A happy asshole
instead of a miserable hero
For the uninitiated: The
Affair is a show that began with two characters, Noah Solloway (Dominic
West) and Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson), having an affair and the ongoing ripple
effects of their decision on everyone else in their lives. There was also a
murder mystery that was all but resolved at the end of season two, which has
allowed The Affair’s current season
to go in a new unexpected direction.
My reasons for loving this show continue to grow, but if I
had to narrow it down the writing and especially the acting are what keep
bringing me back. Very few shows are what I would consider “must-watch,” but The Affair is one of them. It is a show
that focuses on its characters and the choices they make, instead of the more
plot-driven shows that dominate the current television landscape.
Each season has added a new element that reinvents the show
in the best of ways, while keeping the story structure mostly intact: Every
episode is told from the perspective of two characters. The entire run of the
first season was only told from the point of view of Noah and Alison. Season
two introduced the perspectives of Noah and Alison’s respective spouses, Helen
Solloway (Maura Tierney) and Cole Lockhart (Joshua Jackson), and now season
three is dealing with the aftermath of everything that’s preceded it. This
brings us to episode 308, which centers on Cole and Alison’s possible future
together.
Cole has been my favorite character from the beginning of
the show, largely because of Jackson’s performance. He is someone who started
out as being a cold, tortured man, to one of the most redeeming people on The Affair. His arc has been long and
arduous, and is still far from over. What this episode illustrates is Cole’s
inner struggle: being a “happy asshole,” or a “miserable hero.” Within the
context of the show, it’s an impossible decision. He is a man who has worked so
hard at being happy after many years of heartbreak and devastating loss. Now
that he has everything he’s worked for, he’s still unhappy.
I haven’t seen a character as well-written and acted as Cole
in a long time on TV. What Jackson brings to the role is nothing short of
stellar: the way he plays anger and frustration mixed with empathy and patience
illustrates that things are never simply black and white. The fact that Cole is
struggling with his own happiness and how it could destroy his family is what
makes him so endearing. Jackson conveys a lot of those feelings through
expression instead of overtly stating how he feels. Oftentimes what goes unsaid
is much more powerful than what is, and The
Affair uses the unspoken word to great effect, especially with scenes
involving Cole.
 |
| I'm so sad. So very very sad. Don't you see my tears? |
The same can be said for Alison, a character so complicated
and rich with history that a whole book could be written about her and still
not be enough. Wilson does amazing work, oftentimes inviting my sympathy while
simultaneously making me want to shout at the TV and ask, “WHY ARE YOU DOING
THIS?!”
It’s no wonder, then, that my favorite episodes of the show
are the ones that focus on both Cole and Alison. They’re great when they’re
apart but as close to perfect as two actors can be when they share scenes
together.
“We keep coming back to each other,“ Alison says to Cole at
one point during the episode.
She continues: “Don’t you think that means something?”
“I think that means we were unfinished,” says Cole.
The same could be said about The Affair and my love for
it. Thanks to its rich characters and amazing writing, I don’t think the show
can ever truly be finished. The same can be said for any great work of art.
Score
- Matt Giles