The Affair Season 4 Episode 9 Review & After Show

[@msbookgal]

The acting this episode was exceptional. The combination of both parts made it even more heartbreaking.

[@alisondean2747]

Totally agree -- i'm still recovering!

[@nickchislom9499]

msbookgal... Part one was what Alison wanted. Part two was the death of Alison.

[@nitradee317]

Alison was VERY strong in part 2. She was just scared because Ben was being aggressive. She seemed weak in part 1 the moment Ben fixed her faucet, she softened and became the same old Alison.

[@NikkiBWithTheAdHd]

This episode totally wrecked me! I just always wanted Cole and Alison to make it back to each other. I am going to miss this series so much when it goes. Definitely my top show the past 4years.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

Just spitballing but maybe the voice that makes an avalanche and buries a man she never knew is referring to Allison’s presence and death (voice) made an avalanche (Cole’s rage) that buried a man (kills Ben) she never knew (he lied to her so she never knew him), and maybe his widow bride (Ben’s wife) meets a man and they create a child, and Allison’s song (the opening credits) is telling this child the story posthumously.

[@RustySpoons6490]

christopher leo daniels this comment was amazing. Wow...nice job on this theory. Very underrated comment.

[@HippyWitchGal]

And I'm thinking Ben should have had a Snickers. ;) "You're not you when you're hungry."

[@ani4life]

HAHAHA, yes!!

[@jamaalellison941]

Oh that's fucked up lol

[@aprilwhisenhant]

Omg yessssss

[@nickchislom9499]

HippyWitchGal... HaHaHa. That's a good one. Zing.

[@knoelle1357]

He rolled in very very hangry.

[@balkangetaway]

I have been with an x military ptsd victim and the acting was spot on. So triggering. This season is just exceptional! Best one yet!

[@knoelle1357]

Poor Alison. I’m so sad she and Cole will never be together now. I hate Luisa and Cole together. 😭

[@raineyj560]

Totally thought they would not go the obvious right. Poor Allison, now get him Cole!!!!

[@aprilwhisenhant]

Same!! I’m still reeling from it!

[@RustySpoons6490]

I got a little creeped out when she was slicing the cheese for Ben, then she gave him the plate of cheese and crackers and also...the knife...🔪 Then she turned her fricken back on him, to prepare the tea.😳 I was like: FML. The suspense in this show kills me!!!

[@lauriestonehaskell1687]

I was so incredibly creeped out by Ben's aggressive - psychotic behavior in the second half. I was literally frightened from the moment Allison went back to her kitchen faucet during the beginning of the second part to the aggressive pounding on the door... it was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. It actually reminded me of the psychotic darkness during the season when Noah was in prison and the guard - Brendon Fraser - was terrorizing him... Also I read an article stating that Ruth Wilson left The Affair because she was not receiving pay equal to Dominic West ... even though she had received an Emmy.

[@brentwilliamhenry5170]

Laurie Stone Haskell She may actually have been getting the same pay. She just said she thought he was getting more. I take it she really was looking for a reason to leave.

[@ElkeDragos]

I agree, he scared 💩out of me! My heart was racing throughout the episode from the moment Ben walked in the door on Part 1 & 2. I knew he was her killer. However, I noticed he lied even in part 1, but they were minimal. Also, he was disturbing in his AA meeting, that wasn’t the same guy Alison met. He’s a psychopath. On the outside to others he’s normal, but there was something brewing in him.

[@ElkeDragos]

Concerned4 USA that’s right, I get my awards mixed up. Still, that’s pretty impressive for an up and coming actress. She’s very talented and it was well-deserved.

[@lauriestonehaskell1687]

Also I think Allison tried to assert herself in the second part but she was frightened by Ben's behavior.

[@ani4life]

Laurie Stone Haskell I think you’re right about that...I kept wanting her to call him out, but her not doing so went with the whole theme of the POV.

