The first three series of a drama hailed as a 'masterpiece' and called by one fan the finest television programme ever created are now streaming free on ITVX. 'The Affair' debuted in 2014 and chronicles a turbulent love affair between schoolteacher Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and grieving waitress Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson), both married when they meet at the diner where Alison works.
A Trailblazing Psychological Drama
ITVX's promotional description calls the show a 'trailblazing psychological drama about desire, betrayal and the emotional fallout of an affair.' The series earned acclaim for its nuanced examination of intricate relationships and innovative storytelling device of presenting events through multiple character perspectives, a technique popularised by legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.
'The Affair' was developed by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi and spanned five seasons, with the concluding episode airing in 2019.
Fan Acclaim on IMDb
Enthusiasts have flocked to IMDb to lavish the series with acclaim. One awarded it a flawless rating, calling it 'best tv show ever'. 'They don't make tv shows like this,' they continued. 'This is drama at its best.'
'Superb writing and cast of actors, so much talent in this one show. I wished there were 10 seasons of this because it never gets old, it never gets tiring or dull or pointless like many other shows do. Probably season 4 is my favourite because we have travelled so far with these characters that they feel like friends now or people we care about, so human and so fragile and imperfect and real.'
Another viewer described it as a 'beautiful story of cause & effects', saying the final season 'deeply ties up the entire series in a nice well done bow.' 'What's great about the show, is that we get to see, feel and experience every characters perspective of what's truly going on, so in reality, we kind of don't know what's going on because we're just being fed different points of view. It's up to us to figure out what the real story is.'
'Absolute Masterpiece'
A further viewer labelled it an 'absolute masterpiece', noting it is one of the rare productions where 'every word matters and the only one so deeply psychological and thrilling at the same time.' 'I watch everything, but The Affair is the only thing during which I switch off my phone.'
A fourth said: 'I was sucked in immediately and ended up binge watching this series! Very good acting and what I love about it is, the depiction of every character's different perspectives in each episode. It is such an honest, insightful representation of life and the truth that all human beings experience and see things differently.'
How to Watch
In March, the first three seasons of 'The Affair' were made available on ITVX, where viewers can watch them at no cost with adverts. The broadcaster has since confirmed that the fourth series will arrive during the summer, with the fifth to follow in 2027. All five seasons can also be streamed on Paramount+, or individual episodes bought on YouTube.
