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INSPIRATION

‘The Affair’ Delivers a Masterclass in Cinematic Storytelling

Inviting the audience to effortlessly swim along

Debdutta Pal

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A beige and brown lighthouse, standing on a slightly elevated piece of land. Behind is a clear blue sky and unruly grass on the ground. This photo was taken in Montauk, NY.
The Montauk Lighthouse, captured by JohnA Passaro from Pexels

The Affair is a drama series created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi. It premiered in October 2014 on Showtime and ran for five seasons, until 2019. It won a Golden Globe for Best Television Series — Drama, in 2015.

It’s summer. Not the kind you see on social media, that makes you question if you're the only unhappy sap on this planet. But the realistic kind. One where people make choices, and those have catastrophic consequences.

Noah’s a teacher and a father of four. He’s married to his college sweetheart, and vacationing in his father-in-law’s mansion with a private beach. He’s writing his second book. From the outside, his life is perfect.

But not to the audience.

Alison’s a waitress. She lives there, where others traipse in for a dose of sunny serotonin. She’s a woman with a past and wears the mark of being touched by unspeakable tragedy in her eyes. She’s lost yet in motion.

She’s sinking into herself.

The first season is set in the town of Montauk. A beautiful, cold, paradise for the rest of the year, where locals continue their simple and routine lives. In…

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Debdutta Pal
Debdutta Pal

Written by Debdutta Pal

I'd rather be watching Netflix.

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