[@ani4life]

I’m only 4 minutes into the podcast and I’m on the edge of my seat again like I was during last night’s episode...it was soooooo good, and I also loved them giving 2 perspectives from Allison. That Ben though, definitely knew he was shady from the beginning too Nadine!!

[@Gourgandise]

Now that I think about it, I was already surprised at Ben's tone when he met Cole at the bottom of her apartment. He was off already.

[@brandonrobinson716]

She was weak in part 1,so what he told her he was married. She was supposed to kick him out and go on with her life. Part 1 was exactly how she was with Noah,nothing but confusion. She showed more strength in part 2,though she shouldn't have open the door, neither times.

[@resili009]

What an awful story. Poor Alison.

[@nakeishamammeri5094]

Brandon Robinson especially when Ben was banging on her door like a mad man, that should have been a red flag for her

[@brandonrobinson716]

Gem_Gem7 like in real life sometimes it takes time,or a event for whats in a person to show. She and Cole should have never got divorced.

[@vinylcollectors]

I am watching this years late but you know how The Affair does storytelling out of order a lot? I think in this episode the two parts are out of order. I think angry Ben (Alison Part 2) happened first and the happy ending (Alison Part 1) was what she dreamed up as an alternate ending as she was dying. And I think there was a little nod to that in her monologue in the water when she says she just wants to be happy. Amazing episode!

[@jamaalellison941]

I would've gone outside when he refused to leave. One he compared killing a unarmed child to killing a insect I would've been done

[@zoechaos3811]

Part one: Expectation Part two: Reality

[@nickchislom9499]

Zoe Chaos... What Alison wanted and what Alison got...

[@negrilgyrl]

Ok that's what I was trying to figure out. So even in her dreams Alison couldn't help sleeping with a man she shouldn't be with 🙄

[@MsBluheart]

I came to this series because of Ruth Wilson (Alison), so of course, I'm sad to see her go. I'm looking forward to all the things she'll do next. A truly gifted actress. I will be watching next season, since I don't see it being wrapped up in the last episode, to see that Alison is vindicated (I hope!)

[@badbeatpaul7813]

I am not sure Ben did kill Alison. Candi brought up the premeditation of transferring money to an account in Joanie's name. Also, the detective stated Ben had an iron clad alibi and her apartment showed no signs of struggle. She had water in her lungs consistent with drowning. Did Ben go back and clean up the crime scene and was not seen in and out of town? This episode for a first I think had two different perspectives from the same character. Both were very divergent in parts like the incident in the military and his marital status. At the end of the episode as "Ben" was carrying her to the water, there was a voice over of her thoughts being conscious of what was happening although she was unconscious? Is it possible part one was what really happened and part two was what Alison experienced in her tortured mind? She actually did walk to the water and commit suicide? Thoughts?

[@jasamrekojasamrekoja]

My thought exactly. Both parts are true in a way but the second one is as you put it her tortured mind. That's only thing that really makes sense looking both part and having in mind the thing she just find out in last two ,mostly truth about her father and mother and drowning and raping parts of those revelations. Showing them only makes sense if she killed herself. If Ben killed her showing all that would be totally pointless.

[@marykim-garrity9358]

Fascinating thought!

[@ani4life]

So I’m not sure if this has been addressed yet, but if things really happened this way, what about the whole transferring of money into an account for Joanie?? That’s just now coming to me...could Athena have had something to do with that? I still feel like something else will come out about her, especially after watching the previews for next week.

[@barbreedy546]

From the moment alison met Ben, I had a feeling that he was the reason for her disappearance. When they said her body had been, the first person I thought of was Ben. I hope that before the show end its run after the next season, we are treated to a scene of cole beating the total shot out of ben.

[@typerlove5931]

I did too. After seeing him at the AA meeting that was a big red flag too because he was clearly one way with Alison and another way with Cole. Alison was again missing the signs because of her victim complex. I was so creeped out in Part 2 and I don't know if there was anyway she could get herself out of that...It was the wrong time to stand her ground because he was so unstable...

