review of The Affair 3.5 

The Affair tonight, departing from the template in that Noah\'s story takes place mostly after Alison\'s, not at the same time. But that makes the hour even stronger, and just about perfect in every way.

We finally get to see them together tonight - it took five episodes, far too long, but the wait was worth it.   Alison\'s episode gets the two to Block Island - away from Montauk - as Noah\'s price for agreeing to sign the divorce papers that Alison wants him to sign.  They take off their clothes, but just for the hot tub, and do end up in bed together - looking into each others\' eyes but fully clothed.

Noah\'s episode is the powerhouse, with Noah explaining to Alison why he truly loved her - after she has dismissed their relationship as something much less.   The key to Noah\'s love was that he assisted his mother in her death, and felt a unique kinship with Alison, given what she had been through with Gabriel.   Noah breaks down as he tells Alison this story - an outstanding performance by Dominic West, and also Ruth Wilson - and this melts Alison, all the way into Noah\'s arms and bed.

Noah, still ultimately a gentleman when it comes to Alison, later signs the divorce papers.  But I\'m hoping they won\'t be filed.  Or maybe it doesn\'t matter - what Alison and Noah have, flawed as it is, needs no legality.

Meanwhile, I\'ve got to say that the other part of Noah\'s story, about the sicko, sadistic prison guard, is a piece of this I\'d rather do without.   I know, it\'s the necessary motive for Noah becoming somewhat delusional - but he\'s not completely delusional, either, given that we know (or, as far as know) he didn\'t stab himself.

So Alison\'s slept with both Cole and Noah now.   Who does she really love?  The choices are (a) neither, (b) both, (c) Cole, (d) Noah - I know which answer I\'d choose.

See also The Affair 3.1: Sneak Preview Review ... The Affair 3.2: Sneak Preview Review: Right Minds ... The Affair 3.3: Who Attached Noah? ... The Affair 3.4: The Same Endings in Montauk

And see also The Affair 2.1: Advances ... The Affair 2.2: Loving a Writer ... The Affair 2.3: The Half-Wolf ... The Affair 2.4: Helen at Distraction ... The Affair 2.5: Golden Cole ... The Affair 2.6: The End (of Noah\'s Novel) ... The Affair 2.7: Stunner ... The Affair 2.8: The Reading, the Review, the Prize ...The Affair 2.9: Nameless Hurricane ... The Affair 2.10: Meets In Treatment ... The Affair 2.11: Alison and Cole in Business ... The Affair Season 2 Finale: No One\'s Fault

And see also The Affair Premiere: Sneak Preview Review ... The Affair 1.2: Time Travel! ... The Affair 1.3: The Agent and the Sleepers ... The Affair 1.4: Come Together ... The Affair 1.5: Alison\'s Episode ... The Affair 1.6: Drugs and Vision ... The Affair 1.7: True Confessions ... The Affair 1.8: "I Love You / I Love You, Too" ... The Affair 1.9: Who Else on the Train? ... The Affair Season 1 Finale: The Arrest and the Rest

Labels: Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, television, The Affair

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Paul Levinson, PhD, is Professor of Communication & Media Studies at Fordham University in New York City.  His 8 nonfiction books, including The Soft Edge (1997), Digital McLuhan (1999), Realspace (2003),  Cellphone (2004), and New New Media (2009, 2nd edition 2012), have been the subject of major articles in the New York Times, Wired, the Christian Science Monitor, and have been translated into 12 languages. His science fiction novels include The Silk Code (1999, ebook 2012), Borrowed Tides (2001), TheConsciousness Plague (2002, 2013), The Pixel Eye (2003), The Plot To SaveSocrates (2006, ebook 2012), and Unburning Alexandria (2013).  His short stories have been nominated for Nebula, Hugo, Edgar, and Sturgeon Awards.  Paul Levinson appears on "The O'Reilly Factor" (Fox News), "The CBS Evening News,"  “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” (PBS),  “Nightline” (ABC), NPR, and numerous national and international TV and radio programs. His 1972 album, Twice Upon a Rhyme, was re-issued in 2009 (CD) and 2010 (remastered vinyl). He reviews the best of television in his InfiniteRegress.tv blog, and was listed in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Top 10 Academic Twitterers” in 2009.

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Dear Paul, I just dreamed of airships flying between raindrops. I just returned from 2042 CE, where I sold my hardcover copy of The Plot to Save Socrates for seventy million Neo-Euros, because it had your response to this e-mail from way back in 2007 scotch-taped onto the inside of the cover. A Paul Levinson collector paid top Neo-Euro, because of the authentic archaic e-mail printout from you. It turns out that not many of your e-mails from before your tenure as CEO of HBO/Cinemax and terms as United Nations Secretary General will survive that far into the future. So, please respond to this e-mail, to help found my great-grandchildren\'s fortune. My Will will stipulate that they must share with your great grandchidren. Thanks! Tom

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Paul Levinson appears on "The O\'Reilly Factor" (Fox News), "The CBS Evening News," "Nightline" (ABC), the "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" (PBS), "The Dylan Ratigan Show" (MSNBC) and frequently on NPR and all-news radio...