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The Affair Episode 8 finds us back with Noah, as almost always usual. School’s in and he’s teaching again, and comparing Romeo and Juliet to the troubles in his own relationship.
Next, he goes for a meal with Helen at a restaurant where the table is helpfully right in the centre of the room, so that the camera can get around them. In a bid to win back her trust, he gives her an expensive piece of jewellery, but she states he should return it do to fiduciary issues, even though her Dad is richer than an astronaut!
Whitney’s assumed to be bulimic, and it’s just one of many issues Helen tries to juggle as her parents are still having marital issues, and there’s also the problems in her own marriage which need bringing up at therapy. What doesn’t help is that she moans how when she was young, she could’ve had her pick of the menu, but settled for Noah as he was dependable… and would never cheat. But, obviously, he did.
How can he win back her trust? By going back to help her parents’ marriage while she’s too busy to do so, and he won’t go and shag Alison, surely!!
But who’s doing the waitressing at Bruce’s book launch? It’s Alison. Yes, it’s as predictable as anything. Bruce knows, and he winds Noah up about it… but it turns out he once did the same thing and used the experience for his next book, resulting in being short-listed for the Pulitzer.
All that said, Noah can’t help but be led by his dick and he goes to chat to Alison, who needs a lift to the hospital as granny’s had a heart attack. She wants him to come in with her, but he declines, since he’s not ALWAYS led by his dick. Back at the in-laws’ house, he asks Bruce whether he ever still thinks of the student with whom he had an affair… “Every fucking day”, comes the reply.
With Bruce put to bed, Noah heads back to the hospital and gets there just in time to wake Alison up before her grandma passes away, allowing her to be with her for those final moments.
As Noah’s segment comes to an end, he has his own book reading. Annoying Cop turns up and Noah just happens to be describing a scene at The End, leading him to believe he knows a lot more about Scotty’s murder than he’s letting on.
Part 2, is therefore, Alison’s, and once again it’s full of dull chat about selling the ranch. After that, it’s a while since anything happens and when it does, it’s about Alison’s granny going into hospital, with them having called her mother, Athena, first. The pair of a predictable argument about whether or not to consent to a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order and, even though it’s the only natural thing to do in her weakened condition, Alison rallies against it.
This time round, her first meeting of the night with Noah is when she’s in the cloakroom, passing the time reading Bruce’s book as there’s nothing else to do. While they head outside for a cigarette, a lift to the hospital is required, but this time, HE asks if she wants him to stick around, but she says no. He still hangs around, and when talking to her, she just can’t accept that granny’s time is up.
And once she shuffles off her mortal coil, Athena makes her excuses not to have to stick around, because she’s a lazy, manipulative cow.
As we head towards the end of yet another depressingly tedious episode, Noah drops Alison off at her home just after they both declare their love for each other… Awww!!!
Once indoors, she heads for a chest containing all of granny’s old tat, and cries over it.
Annoying cop is back again!! At a rememberance service for Scotty. A further flashback takes cop to the motel at The End, where previously he asked if there was a reservation for Noah Solloway, and was told no, leading me to think that the lad wouldn’t be using his own name, but… he did! And it was under ‘cancellations’. Zzzzzz….
He also asks for the number of a local mechanic, feigning a car accident, but we’re not privy to the information this time round. Perhaps in episode 9? Really. Hurry the fuck up with something, before I fall into a coma!!!!
The Affair continues on Sky Atlantic next Wednesday at 9pm.
Episode 8 Score: 2/10
Director: Ryan Fleck
Producer: Andrea P Stilgenbauer
Writers: Dan LeFranc and Melanie Marnich
Creators: Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi
Sound: Marcelo Zarvos
Cast:
Noah Solloway: Dominic West
Alison Bailey: Ruth Wilson
Helen Solloway: Maura Tierney
Cole Lockhart: Joshua Jackson
Whitney Solloway: Julia Goldani Telles
Max: Josh Stamberg
Bruce Butler: John Doman
Athena Bailey: Deirdre O’Connell
Joan Bailey: Lynn Cohen
Stacey Solloway: Leya Catlett
Trevor Solloway: Jadon Sand
Martin Solloway: Jake Richard Siciliano
Cherry Lockhart: Mare Winningham
Margaret Butler: Kathleen Chalfant
Detective Jeffries: Victor Williams
Oscar Hodges: Darren Goldstein
Jane: Nicolette Robinson
Caleb Lockhart: Michael Godere
Scotty Lockhart: Colin Donnell
Hal Lockhart: Danny Fischer
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.