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<i>The Affair</i> – “110” Retrospective. A Perfect Setup.

  • By

  • December 21, 2014

  • 10 mins to read

Season 1, Episode 10, Season Finale

Air Date: Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 10 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

 

“She’s so mad at me, so are the kids–at least the older ones. I lost half my friends; I live in a place the size of your desk; I basically lost my job.”  — Noah Solloway

 

Is Noah home for good?

As The Affair’s freshman season draws to a close, both Noah (Dominic West) and Alison (Ruth Wilson) must face the consequences an affair brings. Both have spouses who want them back, but is that really what Noah and Alison want in the long run?

Noah’s Story

Noah’s trip to Montauk in last week’s episode apparently didn’t pay off because when “110” opens…well, all I can say is once a poon hound, always a poon hound. That’s not a nice term, I know, but what else do you call a man who has sex with every skirt that crosses his path? Yeah, I know “skirt” isn’t nice either but let’s face it; all Noah is interested in is sex. It can be anyone as long as his needs are being satisfied and his sorrows drowned. Noah even has sex with one of the teachers at his job without even bothering to hide it from the other teachers. The song playing in the background when Noah is called into the school superintendent’s office, along with a bunch of other miscreants is most appropriate, don’t you think? As the others bury their noses in books while waiting, Noah uses the time to write his next book.

Green is not a good color on you, Harry.

Two adages come to mind during the conversation Noah has with Harry (Stephen Kunken), his book editor. First, the grass always looks greener on the other side. And, be careful what you wish for. Harry couldn’t be more jealous of what he thinks Noah’s new single lifestyle involves. “…you could fly to Cancun tonight and fuck a coed.”  Perhaps the singlemost thought provoking question Harry poses is, “Do you miss your wife?”  Or should I say, it’s Noah’s answer to Harry’s question that is most interesting.

I love the smug look on Detective Jeffries’ face during his conversation with Noah, who is nothing short of sarcastic with his responses to the good detective’s questions. It’s almost as if Jeffries knows the answers before posing his questions. Noah certainly looks worried when he sees Jake (guest star Howard Overshown), the tow truck operator, going into the police station, and rightfully so. Keeping the man quiet is going to cost him, big time.

Whitney is furious with her mother.

Despite Helen (Maura Tierney) telling Noah her mother Margaret (Kathleen Chalfant) hired a private detective to follow him, she doesn’t blink an eye at what is in the “dossier” the detective puts together. As a matter of fact, I am shocked by what Helen confesses to her errant husband. I suppose there are plenty of injured spouses who blame themselves for the cheating their husbands and wives do, but I’d like to think I wouldn’t be one of them. I have too much self esteem for that, something Helen is drastically lacking.

Helen and Noah have a terrible argument with their daughter Whitney (Julia Goldani Telles). Helen wants to press charges against Scotty (Colin Donnell) for statutory rape but Noah is against the idea. After all, Whitney is almost 17 and knows her mind. Perhaps Noah disagrees with Helen because a lawsuit most assuredly will bring the Solloways and Lockharts together. Given it’s been four months since Noah has seen Alison (Ruth Wilson), and with the lifestyle he’s currently leading, maybe he doesn’t want to chance a meeting.

Alison apparently didn’t go very far in last week’s episode since that’s where Whitney finds her when she runs to the Lockharts following the argument with her parents. I suppose she goes there to see Scotty but he’s not home, at least according to Cherry (Mare Winningham). Yeah, right. As the matriarch of the Lockhart family, Cherry gives a most impassioned speech, asking the Solloways not to file charges against Scotty and explaining why both families should just “move on.”  This sets up an important scene involving a fist fight between Noah and Scotty, followed by a very angry Cole (Joshua Jackson) holding a gun pointed at Noah while Helen and Alison look on.

Alison’s Story

Alison enjoys the time she spends with Athena and Dennis.

