It’s almost the end of “The Affair” at Showtime, as the premium cable channel has set a final season premiere date for the Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi-created drama.
The Dominic West, Maura Tierney and Sanaa Lathan-led series will return for its farewell batch of episodes on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
As previously announced, Anna Paquin has joined the final season as Alison (Ruth Wilson) and Cole’s (Joshua Jackson) now adult daughter Joanie Lockhart, for a flash-forward storyline that sees her return some years in the future to piece together the truth about what happened to her mother, bringing the whole story full circle.
Per Showtime, Season 5 of “The Affair” will chronicle the aftermath of last season’s horrific events and find the characters coming to terms with the consequences of their choices – as they make the realization that if they really want to change their futures, they must first face the past. Helen (Tierney) begins the season involved in an intoxicating new affair with a charismatic movie star (guest star Claes Bang), who offers to give her everything she’s been missing. Noah (West) meanwhile has to swallow his pride and his jealousy and step in to take care of his family in her absence. But just when things seem to have stabilized, a chance encounter with someone from the distant past sets in a motion a sequence of events that brings them both to their knees.
Jackson exited “The Affair” last fall, after Wilson left the series when Alison was killed off toward the end of Season 4. Though at the time of his departure from the show an individual with knowledge told TheWrap Jackson could reprise the part in some capacity for the final season, Showtime confirmed Tuesday the actor will not be back.
Wilson said in August she was “not allowed” to talk about why her character was written out, but the actress later told the New York Times that her exit did not have to do with pay inequality (though she previously said West had a higher salary than her) or a new role she wanted to pursue.
In addition to West, Tierney and Paquin, series regulars for “The Affair’s” fifth and final season include Julia Goldani Telles and Jadon Sand as Noah and Helen’s children, Whitney and Trevor Solloway; and Lathan, as Janelle, Noah’s girlfriend and the principal at the school where he teaches.
Bang, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Lyric Bent are set as new guest stars. Returning guest stars include: Emily Browning, Omar Metwally, Russell Hornsby, John Doman, Kathleen Chalfant, Max Fowler, Abigail Dylan Harrison and Jake Siciliano.
Along with showrunner Treem, “The Affair” is executive produced by Levi, Jessica Rhoades and Michele Giordono.
The fifth and final season of “The Affair” premieres Aug. 25 a 9/8c on Showtime.