User reviews

My wife and I just binge watched the five seasons of The Affair. It's an addictive show to watch, certainly because the way the story is been told. The plot unfolds slowly by telling the story like each character sees it, or remembers it. Each character sees or remembers the story differently and that's what made this show stands out from the rest. You never really know who tells the truth or lies. The different characters probably think their version of the facts is the truth. It's just about their perspective of the facts, it's about how people see things differently and are convinced their version is the only truth. The first three seasons are better than the last two but overall it's a satisfying show to watch. A very good cast made it all more believable. No actor or actress really stands out, they just all delivered in their own way. Maybe the writers did at one point overdo it, with too many affairs and sorts, and that's why I thought the last two seasons were not of the same quality as the first three. For a drama series it's captivating and entertaining. Much better than the daily soaps with the same gossip stories we are bombarded every day.

The affair is a deliberately slow- paced,beautifully shot,compelling show. The 2 main characters recount their truth in regards of the forming of "the affair" with a crime mystery in the background as an excuse to do so . We, as viewers,must decide and deduct our truth from their accounts. I love the psychological aspect of this show. In fact it's the main reason for my watching. How a very same event is viewed and felt and told differently from the people who experienced it.If you enjoy this show, I would recommend you also read "The One" by Vivienne Harris-Scott. The premise is nearly the same: what happens when 2 people fall in love when they should not.Each chapter is told from one person's Pov as Alison and Noah's, and it is as compelling to read, if not more,as there is also a suspense element. In fact, I had Déjà- vu when watching the first 3 episodes!Anyhow, with this as with H.Levi's " in treatment " Showtime has hit the jackpot. A mature and sophisticated audience will thoroughly enjoy this.

The theme has been done to death, but this time prepare to be pleasantly surprised, for the execution of this short series is quite good and features not only lust but also the characters' psychological descent as influenced by loss, poor communication, and bad parenting.

I have just finished the entire first season, and I must say, it was not at all what I expected. I thought it would be a simple, sexy, scandalous story full of clichés; instead I found myself more and more drawn to a deeper, psychologically complex drama that perfectly illustrates how there are three sides to each story: his version, her version, and the truth. Expect solid performance, melancholic scenery, careful art direction, and excellent choice of costumes as per each character's persona.

Oh and you have got to love the opening theme performed by Fiona Apple.

I troubled myself to understand the thing that makes this show so seductive, so different. To discover what is the ingredient that creators ably slipped into this immensely emotional and sensual potion. Something that imbues this show to its firm core. After a long consideration, I realized, that this one thing I was looking for is nonexistent. Because this show in its entirety is that special thing. The combination of intriguing, complex characters, empathy that they draw from the viewers. Mystery, that so elegantly dances through the plot, while hypnotizing us to follow its perfectly composed, unpredictable step. Casual, compelling, conversations that silently pull you even deeper down this beautifully directed world. By telling this story through the eyes of the characters, we find out that their view of the same situations vary. Not only that they see or understand something through their psychological state, this multi-character experience exposes us to realization that each person is living a life as vivid and complex as our own. This would be impossible to achieve if not the breathtaking actors and actresses that catapult this show to another dimension, yet never more close to humanity, to now, to us.

They don't make tv shows like this. This is drama at its best. Superb writing and cast of actors, so much talent in this one show. I wished there were 10 seasons of this because it never gets old, it never gets tiring or dull or pointless like many other shows do. Probably season 4 is my favourite because we have travelled so far with these characters that they feel like friends now or people we care about, so human and so fragile and imperfect and real. I love that the show doesnt focus on just Alison and Noah, because the rest of characters are equally fascinating, like Helen, Cole, Ben... all their individual stories matter and their interactions and views make this show riveting. The script is beautifully written, all full of nuances and subtle details that make you pay attention, no words are wasted, there are no filling scenes. Wonderfully shot too with brilliant cinematography, just beautiful. Its a show about people and nothing else, and that's why its so fascinating and unique. I wish it would never end.

Season 1 deserves a 10 star rating in my opinion. Loved the 2nd season as well. Afterwards, it's just an okay show but since I fell in love with (some of) the characters I just had to continue watching it till the end. Overall, I think they focused on too many other things like Whitney's story, also Joanie's in the future. It didn't catch my attention, at times I found it quite boring and unnecessary. In later seasons, the parts that were told from Noah's and Helen's perspective were by far the most interesting ones.

Good show with a brilliant season 1 and 2 but sadly with a lot of flaws in later seasons.

Love this series, the way the episodes play out showing both sides of the story from two different perspectives is brilliant. The acting is superb! Ruth Wilson won best actress award for her character in this show, and well deserved! I only wish Dominic West had also won, although he was nominated! Anyone who gives this series a bad review simply does not understand great writing! It's very intriguing to see how two sides to the same story are similar, yes, but very different at the same time! I thought I would just like the show and maybe watch it "On Demand" when nothing else was on, but I love this show and can not wait to see what the writers have planned for season 2!

Alternative titles for Season 3:

• Between Absurd and Divine
• Sex Cures Everything

This review is based on the series through Season 3. If imdb.com allows editing, I will update upon finishing season 4.

The Affair is an intriguing menagerie of self-analysis, self-righteousness, compelling raw psychological drama, and absurdity.

Seasons 1 and 2 contain a full storyline with a little, but just a little, padding. The drama is rich, the feelings are raw, the tension is real. The tiny pixels leap off the screen into your mind, body, and soul. They compel tears, angst, occasional laughter, feelings of triumph, feelings of despair.

