ITV psychological drama hailed a 'masterpiece' and 'best TV show ever' has been labelled an 'absolute masterpiece' and the 'best TV show ever' by fans on IMDb, and the psychological drama is now available to stream free on ITVX.
The Affair: A Masterpiece of Psychological Drama
The opening three series of a 'masterpiece' drama, hailed by one devoted viewer as the greatest television programme ever made, are currently available to watch completely free of charge. The Affair first hit screens in 2014 and follows a tempestuous romance between schoolteacher Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and bereaved waitress Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson), both of whom are married at the time they cross paths at the diner where Alison works.
ITVX's promotional write-up for the show describes it as a 'trailblazing psychological drama about desire, betrayal and the emotional fallout of an affair'. The series garnered widespread praise for its thoughtful exploration of complex relationships and its inventive storytelling technique of portraying events through the eyes of multiple characters, an approach famously pioneered by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.
The Affair was created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi and ran for five seasons, with the final episode broadcasting in 2019, reports the Express. Fans have flocked to IMDb to heap praise upon the series. One viewer awarded it a perfect score, calling it the 'best tv show ever'.
Fan Reactions and Critical Acclaim
One fan hailed it as a 'masterpiece', saying: 'They don't make tv shows like this. 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.'
A further viewer described it as a 'beautiful story of cause & effects', stating: '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.'
Yet another viewer hailed it an 'absolute masterpiece', pointing out that it is one of those 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 fan added: '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.'
Where to Watch The Affair
In March, the first three seasons of The Affair became available on ITVX, where audiences can stream them free of charge alongside adverts. The broadcaster has now confirmed that the fourth series will land over the summer months, with the fifth set to follow in 2027. All five seasons are also available to stream on Paramount+, or individual episodes can be purchased on YouTube.
