The Affair, Season 1, Episode 7: “7″
Written by Kate Robin
Directed by Ryan Fleck
Airs Sundays at 10 pm ET on Showtime
With the interrogation wrapping up, last week’s episode revealed a surprising secret about the Lockharts, bringing with it the end of the affair between Noah and Alison, a fact that was evident in both their narratives. This week sees the summer come to an end, and with it the Solloways’ time in Montauk. With the return to Brooklyn, however, comes the reveal of the affair to both Helen and Cole, and both of them react in different ways that is bound to inform the course of both marriages, in another compelling episode.
As the season has progressed, Noah’s true involvement in the affair has become clearer and clearer, as he has been unable to hide his guilt. This is most starkly evident in his confession to Helen in this week’s episode. The fact that he is unable to pin any of the blame of the affair on Helen marks a noticeable change in the story from the series premiere, where he was actively fending off the advances of strangers and Alison. Despite his lack of complete honesty, as well as the fact that it’s Oscar’s threat and subsequent panic attack that pushes Noah towards telling Helen, this nonetheless marks a strong litmus test for the character, as his story can now be taken with less skepticism, since he’s clearly telling his version of the truth, rather than a tale fabricated beyond just unreliable memory. With the affair now over and in the light, it will be intriguing to see how Noah’s home life is affected. While his statement that the relationship with Alison meant nothing is questionable, last week’s episode made it apparent that he was firmly back with Helen, his fantasy with Alison clearly broken by reality. However, the exposure of the affair, combined with the ongoing problems with Whitney, prove that his home life is going to be far from smooth sailing from here on out. Given Noah’s precedent for seeking escape from difficult situations, how he handles this will be very telling. At some point, going back to Alison may seem like the easier course of action for Noah, despite Alison’s marital status and the presence of Oscar. However, what he chooses to do when the going gets really tough will say a lot about the sincerity of everything he tells Helen this week.
Cole’s reaction to Alison’s infidelity, on the other hand, puts the latter at a noticeable crossroads. Alison’s crushing grief at Gabriel’s death, and her inability to move past it with people in Montauk, was clearly a key driver in her affair. However, her conversation with Cole this week, coupled with his decision to both sell the ranch and try to have another child, indicates that he’s now also ready to try and move on with Alison. With his actions this week marking a noticeable change in stance from his words last week, how Alison reacts will say a lot about how the affair has affected her. While her attraction to Noah was initially driven by a desire to be with someone who didn’t remind her of Gabriel, her subsequent meetings with Noah have indicated a level of closeness that goes beyond the initial attraction. Her actions this week also suggest a deeper level of affection, as her decision to go to Helen’s store and Noah’s house indicate that she’s not quite ready to let go of the affair just yet. With Cole now on her side, however, and the two of them making a joint effort to move on from Gabriel’s death, Alison now has the potential to create with Cole the thing she had with Noah, without the complications of infidelity or the question of whether her love will be reciprocated. If she still chooses to pursue a relationship with Noah, however, it will be a clear indicator that her time with him meant something more meaningful, something she would be unable to recreate with her husband. If this is the case, how Alison deals with her conflicting feelings, as well as how she deals with Cole if he moves away from the implicit promises he makes this week, will say a lot about her.
Overall, this episode continues the strong run of the show’s first season, feeling much like a season finale in the way it appears to bring the affair to a degree of resolution. It’s good to see Maura Tierney get a chance at the spotlight this week, as the return to Brooklyn, and subsequent exposure of the affair, gives Helen an opportunity to take centre stage. Tierney effectively convey’s the latter’s anger and heartbreak at the reveal of Noah’s adultery, especially in light of the infidelity of Helen’s father. It will be intriguing to see how Helen copes with this in the coming months. With the only person who might understand her situation, her mother, now far away, and Helen already accused of infidelity by Whitney, how Helen deals with what Noah tells her this week will speak volumes about the character, giving the audience their best look at what makes Helen tick to date. Joshua Jackson is similarly impressive in his turn as Cole, expressing the character’s anger and outpouring of grief in a believable manner, while pulling off the transition between emotions. With Scotty’s death imminent, how Cole deals with the loss of his brother will be worth keeping an eye on. As Cole reveals this episode, he found it difficult to move past the death of his father, and is only now beginning to move past the death of his son. Scotty’s death is likely to leave an impact just as big, and combined with Cole’s current emotionally fragile state, may significantly alter him forever. How it affects Cole as a person, as well as his relationship with Alison, will be worth tuning in for as the season enters its final stretch.
– Deepayan Sengupta