The Affair Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Birth
Carissa Pavlica
at
.
There is a new person thrust into the mix of the affair on The Affair Season 2 Episode 9.
There have been plenty of storms, both personal and and in the skies. They're thematic, but none of them as heavy as the hurricane that almost left Noah trapped naked in a hot tub with his teenage daughter, helped provoke Cole to drink so much moonshine he saw visions of Gabriel and left Alison to give birth on her own.
In order for all this to happen, and for Helen to get it on with the doctor who performed surgery on Martin, the format to which we've become accustomed had to be broken. That's right. All four perspectives were offered, and we had no flashforwards.
I'm not going to lie. I have no idea what we watched. Sometimes, things jump out seem to slap me across the face. Other times, I feel like I'm just along for the ride. This was one of the rides.
Sarah Treem, The Affair executive producer and showrunner extraordinaire, had some things to say about this hour, including, "It's difficult to describe tonight's episode, but suffice to say, we purposely broke our own mold. Tonight, everything changes," and "All I can say about Noah's arc, for all of you who feel deeply about it, is the whole season has been headed towards episode 9."
Alright. We know what she meant about breaking the mold. Being told in parts and with flashforwards has been changed. But what about Noah's arc? To where was he led?
Ever since his book came out, Noah has been riding the fame train. But that has only been a part of the season. Before that, he struggled to accept the ending. He felt somewhat "vindicated" with his original choice of an ending, in which the otherwise happy couple sits down to dinner with an unimaginable secret between them, because the producer thinking of doing a movie of Descent would have liked it better.
George Clooney is interested in playing Noah in the movie. Jennifer Lawrence as Alison. That's worth a snort of coke, right? Eden was dragging Noah around and kept him from his phone. Not only did he get way to messed up, he got naked in the hot tub with Whitney.
It was a little bit frightening that his first thought wasn't to get his daughter out of the den of depravity, but at least he wanted to get himself out of proximity of his sexually active girl. Sobbing on the side of a closed road while his child is being born and his eldest makes out with a gal at that party...maybe that's his arc. Maybe he'll come to his senses.
It might be too late. After all, Alison had a hard time giving birth. She decidedly did not want the baby. The way it was shot and in conjunction with everything Cole was going through at the same time with Luisa, I'm still leaning toward the baby being Cole's.
It's not more realistic than the Lockhart's being cursed, but it seemed as though Alison could only let go and give in to her birth when Cole finally saw Gabriel and set the place on fire, freeing them both from the weight of their memories. Alison may not have known it, but maybe she could feel it. Hell, who knows what parents can feel on a level like that when undergoing so much?
Cole and Alison are still deeply connected. It seems highly unlikely Alison had sex with Scotty. I just cannot believe that happened. "Our baby" had to refer to the Lockharts. For some reason, Cole and Alison are the key to lifting the family's curse.
Also telling was that once Noah finally made it to the hospital, Alison wated to spend more time with her baby alone. Theirs will not be a happy marriage going forward. There are some rifts that can't be repaired. There has been a lot of damage done, even if Noah isn't aware of it all yet.
And then there is Helen. What stood out about her fling with the doctor was her concern about whether or not he's a good guy acting like a dick or a dick acting like a good guy. There's a big difference. I THINK most of the time we've known Noah, we've witnessed a good guy acting like a dick. Helen knew the good guy. We've gotten to know the dick.
The guy who was crying on the side of the road? That was the good guy, realizing he has very few straws left to be his last. His life is falling apart, even WITH a bestselling novel about to be made into a movie. He once had a happy family and not fame. Now he has fame and no happy family. He can't seem to have it all. What does he want?
He's going to have to figure it out. My guess is if he wants the family, it will be with Helen, and she's learned that she can give a little and allow him some fame. She's tasted life without him, and she doesn't like it any more than he does.
The same goes for Cole and Alison.
None of them are really ready to let go fully.
Except for that pesky murder. Who killed Scotty? The only person who could have killed him that would allow semi happy endings all around is Whitney. But I don't think that will happen. The one person I have never, not for a second, considered is Helen. Could she have been looking for Whitney and killed Scotty? Why not throw her into the mix? Crazy, right?
Did you see those looks that seemed to be going on between Helen and Noah in the preview for the finale when he was saying he was a terrible, terrible guy and left out so much about that night? What's so important about that night? It's not the night Scotty died. He was still alive after the baby was born. So confused.
Alrighty guys, you're up. What did you think of the hour? Did this shape up Noah's arc for you? Comment please!! Don't leave me hangin'.
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.
