Spoilers for season 4 of The Affair ahead.
If you had a hard time getting through The Affair last week, when we learned that Alison (Ruth Wilson) died, buckle up. Showrunner Sarah Treem has been tweeting out some hints about what is to come in the penultimate episode of season 4, when we get Alison’s take on her death, and it sounds like it’s going to be absolutely terrible.
After episode 8, Treem tweeted, “Episode 8, 9, and 10 are some of the most intense TV The Affair has ever made.” She followed-up by explaining that the three episodes play like a trilogy, which ensures I’ll be going back to watch them like my own mini-movie to see what I missed.
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Episode 8, 9 and 10 are some of the most intense tv #TheAffair has ever made.... I wish you could stream them at once because they play kind of like a trilogy. But I’m excited to hear what everyone thinks of the first installment next Sunday night. https://t.co/w0vmItletF
— Sarah Treem (@SarahTreem) July 30, 2018
This Saturday, ahead of the Sunday night finale, she dropped a few major clues that all fans of the show should mull over while watching. The first was a tweet saying, “When telling a story, we have a tendency to try and make meaning. ‘Character is fate.’ ‘Things happen for a reason.’ But reality isn’t actually like that. And if anyone understands the chaos, unpredictability, and deep unfairness of life, it’s Alison Bailey.”
When telling a story, we have a tendency to try and make meaning. ‘Character is fate.’ ‘Things happen for a reason.’ But reality isn’t actually like that. And if anyone understands the chaos, unpredictability and deep unfairness of life, it’s Alison Bailey. #TheAffair #episode9
— Sarah Treem (@SarahTreem) August 11, 2018
She seems to be hinting at a deeply unfair death to come for Alison, who has been dealing with a lot this season: starting a new job people who aren’t always safe or pleasant to work with, starting a new relationship only to find out the man is married and cheating on his wife, finding out her birth was the result of a rape, and learning to own of her own choices in her love life rather than view herself as a passive passenger.
Her life feels pretty unfair already right now, at least from Alison’s perspective. Is Treem hinting that her death is...meaningless? That’s bleak.
Finally, Treem offers a huge clue for music nerds. Apparently, episode 9 will have a Jason Isbell song in it that is rife with meaning.
If you’re a fan of @JasonIsbell like I’m a fan of @JasonIsbell, pay close attention to the songs we use in episode 9. They’ll tell you everything you need to know. #Theaffair
— Sarah Treem (@SarahTreem) August 11, 2018
Treem also offered some small hints on what would come Alison’s way this season at ATX Festival back in June.
“This season’s a lot about...mortality,” Treem said at ATX, elaborating on the journey Cole would go on to figure out why he can’t let go of their relationship. “Alison is going through a journey with her life and questioning whether or not...she meets a new guy, but the question is if she’s getting sucked into familiar patterns? Can she break patterns, is it possible to break patterns?”
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Well, a pattern certainly ends when one dies.
The Affair airs episode 9 on Sunday, August 12 on Showtime.
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