The first three series of The Affair, a drama hailed by one viewer as the greatest television programme ever made, are now available to stream for free on ITVX. The show, starring Dominic West and Ruth Wilson, originally aired in 2014 and follows a tempestuous romance between schoolteacher Noah Solloway (West) and bereaved waitress Alison Bailey (Wilson), both in marriages when their paths cross.
What Is The Affair About?
ITVX's synopsis describes the show as a "trailblazing psychological drama about desire, betrayal and the emotional fallout of an affair." The programme garnered widespread praise for its thoughtful exploration of complex relationships and its distinctive narrative technique of portraying events through multiple characters' perspectives, a method famously pioneered by Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.
Created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi, The Affair ran for five seasons, with its final episode broadcasting in 2019, according to the Express.
Fan Reactions: 'Best TV Show Ever'
Devoted fans have taken to IMDb to heap praise on the series. One viewer gave it a perfect score, calling it "best tv show ever." They wrote: "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."
Another viewer described it as a "beautiful story of cause & effects," noting that the final season "deeply ties up the entire series in a nice well done bow." They added: "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."
A third fan hailed it an "absolute masterpiece," highlighting it as one of the rare productions where "every word matters and the only one so deeply psychological and thrilling at the same time." They added: "I watch everything, but The Affair is the only thing during which I switch off my phone."
Where to Watch The Affair
In March, the first three seasons of The Affair became available on ITVX, where audiences can view them free of charge alongside adverts. The broadcaster has since announced that the fourth series is due to arrive this summer, with the fifth set to follow in 2027. All five seasons are also available to stream on Paramount+, with individual episodes available for purchase on YouTube.
