A psychological drama series that viewers say ‘blew them away’ is about to become available to stream for free.
Starring Ruth Wilson and Dominic West, among others, The Affair premiered in the US on Showtime in October 2014, running for five seasons until November 2019.
It’s long been hyped up, with critics declaring it a ‘masterpiece’ and audiences admitting it was ‘not at all’ what they expected.
And you can get your own slice of the twisted action when the series lands on ITV in a matter of days.
Seasons 1-3 will finally be available for UK audiences on ITVX from March 13, with season 4 coming in summer.
Perhaps don’t binge through the episodes too quickly, though, as you’ll have to hang on until 2027 for season 5.
But we’re sure it’ll be worth the wait, as The Affair fans still flood the internet with rave reviews to this day.
Its plot follows a grieving waitress, Alison Lockhart (Wilson), who starts an extramarital affair with teacher and writer Noah Solloway (West).
Episodes are typically split into two parts, switching between characters’ points of view and showing how each has different, complex memories of certain events.
It’s a thrilling stylistic choice that keeps you on your toes, generating suspense and leaving you to question what’s real as the repercussions of Alison and Noah’s infidelity emerge and the foundations of their respective relationships crumble.
Other cast members include Maura Tierney as Noah’s wife, Helen, and Joshua Jackson as Alison’s spouse, Cole.
The Affair boasts an 85% score from critics across all its seasons on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it 77%.
Among the feedback, earlier seasons come in particularly strong, with Gabriel Tate of the Daily Telegraph hailing Wilson and West’s performances as ‘astonishing’.
Sally Newall of the Independent leaves an intriguing review, writing: ‘The Affair feels raw, both sexy and unsexy… but real, in a slick stylised package amped up with an evocative soundtrack. Everything’s a contradiction, but I’m warning you, you’ll fall for it.’
‘The Affair becomes less and less obvious and more and more interesting as it goes along’, says The Guardian’s Sam Wollaston.
Tim Goodman from The Hollywood Reporter further praises the ’emotionally fearless writing’, while Maureen Ryan of HuffPost says: ‘I was glad I didn’t know where The Affair would go before I sat down to watch it. Not knowing much about it unquestionably added to my appreciation of it.’
As for audiences, @Kookla49 says they binge-watched the entire show ‘in a few days’, and @Rosey26 agrees they were ‘hooked’ from the off.
Some even declare it ‘the best drama ever created’, which explains its five-season run, a rarity in today’s world where television shows are so often cancelled before they really get going.
Created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi, The Affair quickly established itself as one of the most provocative and psychologically rich dramas on the small screen thanks to its unique storytelling approach.
However, its latter seasons made headlines for other reasons, as Luther actress Wilson, 44, did not appear in the final outing. She previously won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Alison.
In 2020, she revealed that she left the show because she ‘didn’t feel safe’ at certain points on set, explaining that there was ‘a lot of noise and anger surrounding’ her experience and she stepped away to ‘protect’ herself.
‘It was before #MeToo and before Harvey Weinstein – and yet my instincts were very clear and strong about what I felt was wrong, about what was going on, and what I didn’t feel safe about,’ she told Stylist.
In an open letter responding to Wilson’s original claims, Treem shut down the suggestion that there was a negative environment while filming.
‘On a continuous basis throughout Ruth’s time on the show, I tried to protect her and shoot sex scenes safely and respectfully,’ she penned after reports emerged about ‘ongoing frustrations with the nudity required’ of an unnamed actress, which caused tension between her and the showrunner.
Co-star West, 56, later chimed in on the topic; although admittedly hesitant to wade in, he voiced support for Wilson.
He told The Sunday Times in 2024: ‘We talked a lot about it, and I suppose I did experience it. I don’t really like talking about it but … yeah, everything Ruth has said is absolutely right.’
The Crown actor West, who was nominated for various awards for his performances, including at the Golden Globes, does appear in season 5.
Seasons 1-3 of The Affair will be available to stream on ITVX from March 13. Season 4 will be released in summer; season 5 will come in 2027.
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