As Alison’s story opens, she’s with her mother Athena (Deidre O’Connell) and Athena’s boyfriend Dennis (Robert Lupone) at the zen retreat where Athena works. As a mother, Athena cracks me up with her inappropriate comments about Alison’s sex life and the guy she wants to fix Alison up with. “I think he could provide you with a very satisfying sexual experience, sweetie.” I’m glad Alison is repairing her relationship with Athena. Every woman needs their mother when going through what’s happening in Alison’s life right now, especially since the Lockharts have lost the ranch and everyone will be going their separate ways.

When Alison returns to Montauk, she goes to her friend Phoebe’s (Kristen Bush) cabin where the two discuss Alison’s summer fling with Noah. Alison learns the true price of her affair when Mary-Kate (Kaija Matiss) drops by, unaware that Alison is there. I’m not sure who I feel the sorriest for, Mary-Kate or Alison. What a shame as these two were more than sisters-in-law.

Having lost a child of my own at the tender age of ten months old, it is easy for me to empathize with Alison when she explains her reason for not wanting to continue her marriage with Cole. Still, even though I ended up divorcing my husband, it’s hard to understand why such tragedies force people apart instead of drawing them closer in their time of need. Alison should have been leaning on Cole, and vice versa, instead of blaming each other for Gabriel’s drowning.

Alison. Is shocked by what she sees.

Whitney tells Cherry, Cole, and Alison about her summer dalliance with Scotty, including the statutory rape charges her parents want to file. This leads to the same scene that is played out in Noah’s recounting of the events at the Lockharts’ home. The big difference is whom Cole threatens to kill in one of the most heartbreaking scenes of The Affair  to date. I’m not sure how much time elapses between this scene and the final closing moments where we see Noah and Alison in their own apartment in the city. Just after Alison puts their daughter to sleep, and the two lovebirds begin talking about the following day, Detective Jeffries shows up, warrant in hand for Noah’s arrest.

I don’t know for sure what season two of The Affair will be about but I’m guessing it will revolve around Noah’s trial. What I do know is I can’t wait for next year!

Most Interesting Lines

Helen: “I was so afraid of marrying my father, I didn’t realize I was marrying my mother.”

***

Dennis: “I’m a very big advocate of celibacy between relationships as a kind of pallet cleanser.”

Overall

Episodic writer and creator Sarah Treem uses “110” to beautifully set up Season 2 of this most intriguing series. It doesn’t surprise me that this season finale doesn’t tie up The Affair’s loose ends, instead leaving us to wonder whether Noah truly killed Scotty, and whether Detective Jeffries ever put two and two together about the Lockharts’ drug business. Sure, “110” leads us to believe Noah is the guilty party but at best, all Detective Jeffries has is circumstantial evidence. He hasn’t placed Noah at the scene of the crime and with Helen and Cole as angry as they are at Scotty’s behavior, it could have been one of them. And what about Oscar (Darren Goldstein)? He could be responsible. I can’t help wondering what Alison means when she tells Noah, “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of this. Do you believe me?” What does Alison have up her sleeve?

Kudos to Treem for penning such an in-depth look at what happens when a spouse strays. Throw in a good murder mystery and you have an Emmy worthy show, in my opinion. The acting has been superb all season long; the cinematography and direction have been outstanding; and the dialogue so intense and captivating, it has been difficult to tear my eyes from the TV screen for more than a minute. The same can be said for The Affair’s season finale. All we can do now is wait for next year, something that won’t be easy for me. How about you?

What did you think of “110?” Leave me a comment below or tweet me @SeasideTV. I’d love to discuss it with you.

 

Stay current with The Affair on its website: http://www.sho.com/sho/the-affair/home.

Socialize with The Affair on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, TVTag, and YouTube.

Follow these cast mates on Twitter: Noah/Dominic West @DominicWest, Cole/Joshua Jackson @VancityJax, Whitney/Julia Goldani Telles @JuliaGTelles, Jane/Nicolette Robinson @NicoletteKloe, Scotty Lockhart/Colin Donnell @ColinDonnell, Detective Jeffries/Victor Williams @BicVicWilliams, and writer Sarah Treem @SarahTreem.

And for fans of Joshua Jackson, join JoshuaJacksonFans @JoshuaJFan.

 

All photos © 2014 Showtime Networks Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!