'The Affair' season 3 spoilers: New installment opens with three-year time jump; to end after upcoming season?

Promotional photo for season 3 of "The Affair." Facebook/TheAffairShowtime

"The Affair" is returning to Showtime later this week, and fans will get to see what happens to Noah (Dominic West), Helen (Maura Tierney) and everyone else after the events of the season 2 finale.

The last time fans saw the characters, it was revealed how Helen also contributed to the unraveling of her marriage to Noah. At the end of the season, it turned out that a drunken Helen was the one who killed Scotty (Colin Donnell) in a hit-and-run. In a surprising twist, she let Noah take the fall for her actions, which resulted in him getting sentenced to prison.

The third installment will pick up three years after Noah took the fall. He has served his prison sentence and is about to readjust to life on the outside. In an interview with TVGuide, show creator Sarah Treem previewed the show's third season, saying that fans will see a different Noah when the show returns.

"We've already leaked that he has a beard at the beginning of the season," said Treem. "A lot of this season is him figuring himself out in a way that he never has before."

The show creator added that Noah will have some very big problems at the beginning of season 3 and that there will be some "immediate threats" to the character. Treem said that the season will reveal what happened after Noah's confession, and it will also cover the long-term consequences of it.

As for this season's mystery, it was reported that it will center on an unstable prison guard named Gunther who seems to be obsessed with Noah. The character will be played by "The Mummy" actor Brendan Fraser, whose last TV appearance was in 2015's "Texas Rising."

There has been talk that the show might end after its upcoming season, as Treem revealed that she had three seasons planned when she first pitched the show to the network. However, the show creator said that she has an alternate ending in mind should the series get a fourth season on Showtime.

"The Affair" season 3 premieres Sunday, Nov. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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