[@HippyWitchGal]

I disagree with the hosts a bit on the comparison of the 2 parts. While I would never wish harm on Alison (especially after discovering the source of her demise in this episode), I found myself watching part one and being angry at her for giving in at the end and being so weak (while she stood her ground initially, she eventually allows herself to be swept up by love/emotion). Again. I was thinking, "has she learned nothing?" With part 2, she initially wavered and did not speak up, but when he attempted to sweep her up in emotion this time, I was proud of her for finally being strong and saying no, but it unfortunately cost her her life. Tough episode indeed. To clarify, I think we saw a very strong Alison at the beginning of part one, but her allowing him in (symbolically and literally, lol) in the end of part 1 showed great weakness on her part. It reminded me of the early days with Noah. I mean, do we really believe he would have left or already had left his wife? That is not typically how the scenario goes. She may have been very weak at the beginning of part 2, but when he got physical and tried to sway her emotions with passion, she said no. I think we saw a strong and weak Alison in both parts, in different ways.

[@jasamrekojasamrekoja]

I saw it the exact same way as you. That's why I suspect she woke up and felt disappointed that she did the same thing as always and then her psych got in the spiral of Part 2 and she decided to end it all.

[@ElkeDragos]

I felt the same way!

[@mandymac74]

HippyWitchGal I was thinking maybe how Alison could have thrown the water from the kettle on Ben. Which is what suprised me when they kept showing the stove. in the first half they kept showing her kitchen where her stove. Come on writers.

[@NikkiBWithTheAdHd]

HippyWitchGal Totally agree with you. I felt she was stronger and more assertive and standing up for herself in the second half. She had finally said no! I was so proud of her!

[@dinizrick]

I couldn't agree more. So sad.

[@NikkiBWithTheAdHd]

The Luisa theory also never crossed my mind. She isn’t a violent person and she has never been portrayed as someone who would murder.

[@zoechaos3811]

Nikki Bassett Yeah, but it would have been a twist we didn't see coming. Ben was pretty obvious.

[@DeShawnHatcher]

This conversation just gave me anxiety. Ughhhhhhh They are so on point

[@TheCointreaux]

Ruth wanted to leave because the male actors were all being paid more than she was. She said that she didn't necessarily want More money, just the Same money as the male leads.

[@negrilgyrl]

Wow! And they could even accommodate her? That goes to show that very few people are cherished in the workplace. She's the main subject of the show. I get that the men are more known than her, but geez.

[@AshleyJones-vp1tb]

Shows my taste in men and why I am always in horrible relationships cuz I immediately fell for Ben and was like they were two broken souls to love eachother and then BAAM!

[@judy3818]

I did subscribe to the afterbuzz love u guys you are great

[@marykim-garrity9358]

He throws her in the water because it is from Allison's perspective. She feels disposable and the imagery is of her being thrown away like trash. Powerful scene.

[@jengore3229]

I never doubted for one second it was Ben , I knew from the moment cole saw him at that conference that Allison was dead and he had killed her because that man had guilty written all over his face, and when cole and noah went to question him he was far to smug and dismissive, so heres my prediction season 5 is gonna be about getting justice for Allison, not just learning to cope with her death and absence from their lives, I feel like noah feels such a deep regret for not being able to save her that he and cole will team up because the what ifs will be to much they're going to figure out it was Ben I feel like cole will kill him and noah will help him cover it up, however all this goes down I dont feel like it will be solely cole that takes care of this guy.

[@hazeleyes895]

This storyline will not conclude in episode 10. I think the next and final season will be a murder mystery with Cole ending up solving it and killing Ben

[@rebeccaelliott9770]

i blooming hope so.

[@alisondean2747]

I'm with you! I def think they are building this up to play out next season.....

