Showtime has had a one-of-a-kind series going strong for nearly four full seasons at this point with The Affair. Although not the biggest ratings-winner, the show has won plenty of critical acclaim and awards recognition as it told the tale of the affair that ruined two marriages and turned four lives upside down. Well, there's now good news and bad news for fans of The Affair who would like to see it go on forever.
The Affair has been renewed for a fifth season, but that fifth season will also be the final season. Showtime gave the official cancellation while the fourth season is still ongoing, with the Season 4 finale not schedule to air until August 19. The early renewal means that viewers can enjoy the remaining four episodes of the season without worrying that the fourth season finale will end on a cliffhanger and leave them waiting for news of whether the show was done or not. Far too many shows have been cancelled after ending on a cliffhanger, and not all of them are lucky enough to be rescued by another platform to pay off on that cliffhanger.
The early renewal means that not only will fans be able to watch the Season 4 finale without worrying into hiatus, but it also means that The Affair could have the chance to wrap things up in a way that provides closure and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Knowing that the fifth season will be the final season could be the best thing to happen to the Affair team behind the scenes. Besides, Showtime's announcement of the renewal and cancellation is clear that the show isn't getting the axe because the network lost faith in the show.
According to Showtime President of Programming Gary Levin, The Affair creator and executive producer Sarah Treem "always envisioned this as a five-season series," and the folks at the network are "fascinated to see where she takes her talented cast and all of us next year in its climactic season." If Treem has been planning on running the show for five seasons, she may have the final year and certainly series finale already mapped out. Is it a bummer that The Affair is ending? Sure. But there's a lot to look forward to.
For now, you can catch new episodes of The Affair Season 4 on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime. The fourth season has followed Noah, Helen, Alison, and Cole as they go in their different directions after being driven away from each other. As they leave their pasts behind, they encounter new people and get themselves back into intimate troubles. Oh, The Affair. Never change.
If you need some alternate viewing options, check out our summer TV premiere schedule. If streaming is more your style, swing by our 2018 Netflix guide and 2018 Amazon Prime rundown.
