Even in Golden Age of Television second seasons are usually the critical points in history of every major show. The Affair is one such example that tells whether the authors are able to maintain quality and how far they are willing to compromise original vision in order to stay on air. Before the second season Hagai Levi, one of two co-creators, has departed the show, leaving the helm in the hands of Sarah Treem.
Second season continues with the plot maintaining the general style and narrative structure of the first season. Extramarital affair between college professor and aspiring writer Noah Solloway (played by Dominic West) and Alison Bailey-Lockhart (played by Ruth Wilson) has resulted in both of their respective marriages collapsing with two of them trying to start new life together. Those events are again told in flashback, while Noah’s trial for vehicular manslaughter is used as narrative frame. Most of the episodes are again told from two different viewpoints, but this time this includes characters of two former spouses – Cole Lockhart (played by Joshua Jackson) and Helen Solloway (played by Maura Tierney) – dealing with the devastating aftermath of the affair in their own ways.
Sarah Treem very wisely decided to switch most of the focus from Montauk to New York and show how Alison deals with new life away from her small hometown and how she tried to adapt to triumphs and tragedies of her new husband. Unfortunately, she wasn’t very consistent in it, and the show spent too much time detailing Cole’s self-destructive behaviour following the marriage collapse and the all-too-convenient comfort brought by attractive South American immigrant played by Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno. With the season being slightly longer, there were too much room for some unnecessary content to be brought, which included some soap elements like chronic disease of Noah’s teenage son, relatively explicit scene of Cole’s "servicing" of bored rich woman similar to 1970s cheap sex comedies, and the episodes that various subplots converge in melodramatic way during one stormy night. Even more melodrama is provided by season finale that delivers another disappointing cliffganger. Again, general impression is vastly improved by excellent acting, which includes supporting cast, especially Cynthia Nixon as Noah’s therapist.
Starring: Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, Joshua Jackson
Created by: Sarah Treem
Number of episodes: 12
Pro: consistent narrative structure, excellent acting
Contra: atrocious title song, increasing levels of melodrama, bad cliffhanger at the season finale
RATING: 6/10
