I'd think that as a mother and as a nurse, especially, Allison would have known to have her son examined by a doctor.
I think that's negligent although, in real life, of course, I wouldn't want to blame a grieving adult.
So I disagree that Allison "didn't do anything wrong." Also, I'm not sure that secondary drowning is so rare that it's unknown.
1
It's a TV show.
1
I always love Mare Winningham and was happy to see her character get some screen time.
This is the 2nd episode we've seen Cole mention that Luisa is crazy.
Speaking of crazy, how could he leave to drive cross-country and be gone 6 months less than 24 hours after Joanie arrives for her weekend? He didn't call Alison to tell her about this monumental change in plans that has a major impact on their daughter? Would Alison really not mind that, gee, her dad's away for 6 months and Luisa is now the sole caregiver on that end? And the fact that Cole agreed (presumably without telling Luisa) that they were taking Joanie on Alison's next parental weekend. None of this makes sense; Cole couldn't have waited, oh, 24 hours to organize his life before setting off?
I just can't stand Ben. Right from the get-go he seemed a bit smarmy, a little too smooth, and now he's a liar and a cheat to boot. I couldn't keep a straight face when he delivered the oldest line all cheaters have delivered: "My marriage is dead, we're just together for the kids." GIVE ME A BREAK. And "it's complicated". Um, no, "forsaking all others 'til death do you part" really ISN'T COMPLICATED. What a putz.
And the last thing Alison needs, when she's finally getting her life in order and has a child to raise, is a former drunk + drug addict + probably sex addict who is cheating on his wife with her and lying to her.
Given the Noah plane ticket, I'm guessing she goes running to Noah when things fall apart with Ben.
9
I can’t stand Ben either. The sooner then gone the better.
1
LOL, this is the 2nd episode we've seen Cole say Luisa is crazy.
LOVE Mare Winningham and am thrilled to see her appear in this episode. She's always so good.
I don't understand how Cole can just take off with less than 24 hours' notice when he not only has Joanie for the weekend, but has agreed to take her on one of Alison's weekends coming up. Seriously? Seems pretty odd that he wouldn't at least wait until Monday, when Joanie's back with Alison.
I absolutely cannot stand Ben now. Dude. Like you're the first man to ever use THAT line ... "it's complicated." No, forsaking all others til death do you part really isn't. "Our marriage is dead but we're still together for the kids." Yeah. Right. Every cheater says that. What a putz, especially since Alison has allowed herself to be so vulnerable with him. And the LAST thing she needs, now that she's finally getting her life on track, is yet another married man lying to her and cheating on his wife with her.
I couldn't believe the Luisa storyline. What is she smoking, thinking after everything Alison has been through, she'd give up custody due to mental incompetence -- even "just on paper"? To that point, what is Luisa smoking that she thinks it'd be "just on paper"? No way. Alison would lose her daughter and never get her back. I honestly don't know where Luisa's thought process was, coming up with that one -- especially since she used it as a bargaining chip to justify leaving Cole. So weird.
3
Agree on Luisa - who has become horribly self-obsessed and manipulative. Is it the actress who is not convincing me,or is it the character twisting Cole’s arm to get what she wants - a rich life in Miami, where she would shine.
1
I wonder if Luisa presented this solution differently or if even the solution was slightly different. This is Cole’s memory/interpretation of the event and it’s possible that she didn’t actually come across this way, but his memory is beginning to reflect his growing disenchantment.
1
To be fair, secondary drowning is unusual and Alison didn't do anything wrong.
2
Unlike our recapper, my wife and I thought this was the weakest episode of the season so far. If that eye-wiggling thing had gone on any longer, I might have started screaming and needed some eye-wiggling myself. Cole just happens to meet up with Allison's new love at the AA meeting? Yet another Affair coincidence. Would Cole ever be so forgiving that he would try to help the dangerous creep who had roofied and robbed him? (I have found the new boyfriend to be a little creepy from his first scene.) Why would Cole's wife think that Allison would ever agree to giving away her child again after all she went through last season to get the child back? Why would Cole's wife think his going on a trip would solve any of her problems? (She comes off as semi-borderline to me -- the type of person to be avoided.) As someone else has pointed out, how could Cole go on "walkabout" when he has so many commitments at home? The high point of the episode was the confrontation between Cole and the new boyfriend outside her apartment. Otherwise, for me, mostly frustrating and boring.
10
Agree on all points, especially about the hypnosis bit.
1
Okay: this is a bizarre idea ( but after all, if the writers think it appropriate that Cole can copy his father's walk about when Cole has week-ends with his daughter and a business to sell and finding a way to make the money to continue his lifestyle) then why not throw this out:
Ben came INTO Alison's office. Wouldn't it be strange if he knew Luisa and was specifically meeting Alison in order to help Luisa gain custody of the daughter?
