The Affair 4.3: Dire Straits (Not the Band) in California

A grim episode 4.3 of The Affair tonight, namely Helen's half hour, and how she's trying to deal with Vic's awful diagnosis.   On that, I've got to say that I think Helen did nothing wrong tonight, including telling Vic's parents after he expressly told her not to.  Her actions were 100% understandable.

Also of interest is what came into Helen's mind when her shrink asked her whom she couldn't live without.  After saying her kids, someone else was in her mind, and at that point, Helen ends the session.  Was that someone after all Noah?

Noah's segment was more nuanced, if a little trite.   So is what happened at the end between Noah and the principal - you know they're going to have a full-fledged hot affair, so what's the point of resisting that or pretending it won't happen.  (But she had a good line when she said she doesn't want to see her son in Noah's next novel.)

And that leaves us with what in effect is a third segment - the prelude or intro.  Alison has gone missing.  She's involved with Ben.  But, most significantly, Noah and Cole are in the car together, starting to look for her.  We saw this in the first episode two weeks ago.  It will be fun to see how they both end up in that car, looking for the woman the two still very much love.

This season is increasingly unlike the first three.  No crime of any kind, so far.  Noah apparently a much better person than he's ever been on the series. Same for Alison.  And Helen's in the most difficult situation she's ever been in.

And I'll be back here next week with more.

See also The Affair 4.1: Quakes and Propaganda ... The Affair 4.2: Meanwhile, Back on the Island

And 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 ... The Affair 3.5: Blocked Love ... The Affair 3.6: The Wound ... The Affair 3.7: The White Shirt ... The Affair 3.8: The "Miserable Hero" ... The Affair 3.9: A Sliver of Clarity ... The Affair 3.10: Taking Paris

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

the Sierra Waters time-travel trilogy