[@rebeccaelliott9770]

in part 2 she stands her ground at the end. that was the turning point - she could have taken full responsibility like he asked her to and he said he'd leave (whether or not he would is another question) but she chose to stand her ground (reflecting Helen's advice 2 eps ago). Ruth has a show and a movie i think. she is always english and may want to be UK based more. I think a tv show is a big commitment for some actors but it is a shame. i feel like she was probably aware how long the show could run and committed to that. but hey ho! I think it was realistic that Alison didn't go to the toilet with her phone to get help etc. It's so true to life that women don't trust their instincts in these situations - think they are over reacting. or they are scared of the threat of violence so they think it's best to try and placate the man. it's truly so real to women's real life experience of violence from men. such a good episode of television. man she is such a talented actress tho. and he did a great job too. what a success.

[@HippyWitchGal]

I completely agree.! I did not see her as weak in the end of part 2. I thought the true weakness was in part 1 where she let him sweep her up and she gave into passion when she still should have said no. Again.

[@HippyWitchGal]

And could the writers be messing with us yet again? Maybe we are taking for granted that part 2 was the true reality? I think we are so used to, in screenwriting, seeing the "this is what could have happened" first and the "this is what really happened" second, that we may be assuming the 2nd part was true when it may not be?

[@ani4life]

That is something to ponder...so maybe once they went to bed, she woke up in the middle of the night and really did walk out to sea? What are your thoughts on what may have happened?

[@HippyWitchGal]

To be honest, I have not really given that much thought. I still think ultimately, Ben is not a good guy, so maybe he started to show his true colors right after and it caused her so much regret that she decided to end her life. For all we know, Ben's wife shows up and kills her, lol. Crazier things have happened on this show!

[@jasamrekojasamrekoja]

I wonder that too. She did almost the same thing as when she slept with Noah, so maybe she woke up and thought she cant break the pattern even whn she tried.

[@ElkeDragos]

Omg, my husband never watched the show and decided to start last night! Shocking episode and I could not watch anything afterwards

[@joycelemos4971]

Cruel! Ruth Wilson's character in The Affair is killed only a few months after she complained of having less money than her male co-stars.

[@jaybrook07]

Joyce Lemos She should be making the most money of anybody on that show. She does all the heavy lifting when it comes to carrying scenes and clearly the best actor out of everyone. Cole should be next highest

[@StacyAnn456]

There is absolutely no way Allison would kill herself at this point in her life. It makes no sense. Why would she do that to her daughter? And why now? She had worked so hard to get her life on track so she could be with Joanie. And she did it! Why would she suddenly throw it all away? She wouldn’t. She was murdered.

[@luisleal2940]

There are villains just can’t be hated Then there is Ben .

[@nickchislom9499]

Fernando Leal... The final nail in Alison's coffin...😔

[@NikkiBWithTheAdHd]

She should of totally went out to dinner with him instead of talking in private in her home. I know she somewhat felt safe with this guy but, he just always creeped me out.

[@bamberkitty]

Subscribed😁!

[@dfa3366]

Confusing aspects as to what happened to Allison. We got two different perspectives so I think the final season will indicate what really happened. The police said she drowned because her lungs were full of water. If she was killed Ben tossed her into the ocean but she was still alive just knocked out.

[@theartifact1193]

This is the final season for me.

[@nickchislom9499]

The Artifact... I understand

[@80s4everever]

QUESTION: Are the show runners giving Alison's character "The Lady or the Tiger" type ending?

[@TheDoctorangie]

I had to watch it twice and took notes

[@Gourgandise]

The bang on the cabinet was so violent. Man that gives me chills just thinking about it. I think the juxtaposition of the perfect romance to the violent one made it even more traumatic for me.

