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‘The Affair’ Season 3, Episode 4: Is Alison O.K.? ‘The Affair’ Season 3, Episode 4: Is Alison O.K.?
(6 months later)
“Daddy! Can I watch a show?” Those were the first words of Sunday’s episode of “The Affair,” a clarion call from young Joanie (about to turn 5) that woke up her father, Cole, and her stepmother, Luisa. Little did Joanie know that Daddy was enjoying a show of his own: a steamy-tender dream of making love with her mother and his ex-wife, Alison.“Daddy! Can I watch a show?” Those were the first words of Sunday’s episode of “The Affair,” a clarion call from young Joanie (about to turn 5) that woke up her father, Cole, and her stepmother, Luisa. Little did Joanie know that Daddy was enjoying a show of his own: a steamy-tender dream of making love with her mother and his ex-wife, Alison.
The episode got the show entirely out of New Jersey for a sunny interlude in Montauk, where we saw the same few days from the perspectives of first Cole and then Alison. Written by Stuart Zicherman (a first-time “Affair” scripter who’s written four episodes of “The Americans”) and directed by John Dahl, it was well-constructed, effective and perhaps a little predictable. It’s purpose was to move us from Point A to Point A+: Cole started the episode dreaming about sex with Alison and ended it having sex with Alison. All over the country, the heads of Alison-haters and Cole-lovers were exploding. The episode got the show entirely out of New Jersey for a sunny interlude in Montauk, where we saw the same few days from the perspectives of first Cole and then Alison. Written by Stuart Zicherman (a first-time “Affair” scripter who’s written four episodes of “The Americans”) and directed by John Dahl, it was well-constructed, effective and perhaps a little predictable. Its purpose was to move us from Point A to Point A+: Cole started the episode dreaming about sex with Alison and ended it having sex with Alison. All over the country, the heads of Alison-haters and Cole-lovers were exploding.
The events of the episode were mostly mundane, if charged with emotion. The theme was Alison’s continuing attempt, through the legal system and directly with Cole and Luisa, to win back more time and freedom with her daughter.The events of the episode were mostly mundane, if charged with emotion. The theme was Alison’s continuing attempt, through the legal system and directly with Cole and Luisa, to win back more time and freedom with her daughter.
You could argue that it was 56 minutes predicated on a stereotype the show makes too much use of — the fragile, self-hating woman prone to depression, anxiety and anger and the men who are drawn to her. It was Alison as the snake in the garden, about to destroy yet another marriage. On the other hand, if you live in certain ZIP codes of Manhattan and Brooklyn, you probably know women whose personalities and problems are fairly accurately, sometimes piercingly, captured in the show’s portrayal of Alison. So, your mileage may vary.You could argue that it was 56 minutes predicated on a stereotype the show makes too much use of — the fragile, self-hating woman prone to depression, anxiety and anger and the men who are drawn to her. It was Alison as the snake in the garden, about to destroy yet another marriage. On the other hand, if you live in certain ZIP codes of Manhattan and Brooklyn, you probably know women whose personalities and problems are fairly accurately, sometimes piercingly, captured in the show’s portrayal of Alison. So, your mileage may vary.
The primary scenes — the ones we saw from both Cole’s and Alison’s point of view — were Alison’s weekly supervised visit with Joanie, to which Cole tagged along; Joanie’s elaborate fifth birthday party at Cole and Luisa’s house, to which Alison was invited; and a late-night visit by Cole to Alison, initially angry and eventually, well, consummated.The primary scenes — the ones we saw from both Cole’s and Alison’s point of view — were Alison’s weekly supervised visit with Joanie, to which Cole tagged along; Joanie’s elaborate fifth birthday party at Cole and Luisa’s house, to which Alison was invited; and a late-night visit by Cole to Alison, initially angry and eventually, well, consummated.
Alison’s state of mind was the constant question. On the visit, at a playground in a park, Cole saw her as dangerously inattentive, letting Joanie climb too high on the monkey bars. Alison saw the same incident differently — Joanie gained confidence from walking across the bars (though it looked pretty dangerous to this neutral observer) while Cole and the supervising social worker were obliviously chatting.Alison’s state of mind was the constant question. On the visit, at a playground in a park, Cole saw her as dangerously inattentive, letting Joanie climb too high on the monkey bars. Alison saw the same incident differently — Joanie gained confidence from walking across the bars (though it looked pretty dangerous to this neutral observer) while Cole and the supervising social worker were obliviously chatting.
