review of The Affair 2.2 

I was going to wait until Sunday to watch the next episode of

The Affair, but I realized there may not be Showtime where I\'ll be, so I watched episode 2.2 last night on Showtime On Demand.  I\'m glad I did. It was superb, continuing its compelling mix of great acting, cinematography, and storyline, with Alison\'s and Cole\'s stories this time.   The Affair this season will be presenting four points of view - not only Noah and Alison, but Helen and Cole - and, so far, that\'s enriched the story.

Joshua Jackson\'s performance as Cole in 2.2 was Emmy worthy. The subtle, under-the-surface, powerful but contained display of hurt, hate, pain, love, fatigue with the world, and, in that last scene, just a hint of satisfaction at seeing Noah charged in court, was just masterful.   This was about the best performance I\'ve ever seen of a man after his wife has left him.

Of course, Cole is nothing but considerate to Alison in his take, in contrast to being disruptive, even frightening in her rendition of the same story.  Ruth Wilson also puts in a fine performance, down to the expression in her eyes when Noah comes home after the lousy day in New York City that we saw in episode 2.1.   After he grouses and leaves the room, the camera twice shows Alison looking at something with concern, uncertainty, and a touch of bracing in her eyes - perfect camera work - and it turns out that\'s Noah, who apologizes and takes Alison in his arms.   The love they feel for each other is vibrant.

Alison\'s day in the vivid green of Cold Spring is notable in other ways, especially with Yvonne, who gets off one of the best lines in the episode, remarking to Alison that it\'s a "horrible thing to love a writer".  Alison learns that Yvonne is head of Bradford Publishing.   Are they Noah\'s publisher? Probably.  We know that Harry - Noah\'s editor - arranged for Noah and Alison to stay in the beautiful house in the country, which we now learn is owned by Yvonne and her husband.   There are important connections to be explored.

There\'s poetry in almost every scene of this drama, including in the taxi with Cole driving Noah\'s soon to be erstwhile father-in-law, who paints an appealing picture of how Montauk used to be - getting Cole to almost roll his eyes in the front seat - including "the way the ocean changes like a moody woman".

A hallmark of great narrative is how even the minor characters are memorable.  

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: Joshua Jackson, 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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