The Affair Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Sins of the Father

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Who saw THAT coming?

There wasn't a single second of The Affair Season 2 Episode 7 that was wasted. It was a perfect hour. Or maybe it just feels like it because I feel vindicated in my intense dislike for Noah.

Which isn't to say Alison is a shining beacon of propriety, as what happened in the final seconds might indicate she was sleeping with two too many people without protection within a very short span of time. So, yeah, Descent might not have painted a pretty picture of you, girly, but you're not necessarily handling the brush in a flattering way yourself. So.

Thanksgiving Dinner - The Affair

UNLESS Scotty is using "our" as in Lockhart, so he's saying the baby is a Lockhart baby, which is something Cherry deemed impossible. It doesn't have to be Scotty's, but the family's. That would make sense to me, as well, and Alison wouldn't be painting herself with such an unflattering brush after all.

OMG! I'm just blown away by what went down, and I really hope you guys are, too, and that this sparks up a conversation. We've talked during The Affair Season 2 about Noah, whether or not the book was fact or fiction, and whether a fictional book should cause hurt feelings.

After this hour, I think a few things are pretty clear. Noah is an asshole. He barely covered up his facts with fictional points and fiction hurts. A lot.

Alison: You said the book was fiction.
Noah: Of course it is, but it's based on true events.

Before we jump into the book itself, let's just chat about Noah. Assuming what we've witnessed from Alison's perspective is true (and we really have no reason to doubt it all that much), she's about ready to give birth, but Noah is barely in tune with the pregnancy.

He's using what should be the nursery as his office. Alison sold her house to (most likely) pay for the condo in NY, and Noah couldn't even manage to pick up the friggin' turkey on Thanksgiving Day. He seems to have a better relationship with his publicist, Eden, than he does with Alison. If Alison is smart, she's worried about Eden because if a man cheats once, he's more likely to do it again, especially if he did it without regard for his family.

It won't surprise me one bit if Noah cheats on Alison. He seems quite happy playing Mr. Almost Famous, while she's more intent on being a mother again. 

For those of you who don't like Max, he came off looking like a rose on Thanksgiving and Jane seemed lucky to have an opportunity to get her hands on him when compared to a snake like Noah. He might do drugs and engage in outrageous flirting, but at least he shows up and knows how to handle himself during dinner.

OK. Now onto Descent. It sure seems to be written from Noah's viewpoint of The Affair Season 1. While he's calling it fiction, we can call it his reality. Unless we're to believe the entire first season was also excerpts from his book. 

Alison: No. He threw himself at me. He basically followed me home one night and watched me having sex with my husband.
Noah: Which you did for my benefit.
Alison: What? I didn't even know you were there! And then you make out that I'm some sort of cold-hearted drug-dealing psychopath.
Noah: OK. Calm down, Alison.
Alison: No! Nothing is sacred to you. Nothing!

What Alison was describing at dinner (she did read it!) were scenes we saw from his perspective during the first season. So if he wrote his reality, there's no reason to believe her reality isn't what we see, as well. If that even makes a lick of sense.

If Alison can see herself all through the book, and Cherry knows the story of the Lockhart/Hodges baby is a true story, exactly what part is fiction? Noah's family? Geez.Thanks for protecting yourself and leaving out Whitney, a gesture that made her feel as though you don't care enough to put her into the damn thing. So much for your attempt at fiction. 

What a mess.

Whoa. Even I'm getting confused. I'm talking directly to Noah. Noah's not a real man. Yet I can't help but wish he was the one who was run down in the street. Scotty is a bit of an idiot, but a drug dealer who screws around? Meh. He seems rather harmless overall. 

So if Noah isn't Scotty's killer, who is?

Alison is certainly a suspect. The Thanksgiving conversation at the Lockharts had me believing that the baby was Cole's. With the doom of the Lockhart line laying before us, it became so obvious! Until that final second, anyway. Then doubt creeped in.

I've got one. To Noah Solloway for writing his book about Alison, about me and about all of you.

Cole

But would Alison really sleep with Scotty? Given the story Cherry told about Silas killing a baby who had the nerve to be a Hodges, and the pain he carried with him as a result (which landed squarely on Cole when dad killed himself on his tenth birthday), and the subsequent the failure of the family to successfully produce grandchildren, saying "our" baby would make sense.

Right?

I could easily see Scotty wanting to out the baby as a Lockhart. Scotty is a family guy. He may even want to take a dig at Cole for finding happiness with Luisa where he couldn't, and for buying the Lobster Roll instead of making a nightclub out of it. Assuming that's the story there.

Even with all that evidence, it's hard to imagine Alison loving her life with Noah so much she'd run Scotty down in the street to protect it.

What about Whitney? She's still in love with Scotty, and she's a wild card. While she never drives to Montauk, it's possible she could start. It would also tie in with the sins of the father. I don't expect Noah's kids to make it out of this book story unscathed, even if they're not in it. We've already seen Whitney is touched by it.

With Cole finally deciding to take a leap with Luisa, I'm less likely to consider him a candidate right now. Learning the truth about his father was somewhat of a relief. He blamed himself for what his dad did, but now he doesn't have to anymore. Strangely, he has Noah to thank for that. His holiday was better than everybody else's. 

Then again, it sure seems easy to write off Noah. Once that happens, I should be looking even harder at him. It was awfully easy for him to write the ending in which he killed Alison, then to lie to her that it was Harry's fault. Lying is second nature to him. Why would it be any different when it comes to murder? 

I just cannot wait until The Affair Season 2 Episode 8 to see what's coming next. There are only three episodes left!! I wonder where we're going to be left hanging for the season. I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on all things The Affair!

No. 7 Review

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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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The Affair Season 2 Episode 7 Quotes

Alison: You said the book was fiction.
Noah: Of course it is, but it's based on true events.

Alison: Noah is using this space as an office. Just until the baby comes.
Athena: Ah. Just until the baby comes. You are aware that it's customary to prepare a space for the baby before the baby arrives, right?
Alison: Yes, I'm well aware.