The Affair Season 4 Episode 2 Review: Does the Truth Really Set You Free?
Paul Dailly
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These characters are as messed up as ever, and I love every single minute of it.
We got up to speed with the latest hurdles Cole, Luisa, and Alison are facing on The Affair Season 4 Episode 2, and it was just as eye-opening as The Affair Season 4 Episode 1.
I'm going to talk about Luisa first because every single part of her storyline hurt my heart. It was only a matter of time before her undocumented status came knocking and my jaw was firmly on the floor when she and Cole were pulled over.
The sad thing about it was that it seemed initially like she and Cole had managed to put the past behind them, and were moving on with their lives. They were happy, but all of that was ruined in one fell swoop after Luisa nearly got caught without the license.
It was evident Luisa felt inadequate because she kept referring to the finances as "your money" to Cole. She opened up about her real thoughts, and it's clear that these Freudian slips are coming from a place of despair.
She's mostly stuck in a box and can't spread her wings, and feels expendable to Cole. She has low self-esteem, and that explains why she keeps implying that Cole will dump her for Alison.
The sad thing about all of this is that Cole and Luisa share a genuine connection, and are probably my favorite couple of the entire series. Beyond their flaws, there's love there, but it's a constant battle to get them to open up about their feelings.
In any relationship, communication is the key to success. If they stop communicating with each other, then what do they have?
Luisa being undocumented worries Cole to no end, but neither of them would know what the other is really going through unless there was a way for them to swap places.
In their own ways, they're going through a lot.
Related: The Affair Season 4 Episode 1 Review: A Captivating Return to Form
Cole meeting up with the millennials on the beach was always going to end in disaster. I rolled my eyes the moment he offered the blonde lady some of his beer because I figured we were going to find out they slept together.
It was easy to judge Alison throughout Cole's scenes because it seemed like she didn't give a darn about the future of The Lobster Roll. I'll admit, I judged her, and I'm sure everyone else did.
Not showing up to important business meetings is a big no-no, and in turn, you need to dress for the occasion. These people are willing to part with millions, so you really need to put in some effort.
There were distinct differences in both Alison and Cole's version of the car being fixed. I sided with Alison when she countered that Cole wanted her to decline the franchising opportunity to look like a hero to Luisa.
Would that be the seal of approval Cole would be looking for to get back in good graces with his wife? It certainly sounds like something he would do, if only to dial back the drama for a time.
The throwback to Scotty was a perfect one in Cole's narrative. The surfer taking the drugs outside the restaurant looked set to be a PR nightmare, but the revelation that Scotty was the one who gave him his first round of drugs at just 15 took the cake.
While it's easy for Cole to be against the man, there's a good chance he will want to take accountability for his brother's actions. It would not surprise me in the slightest Cole got the man the treatment he needs to make a recovery.
As for Alison, there's an apparent disconnect with her as usual. What she endured throughout the hour was tough, but if she communicated with Cole, he would have understood.
Her role helping people through their grief is a good one because she's a great listener. Aside from being a nurse, I couldn't think of a better job for her. She cares about the people in her care and devotes her time to helping them.
Tony showing up to get some revenge on Alison for her advice was a step too far, but the man was hurting. What he did was awful, but watching your kid going blue and dying is not going to be a good thing for your mental health.
I dare say that Alison understood what he was going through, and would have probably let him go with a slap on the wrist. That said, it's difficult to imagine what would have happened to her if Ben never showed up in the nick of time.
It was obvious the new man in Alison's life was going to show up and save the day. My first impressions of Ben are not great, and that's because of the way he conveniently showed up in her office.
The subsequent chat on the walk to the elevator felt somewhat forced, and out of place. However, I did enjoy their coffee date because it peeled back the layers of his character to make me a little bit intrigued to see where he goes.
He was instantly attracted to Alison, and it took Alison a little while to come around to it. My main concern is that he's going to turn out to be a villain of some sort, and it could explain why Alison is missing in the present.
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Wouldn't it be a typical thing for Alison to get happy, only to have the rug pulled from under her? We watched her self-destruct and break off the communication with Cole when the going got tough in this installment.
Whatever happens has got to be bad because it's hard to justify her ditching Joanie again. It was difficult enough for her to get back into her daughter's life because there was a severe lack of trust.
The mystery is a good one because it's slowly building to the point in which everything spirals out of control for Alison, and spoon feeding us the answers is the best way to go.
At least we got to find out that Anton is very likely going to reach his full potential. Him getting in the car with Cole and Noah pretty much confirms Noah takes him under his wing and becomes a mentor to him.
This hour was filled with shocks, convincing performances, and most of all, excellent storytelling. It's almost like The Affair Season 3 did not exist at this stage, and that's fine by me.
What are your thoughts on all the latest developments, The Affair Fanatics?
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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