Yes, I know that is a bit too contrived, but there are other inconsistencies: If anyone knows anything about genetics in the casting dept, they should have known that a husband and wife with blue and green eyes would not birth a child with brown eyes. Casting inappropriately cast a lovely little girl who looks more like Luisa's child than Alison's.
3
Here's an odd thought - what if Luisa is somehow connected to Alison's vanishing? With Cole away, and Luisa in charge of the daughter, what better way to prove Alison is unfit ? Probably too far out there for this show, but if they keep up the soap opera themes, maybe not.
11
This stood out in the review:
“I’m having a very nice time not having sex with you,” she tells him as they float together, equal parts irony and sincerity. “Well, don’t get used to it,” he wisecracks back. It’s all deeply romantic and sexy in a way only people old enough to have had their emotional injuries reset and re-broken several times can understand."
That scene was the most riveting to me, but I see it differently, and quite opposite. When you are old enough to have experienced all that, you would think you'd be aware of projecting unrealistic ideas onto another person.
With everything Alison has been through, to suddenly trust Ben (and I found it quite unrealistic that she had never told anyone else the full story), was maddening. Then again, it showed me that she really has not progressed in the way that she thinks she has and exclaims to others. Her being so naïve, her seeming to ignore that she is dealing with a newly sober addict - frustrating! If I'd been married twice, and not even been through what she had, I'd like to think that I would know that this falling in love feeling is not real.
And Ben falling for her so fast? More projection. This does happen in real life, so I was taken in. But, even if I didn't know Ben's background, I'd already realize that this was a set-up for doom.
12
I agree with you -- and I've been married twice (first one divorce, second died). But Alison is SO NEEDY that she's just not seeing what she should for ultimate clarity and sanity.
5
The Ben-Alison budding romance proves the wisdom of the AA dictate of avoiding relationships. Ben is deeply flawed, not only in his addiction and willingness to break the relationship ban, but in his withholding his marital status. Not a good guy. And Alison is too needy to see the red flags. She sabotages herself over and over in her poor choices. A broken bird, Alison will always attract controlling men who want to fix her. The semi-stalking behavior of Ben in his early encounters with Alison forebodes a very bad end.
6
The whole waving the finger & pressing a palm....come on!! We know why Alison is at convention. Why is Ben there? Ben is a bad guy. He is stalking Alison. Of course he will end up drinking. Chances are he is physically abusive when drunk & is holding her hostage somewhere & that is why she is missing. Also, the childhood drowning dream......yeah...it happened for sure. Enter Alison's mom to explain it all in a later episode is my guess.
Cole decides on a marital 'walkabout'. No, it's called a separation. He is going to drive all the way to CA?
If a non alcoholic Cole can meet Ben in an AA meeting, I'm guessing he will bump into Noah in a small place like CA.
18
Ben's "I'm stalking you" comment to Allison could be a bit of clumsy foreshadowing.
2
To add: How can Cole go on a walk about when he has is daughter to take care of? Will Luisa be caring for her on the weeks when Alison isn't? That seems like another set up for trouble.
8
And a business to sell next week...eye roll.
8
Also, I’m guessing Cole didn’t tell Luisa about the switched parenting weekend, which will lead to a conflict/misunderstanding between Luisa and Alison on that weekend.
8
Did anyone notice that when Allison told Ben the story about her son, she left out the part of the secondary drowning? I.e. she just said he drowned as if Cole were the only one at fault.
But Gabriel been revived. He died because she, as a nurse, didn't think to have him examined and treated and the water and damage to his lungs killed him later.
I also thought it hilarious how Ben looked so much less appealing through Cole's view. He didn't even look like the same (handsome) person.
Although I feel sympathetic to Luisa, her solution to her U.S. status was silly. There was no way Allison would give up her rights as mother. It really didn't seem like a fair test of Cole's love to me.
35
Yes--in Cole's view, Ben seems more scruffy and possibly shorter as well? His eyes seem more troubled. In the AA meeting, did Ben allude to a drug problem added to the drinking problem? He's now also revealed as married with kids, and he has that intimacy problem as well adding to his frustration -- really looks like trouble for Allison. Here's a character who is more troubled than all the regulars. I wonder if the writers will introduce us to Ben's wife, and bring her problems into the fold! Wow.
10
That's exactly right Barbara as I mentioned it to my wife while watching on demand last night. Allison had either blocked out the "truth" or had simply omitted it from her account of her son's death.