[@CarolinaRaine]

I’m just glad that she didn’t kill herself. I think the 1st part was the way Allison hoped their encounter would take place. Then part 2 was the true outcome and you can see the shock on her face when things didn’t go as she had hoped. My predictions is possibly the entire next season will be about Cole and Noah proving he killed her. I don’t see them figuring all this out with one last show for the season. JMT

[@AshleyJones-vp1tb]

Yea that end monologue Allison had when he was dumping her body was heavy as fuck. I was captivated.

[@Knight622ny]

The one time she stood up for herself, it cost her her life

[@romelfox8318]

I think She was not dead when he throws her in the ocean, cus detective said she had water in her lunges, plus that she moved her hand in ice of close up clips at the end of episode

[@leoncarr920]

, this is such a well-written show I can't believe I was bummed out all day cuz of Allison's death... I'm a dude and I feel bad for feeling so bad... screw Ben... the actor portraying that character is dead to me.

[@romelfox8318]

Now that we know Ben is killed her, how it is that the detectives can’t figure it out? There was fight, in her place, his finger prints r all over her apartments, on liquor bottle, cup, plate, on sofa!!!!

[@mouazahmed3139]

I don't think Allison's interaction with Helen happened in LA. Remember they also shared a very different memory of that meeting they had at the bar in season 3.

[@sjonail]

" love is watching someone die." That quote in the finale makes me think, what if Cole is the one who killed her. He loved her to death.

[@khaleesisnow1683]

The show is deep...I thought the show when I started watching back in 2014 was u know regular concept woman and man have an affair e.t.c but it's much more deeper than that. I will miss it once its fin!

[@alisondean2747]

Me toooooooo

[@averycolnite3561]

The writers are playing mind games with the viewers. Alison is apparently harassed on the flight to California, but isn't too sure it was real or not. Now we have Ben, a very shady character who has clear issues attack her in her perspective - a sharp contrast between hers and his. Who are we to believe here? It's hard to tell.

[@bouncyshak]

They were both her perspective

[@averycolnite3561]

My bad. All the more reason to determine that she lost it mentally. 😐

[@sunshinegirl6854]

this is why women or men need to date them (get to know them) for 3 to 6 months BEFORE SEX! or commitment.

[@sunshinegirl6854]

everyone is on their best behavior when first meeting someone. the real side comes out after 6 months or after living with someone.

[@sunshinegirl6854]

alot of times people who are aggressive have a charming side. He charmed her. Plus with addiction, aggression occurs. Alison needs to take accountability to get to know them first prior to being in bed with them! Go on dates. ask eachother questions

[@knoelle1357]

I really hope Cole gets justice for Alison. I agree that he will dispense some vigilante justice. Season 5 will not be good unless it focuses on the murder of Alison.

[@typerlove5931]

Alison misread the situation so badly. This was not the right time to be confrontational. She dug her own grave the moment she closed the door and tried to comfort him.

[@desireegw7]

Cole was right and I clearly wrong about who was guilty, but beyond that, I’m still so sad that Allison is gone. 😪

[@lotescataluna5942]

I like Cole and Alison is back together ❤️❤️ with Jonnie 😘😘

[@jan-keesjoosse8621]

I think you're leaning too much in a hopeful version (part 1) and a truth version (part 2). Showrunner Sarah Treem would never do that.

[@brandonrobinson716]

He was drunk before he got there.

[@alisondean2747]

That's what I was thinking also!

[@Saavycupcake]

I’m wondering because didn’t he tell them he went to a bar where he had the first drink in a long time , right?

[@vinylcollectors]

I think so too. The way he banged on the door plus the way he looked standing there made me already think he was off/drunk

[@negrilgyrl]

I'm in no way victim blaming when I say this : people shouldn't invite people they barely know to their home!! What's wrong with meeting in public to make sure that the person isn't crazy? Once a person knows where you live that opens the door for unwanted visits and other harassment.

[@myriem11]

She left the show because of equal pay. Four years later she realises she's being under paid? Sigh.

[@ElkeDragos]

Ruth Wilson may have left because Dominick West receives a higher salary even after she won the Golden Globe for the show.

