull a Joel from the last of us with the beard.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Just watched the second episode....worse than the first one. Noahs storyline is so much better

Did they already put up the second episode on demand?

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Did they already put up the second episode on demand?

I was wondering the same thing. I saw the showrunner respond to someone about Episode 2 and was like zuh?!

 

[Discotheque]

Kinda, I personally think that

Spoiler

When Noah was in prison he got shanked by a prison officer, which was also the cause of his muscle pains he's having. He's afraid that the same prison officer is coming to find him now he's out of prison. He's so scared/paranoid about it he keeps seeing him everywhere. In the final stage of episode one, I don't believe Noah is actually bleeding at all, I think it's in his head and he's reliving the previous trauma

Though, that's a guess.

Seems plausible

Also lmao at Noah absolutely destroying that student in his class (cool to see her after parenthood btw). That was pure ether

Felt pretty bad seeing him look at that picture of Alison and also calling her. Man he is just completely caught up in her still

 

[biosnake20]

He's totally gonna have sex with that student.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

Allison is a fucking mess. Noah, I don't even. He comes across as pitiful, but then he says and does awful shit.

I like the doctor/poor man's Robert Downey Jr.


I miss college, is what this episode means. I was way more happier discussing race, sex, social upheavals in literature.

I'm an English major. 🤔

 

[MetalFearSolid]

So did Alison confess the truth about their daughter to Cole and him being the father?
I just making sure I didn't miss that last season, plus I understand there is a time skip this season.

 

[pieface]

Has episode 2 been released?

 

[Coxy100]

Not seen S3 yet. (first episode)

Loved the first season. 2nd season was still good but I didn't like the direction it went - I felt after everything they went through in S1 that Noah and Alison would be tight.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Has episode 2 been released?

I believe so, yes.

 

[biosnake20]

So are they going to be releasing new episodes early online for the rest of the season or is it just for the first two episodes?

 

[RatskyWatsky]

So are they going to be releasing new episodes early online for the rest of the season or is it just for the first two episodes?

Who knows!

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I have no idea about the early episode. It could be because of the holiday weekend, it could be something new they're doing to push the on-demand services.

For the longest time Starz didn't really care that episodes went up ahead of the tv premiere. You're paying for the service, be it via your cable provider, Hulu or Amazon Prime add-on, or their app. So all these premium channels probably couldn't care less how we watch it.

I'll probably save Episode 2 for later in the week. Gotta watch my cheesy CW shows first lol

 

[Deku Tree]

Wow what an awful start to s3. They should have ended it in the middle of s2 imo

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Wow what an awful start to s3.

What did you not like about it?

 

[Deku Tree]

What did you not like about it?

Slow burn was too slow. Even with the expected

Spoiler

shock ending.

Story feels like it has no where to go.

 

[dead souls]

Wow what an awful start to s3. They should have ended it in the middle of s2 imo

Awful? I loved it. Noah Solloway is both completely repulsive and an absolute blast to watch.

Plus how can I hate an episode that features the best Braverman even if she is revealed to be an awful writer.

 

[TripOpt55]

I was kind of waiting for the first episode to switch perspectives... and then it didn't. Not sure how I felt about that. The dual perspective is both a part of the appeal of the show and the cause of some of its problems.

Kinda, I personally think that

Spoiler

When Noah was in prison he got shanked by a prison officer, which was also the cause of his muscle pains he's having. He's afraid that the same prison officer is coming to find him now he's out of prison. He's so scared/paranoid about it he keeps seeing him everywhere. In the final stage of episode one, I don't believe Noah is actually bleeding at all, I think it's in his head and he's reliving the previous trauma

Though, that's a guess.

This is how I read things as well.

Went OnDemand (Comcast) to see the next episode after seeing people say it was available, but couldn't find it. No big deal, I can wait.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

New episode tonight!

302

Spoiler

A stern request from Noah leaves Helen devastated. Meanwhile, various pressures cause Helen and Vik to reexamine their relationship; and Alison's worst fears are realized when she returns to Montauk following a crisis.

 

[UrbanRats]

No one watching this anymore?

Not this, nor westworld, not even Rectify.
I just don't have time to do shit lately, can barely squeeze in a film every now and then and haven't touched a videogame in a long while (bought the Dark Souls 3 DLC and didn't even touch it, lol).
I did watch Young Pope episode 1 though, just because it's already over and seems short enough.

I hope i can find a better schedule in the future and go back to all this stuff.

 

[Don Draper's Hat]

Episode 2

Spoiler

Was that Allison ending real or all in her mind?

Both episodes have now ended with me questioning what's real.

Noah surely wasn't stabbed. Constant mentions of his drugs to relax his muscles makes me think he just tensed up really bad.

And then for Cole to just drop by Allison's with the kid seemed a little out of nowhere. Almost as if she imagined the whole thing.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

New episode tonight!

303

Spoiler

Juliette, running from secrets she left in Paris, looks for adventure and romance in America. Noah is an alluring prospect but a terrifying event blasts her hopes of a carefree affair. Meanwhile, Noah must fight like never before and try to make sense of what just occurred.

 

[Deku Tree]

Was ep2 better than ep1?

 

[CreepingFear]

So Brendan Frasier is some sort of repressed, secret homosexual right? Juliette does it for me.