Luisa has been in the States for quite some time and her current concerns with her immigration status, while quite legitimate, seem to be a "call out" in some respects to the current administrations enhanced deportation tactics. I don't recall her status being of such concern in earlier seasons.
3
Marty,
Luisa appeared in one previous season - the last - not "seasons." And her immigration status has been troubling to her since we first met her.
Luisa's plan to gain residence by getting Alison to give up parental rights to her daughter is bizarre and selfish. Luisa is a drag, continually whining and blaming Cole for her legal problems - which aren't his fault. Those problems were baked into decisions she made to stay here illegally long before meeting Cole. Maybe Cole isn't balking at Luisa's plan for the right reasons - but he should still say its unconscionable.
Ben now officially moves into "sketchy" territory and Alison's comment about past premonitions that someone may 'hurt' her are pointing at Ben. Run Alison run!
23
Why haven't Cole and Luisa adopted a baby or explored fertility treatment? Their marriage is so poorly drawn that I guess the writers think that would be unrealistic (or it wouldn't advance the plot).
7
As an illegal, Luisa would have a very difficult time adopting a child.
1
Best episode of this season up until Cole’s abrupt “walkabout”. He just announced he’s selling the restaurant. He is sharing custody of his daughter, and his wife is worried she could be picked up and deported. (You’d think theyd consult with an immigration lawyer instead of solving this with her laptop)
25
One would think that her status would be in even more jeopardy now that Cole is on his "walkabout", she had better watch out for those speed zones, specially out East. Hint: take an Uber.
11
It's called The Affair so, of course, someone has to be cheating on a spouse. This time it's the new guy. And the woman who aids and abets his cheating is, of course, the original mistress from Season One.
You gotta be kidding with this plot line!
14
Luisa wants Alison to give up her parental rights?? That is soooo wrong!
14
The whole walkabout thing was infuriating - even more so because the episode was written by a woman. More tired stories of male indecision while their long suffering women wait patiently for them to accept their decisions and lives. If my husband ever declared he needed a walkabout - I'd change the locks the minute he left - that is if I didn't pack my bags and beat him out the door first - for my own walkabout. Hmph - as if women don't feel oppressed and stifled from the drudgery of daily life!
40
People seem to agree with you. I don’t. But then, I’m single.
2
One of the most powerful moments in this episode for me was when Alison was underwater seemingly waiting to feel Ben’s hands around her neck bringing her back to the surface - as though it was a test. She imagined it happening, but it didn’t. Instead, Ben waited - a rather long time - until she had already surfaced to jump in with her. Her face in those moments seemed to reflect a realization that he was not actually the savior she dreamed of.
23
I have gotten so sick of the simpering, self-centered psycho, that I hoped that they had decided to write Alison out of the story and let her drown.
It really is an insult to one's intelligence to base an entire series on the premise that every man who meets this foolish, not too bright, sort of pretty, nothing special, young woman falls head over heels and ends up wrecking his life because of her.
Also, I am getting tired of all the politics- why is it that it that this show is so utterly biased against men and that the most sympathetic character is Luisa, a beautiful, hard working, Latina woman who fears deportation because she is here illegally?
The only thing Alison has going for her at this point is to play the pathetic victim, over and over again, and Helen is right up there with here. Meanwhile, the Three Stooges- Noah, Cole and Vic - can't seem to figure out how much better their lives would be if they just dumped their wives and exes and tried complete abstinence for a year like Ben is trying to do.
16
Yes, spot on regarding all these characters!
Whew. You’re harsh! Don’t watch the show!
Louisa is the least sympathetic! She is so whiny and annoying
Amazing the different reactions ....
This was a good episode that points to what is coming. It is clear he is going to California, like his dad, and will connect there with Noah. I think something will go badly wrong with Allison and Ben, who is not what he seems and not to be trusted. That will cause Allison to go MIA, motivating by the Noah and Cole road trip to find her.
A nitpicking point: I understand that in AA, you’re not allowed to tell anyone what is said in a meeting, including who was there. When Cole told Allison that he met Ben in an AA meeting he was not respecting one of the basic principles of AA.
9
That was the point, Cole said that intentionally to hurt Ben's character.
8
Good points and I agree that this guy Ben is not all he's cracked up to be.
4
I guess, since Cole has never been shown to be an alcoholic or an AA member, and, in fact, Allison asks him why he was at the meeting, that it was an "open" meeting (not for AA members only). Ben should have been more cautious about the details he shared in such a meeting. And, to repeat my comment from last week since it continues to be a plot device: AA has no year-long sexual/romantic abstinence requirement. In fact, AA has no requirements for membership at all - not even sobriety -- except a"desire to stop drinking" (Tradition Three).
1