Season 3 is an uneven departure that vacillates between deeply moving psychodrama and meaningless French rabbit trails. Half the episodes provide a worthy progression of the story; the other half will leave you wondering is Season 4 will redeem the series.

One consistency, however, is that superfluous sex scenes (and, to a slightly less jarring effect, liberal profanity) are a signature of the show. At times, this phenomenon undermines the show's virtousity. It also undermines the progression of the characters, and that applies to EACH of the four main characters. Are they so immature and emotionally stuck that they consistently turn to impetuous sex as a vapid form of immediate relief? Does none of these four adults ever mature, despite the life-altering things happening to them that would tend to accelerate maturity? Maybe we viewers are not accustomed to such a real-life slow progression to maturity and self-awareness.

After season 2, I would have rated the show an 8, an unusually high rating for me. You can see that season 3 brought the rating down to a 7. Similar to how the color episodes of The Andy Griffith Show should not have happened. Well, that's a little harsh; season 3 isn't THAT bad.

Would I recommend the show? Heartily. Even Season 3. Just be ready to accept the flaws and enjoy the many mountaintops.

The Affair is one of the few recent productions on TV which deals with the hard psychology of man woman relations and its myriad entanglements. An affair between two married people is largely a narrative device through which the series explore what drives men and women to seek out risk, love, chaos and meaning throwing all the comforts of a "settled" life to the bin. Though there is a moralistic angle to it, but its kept at the sidelines with the primary focus being the psychological subtleties of love and betrayal. One can say that the series is heavily driven by pitch- perfect reactions of characters to each other and the ambiguity of desire. Jealousy and possessiveness haunts the characters in the initial part of the story where an affair, quite necessarily is creating new avenues for the intensity of desire to gush forth. There are lives being left behind in the promise of a better one and the collateral damage to the once dear. Season 1 is concerned with the question of carnality as a means to feel alive again. The greatness of the story lies in its astute understanding that men and women are similar in some ways and different in many others. Desire is the self trying to complete itself through another but men and women understand completeness differently many times and this creates timeless problems between them.

Season 2 deals with the aftermath of the affair and I think there is a lot said here about what are the fundamentals of any relationship which determines which relationship lasts and which fails. One of the most brilliant aspects of the second season is the way it brings out the life is approached differently by men and women. What gives life meaning is not a solved question and in pursuit of what one considers meaningful, we are ready to make many subtle self- deceptions. Many times, complexity is just weakness given a flair of rhetoric. At the end of our lives when we are less driven blindly to achieve and more likely to take a dispassionate view of life, much of what we called "complexities of life" will turn out to be a desire to avoid responsibility. Neither man nor woman has the absolute answer to what a good life is. Perhaps we can someday realize that its always in the middle that the answer lies. Mean while, The Affair can teach us how to reflect on these questions and find our own answers

It's such a pitty they weren't able to follow through the original story. Starting season 3 they are going full bananas... nothing makes sense anymore, it's boring and gets a soap opera smell. It's like GoT with his season 8. What a dissapointment...

Love this show - never leave reviews- but after watching the series finale I had to. This show is unbelievably beautiful. It will make you laugh, cry, scratch your heard, and wonder what the heck is going on. But most importantly, it always leaves you wanting more. The last episode was so perfect- I won't ruin it for those who have not seen yet but I am telling you this show is so awesome and is a must watch!!!

I loved the interactions and the dialogues between Helen and Noah in the last episodes of season 5. As someone that recently divorced and does not hate my ex, I enjoyed the courage and candid way in which they talked about everything, and they go through their flaws and virtues. Kudos to the script writers! I am yet to go through the last two episodes again and review the dialogues in depth. There were a couple of occasions where Helen and Noah fully replicated my current feelings. I was really moved! Maura Tierney is my absolute favorite and I hope she gets awarded again. In my opinion, other stories and characters of season 5 (Sasha, Joanie, the fotographer) were totally dispensable. But, the Helen - Noah line was great and made it up for the season. And yes, season 1 are 2 are still the best!

The series finale of The Affair was terrific! Perfect ending. Acting, writing,closing of story themes were all brilliant. The music choices added to the brilliance of the finale. It opened with the The Whole of the Moon (1985 hit)by the Waterboys and ended also with a new poignant rendition of The Whole of the Moon by Fiona Apple. Fiona Apple was the artist who sang the opening theme song.

I wish this show chose a different path. Season 1 was amazing and season 2 was great. Noah's storyline in Season 3 & 4 have been horrendous to the point where I skip them. I wish they stuck to the original cast and their complexities and didn't add in so many unnecessary characters and relationships. I'm just watching it to finish the series, but I wouldn't even bother after season 2.

Setting: Picturesque, folksy, idyllic, New England seaside tourist/fishing village town. Plot: Male (Dominic West) novel writing work/summer vacation with wife and children, meets and gets drawn into the life of married local woman (Ruth Wilson).

Appreciate the complexity, undisclosed undercurrents, the conflicted psychology of the main characters, all the while, aware of the cloaked elephant in the room.

Story told similar to True Detective's style with the detective's interviews of the affairees shown remembrances, somehow relating to whatever is going to happen. One half is his side, the other half, hers.

Lots of sideways glimpses of character and intentions, challenging what you thought you understood.

I never left a review before, but with all the bad comments about season 5, I needed to state I was addicted to this show from day 1 and never stopped loving it, but I've always believed the last episode from a series will ultimately define the quality of it. The season finale and the end of the show was absolutely perfect: beautiful, emotional and closing the perfect circle. I don't have enough words to describe how caught I was with Dominic West and Maura Tierney; I can just say I will truly miss these characters now that they are gone!!!