Joshua Jackson leaving The Affair; may return briefly in season 5

Just in case the situation surrounding Ruth Wilson’s exit from The Affair was not complicated enough, it now appears Joshua Jackson is also leaving.

According to a new report coming in via ET Online, Jackson may still return for an episode as the show continues onward towards is final season, but it doesn’t appear as though there are many plans beyond that. Originally, the Fringe alum was not interested in sticking on after a polarizing third season (per site sources) but was convinced to do season 4 after getting a pitch on what the story would be.

Suffice it to say, this news surprises us given that Jackson was extraordinary through most of season 4 and it felt like the finale left a lot of room to really explore Cole’s story moving forward. This is a guy who has dealt with some rather-enormous demons, including the loss of a loved one in Alison, and it may not be altogether easy for him to move forward. Yet, we did want to spend a little bit of time seeing this character start to love himself again and figure out some of where his future could lie — that’s true with his professional life as well, given that the story around the Lobster Roll was one of the more forgotten ones over the course of the year. We understand why the focus needed to shift from it, but still.

While we do think that Noah and Helen are compelling-enough characters that the series can work with them as the main focus, it does feel like the final season of The Affair could be just a fraction of what it once was — that’s a shame, given that this season at its peak was one of the best.

Related – Ruth Wilson talks her exit from The Affair

What do you think about Joshua Jackson leaving The Affair? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments below!

Also, remember here that you can like CarterMatt on Facebook in the event you want some more news when it comes to the series. (Photo: Showtime.)