Viewpoints diverged even further at the birthday party. Joanie definitely fell from the back of an animal, but everything else was up for grabs. In Alison’s telling, the beast was an inappropriately large horse; in Cole’s, it was a little pony. In Cole’s view, he magnanimously prevented Luisa from running to Joanie’s side, so that Alison could get there first. In Alison’s, she had a panic attack (presumably triggered by memories of her first child’s death) and stood paralyzed after Joanie fell. She’d been right about the danger, but wasn’t able to do anything to help Joanie, because everyone’s against her.Viewpoints diverged even further at the birthday party. Joanie definitely fell from the back of an animal, but everything else was up for grabs. In Alison’s telling, the beast was an inappropriately large horse; in Cole’s, it was a little pony. In Cole’s view, he magnanimously prevented Luisa from running to Joanie’s side, so that Alison could get there first. In Alison’s, she had a panic attack (presumably triggered by memories of her first child’s death) and stood paralyzed after Joanie fell. She’d been right about the danger, but wasn’t able to do anything to help Joanie, because everyone’s against her.
Then, after both Alison and Cole were visited by the New Jersey cops investigating the attack on Noah, Cole stormed into Alison’s house and accused her of betraying him. In his view, this turned into an angry exchange about her pattern of behavior in which she hotly defended herself. (And it was hard not to sympathize with Alison when she yelled, referring to Joanie: “I did not abandon her. I left her with her father. You cannot imagine how much I hate myself for what I did.”) In Alison’s view, it turned into a tender moment in which she showed him the Etsy-worthy dollhouse she’d built by hand as Joanie’s birthday present. In both tellings, Cole, without warning, moved in for a kiss, and pretty soon the clothes were coming off, “Affair”-style.Then, after both Alison and Cole were visited by the New Jersey cops investigating the attack on Noah, Cole stormed into Alison’s house and accused her of betraying him. In his view, this turned into an angry exchange about her pattern of behavior in which she hotly defended herself. (And it was hard not to sympathize with Alison when she yelled, referring to Joanie: “I did not abandon her. I left her with her father. You cannot imagine how much I hate myself for what I did.”) In Alison’s view, it turned into a tender moment in which she showed him the Etsy-worthy dollhouse she’d built by hand as Joanie’s birthday present. In both tellings, Cole, without warning, moved in for a kiss, and pretty soon the clothes were coming off, “Affair”-style.
For those with a crush on Cole, the episode was a subtle reminder that this is the guy who gets angry and waves guns around. In his chapter he was warm and sympathetic, trying to be accommodating to Alison whenever possible. In her chapter, he was cold, aloof and accusatory, not to mention under Luisa’s thumb. Luisa, in Cole’s point of view, was industrious and capable — those non-Alison-like qualities that attract him — but there were clearly cracks in the facade of their domestic bliss. In Alison’s point of view she was harsh and unforgiving — until the morning after Alison slept with her husband, when Luisa came to tell her that she could have an unsupervised visit on Joanie’s actual birthday. Maybe there was some guilt at play in Alison’s suddenly softer view.For those with a crush on Cole, the episode was a subtle reminder that this is the guy who gets angry and waves guns around. In his chapter he was warm and sympathetic, trying to be accommodating to Alison whenever possible. In her chapter, he was cold, aloof and accusatory, not to mention under Luisa’s thumb. Luisa, in Cole’s point of view, was industrious and capable — those non-Alison-like qualities that attract him — but there were clearly cracks in the facade of their domestic bliss. In Alison’s point of view she was harsh and unforgiving — until the morning after Alison slept with her husband, when Luisa came to tell her that she could have an unsupervised visit on Joanie’s actual birthday. Maybe there was some guilt at play in Alison’s suddenly softer view.
The episode ended with a moment that I’ll assume was real until proved otherwise, sort of like the stabbing of Noah in Episode 1. After going to the beach, where she sat and smiled — presumably at the thought that she might be getting back everything she’s lost — Alison was biking by a Montauk pond when a familiar small red car drove by. She turned in horror, and the driver was Noah, looking at her with his usual look of lummox-like concern. So here we go again! We just need Helen to come out on the train.The episode ended with a moment that I’ll assume was real until proved otherwise, sort of like the stabbing of Noah in Episode 1. After going to the beach, where she sat and smiled — presumably at the thought that she might be getting back everything she’s lost — Alison was biking by a Montauk pond when a familiar small red car drove by. She turned in horror, and the driver was Noah, looking at her with his usual look of lummox-like concern. So here we go again! We just need Helen to come out on the train.
Let us know what you thought of the season’s fourth episode. Things I didn’t comment on: the continued emergence of Oscar as everyone’s favorite resident of Montauk. The irony that Cole and Alison are both living comfortably off the proceeds from the Lobster Roll, which was the brainchild of dead Scotty. If the cops hadn’t interrupted her, would Alison have put the peanut butter that she knew Luisa was allergic to into the cake she was baking? And who knew Ruth Wilson could do such a mean cartwheel?Let us know what you thought of the season’s fourth episode. Things I didn’t comment on: the continued emergence of Oscar as everyone’s favorite resident of Montauk. The irony that Cole and Alison are both living comfortably off the proceeds from the Lobster Roll, which was the brainchild of dead Scotty. If the cops hadn’t interrupted her, would Alison have put the peanut butter that she knew Luisa was allergic to into the cake she was baking? And who knew Ruth Wilson could do such a mean cartwheel?