[@WhatFC]

While I am all for equality, in all fairness Dominic West had a vastly more extensive resume of TV and film credits before this show and so did Joshua Jackson.

[@ElkeDragos]

WhatFC I agree ☝️ and she’s let down a lot of fans in the process. It’s disappointing.

[@danyyyyyyyy]

@@WhatFC she was the main character, she should have been paid as much as the others.... Let's not try to excuse unequal pay please, thank you.

[@WhatFC]

She was largely unknown prior to this series. Dominic West starred in The Wire and was in dozens of other movies and TV shows. Joshua Jackson had leading roles in two major TV shows and was also in dozens of movies. In what real world job does a person with vastly less experience earn something comparable to those with vastly more experience? Wilson agreed to a seven-year contract when she signed to do the show. It's great that this was a break out role for her and I definitely think she deserved a raise, which I'm guessing she got, but I don't see why she has to earn the same as two male actors whose resumes are more than triple to what hers is. On her next project, she can ask for more money up front. It seems she's been trying to get out of The Affair since season three. Perhaps the character isn't to her liking. She got what she wanted -- an exit and apparently they filmed all her scenes at once so she committed minimal time. Let's see what she does next.

[@KK872]

Sarah Treem wrote this episode

[@piecesofme2488]

Karen Shaw it all makes sense now! Last episode new writer and director. I think she’s punishing Ruth Wilson by giving her a terrible exit

[@nakeishamammeri5094]

I think I figured it out, the first version of Allison, was her trying to take a stand but once again falling for the wrong guy, the second part was her taking a stand and actually having a voice but to her own detriment. Helen's words echoing in Allison's head.." change the narrative".." You can have an second act"...these words were buzzing around her head giving her a voice...but because of Ben's change of demeanor she played this act too close and too soon, she should have charmed him out of the door for her own safety.

[@bouncyshak]

Nailed it.

[@jengore3229]

nakeisha brown I feel like the first part was her envisioning how she hoped it would all play out, which clearly it did not work out that way

[@brentwilliamhenry5170]

So she did not kill herself?

[@raineyj560]

Brent William Henry no. Ben pushed her into the wall and she hit her head and was aggressive with her earlier

[@brentwilliamhenry5170]

Rainey J We sure Ben actually did that?

[@ani4life]

Do I smell another theory here?? Do tell!!

[@brentwilliamhenry5170]

Candi A. Unless part 1 is Allison's perspective and Part 2 is unbiased reality.

[@ani4life]

Hmmmm...that’s the impression that I got 🤔

[@joseantonioperezjimenez4182]

Love the DPM concept: Deep Passionate Murder hahaha lol. But I hope it's not the case. Otherwise it would be funny and also akwkard Luisa parenting Joanie without Cole and Alison.

[@Brax1982]

As tense and well-acted this episode was, I never truly like the "it was a phantasy" plot device. The second season in a row, the show disappoints with the easiest (if most reasonable) outcome. There were all the warning signs over this guy from the very start. As to why Alison was written out...this is how it happens most of the time on TV. The actors want to go. You need to write them off, somehow. It's quite rare that the showrunners decide to kill someone off. And if they do, then it's most likely due to a feud with the person in question. It's pretty much like firing an employee.

[@kyootzee]

Disagree. The second part is the Alison that has learned her lesson, to stand up for herself and overcome her demons. The first part is the Alison that played dumb and used her sexuality to survive the way she has done in the past. If she chooses her old ways, there will be negative consequences. If she chooses to do the right thing, it gets her killed. That is the tragedy of this character. Running off with Noah was a terrible decision, but maybe that stopped her from killing herself at the beginning of the series.

[@sunshinegirl6854]

i love the affair! why!

[@lbg2memh5530]

No Allison, lost me as a viewr and fan. I'm done. The love Affair for me is over!!!

[@WeezyD313]

BaeDine!!!