Hit Or Miss: 'The Irrational' Boasts A Strong Lead And An Intriguing Premise
Traditionally, fall has always been a notoriously stacked season for television, with audiences treated to an influx of new and returning series. However, now several months into the ongoing strikes, audiences will have a much smaller selection when looking for their next primetime drama. The Irrational is a new series from NBC that, after being picked up for a full season in December of 2022, managed to complete its production before the strikes began. The Irrational is set to premiere Monday, September 25th on NBC with each new episode available to stream the next day on Peacock.
The Irrational stars Jesse L. Martin (The Flash, Law & Order, Smash) as Alec Mercer, a world-renowned professor of behavioral science who uses his unique expertise to assist the FBI in solving a variety of high stakes cases. Through years of research and study, Mercer has developed an uncanny ability to understand the vast depths of the human mind, allowing him to make sense of behavior that most would write off as irrational. This series is inspired by Dan Ariely’s behavioral economics book Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. Each episode will take the ideas presented in Ariely’s book and apply them to Mercer’s unique brand of psychological mystery solving, seeing as he connects dots that others cannot.
As the trailer begins, viewers are quickly introduced to Mercer. Through only a few quick and deliberate pieces of dialogue, the trailer effectively conveys Mercer’s extensive knowledge of psychology while showcasing his grounded and earnest personality. The audience is given the impression that Mercer engages in this kind of work not only because of his fascination with the human mind, but also because of his compassion for people. The first case presented is centered on a former marine who confesses to killing his spouse despite admitting to having no memory of the incident. For law enforcement, this confession is enough, but Mercer remains unconvinced. This prompts him to set out to find the real murderer in the hopes of preventing any future violence.
A mini montage in the trailer shows Mercer discussing the various psychological terms that will presumably be relevant to the cases he will take on this season. This was a fun way to simultaneously give viewers a hint at what the season holds while highlighting the intellectual cornerstone of the series. As a professor, it appears Mercer will continue to give lectures while providing his services to the FBI. This suggests that education and discovery could be consistent themes of the series, with Mercer continuing to learn more about people with each case he solves. Towards the end of the trailer, there are quick glimpses of more complex action sequences, including a shootout, a plane crash, and an over-the-top explosion. These moments are meant to reassure viewers that despite the series’ intellectual roots, it will still include all the excitement audiences have come to expect from a primetime NBC drama.
The Irrational is fortunate enough to be arriving on television when competition is at an all-time low. Plus, with The Blacklist concluding its ten-season run just a couple months ago, this new series might just fill the procedural thriller void left in audiences’ lives. The trailer presents The Irrational in a way that demonstrates definite potential. Martin is a seasoned actor with an extensive career in both stage and screen acting; it’s ensured he is more than capable of delivering a solid performance as the series’ lead. Mercer immediately comes off as a likable and charismatic protagonist, with his specialized psychological skills giving his character an edge to stand out. The series’ structure appears familiar yet reliable, giving Mercer ample opportunity to showcase his abilities and wow audiences. Like with any series that hopes to breakthrough, it will be the writing that determines the overall quality. Can the series implement its ideas in a knowledgeable and coherent way? Will the cases be both refreshing and interesting to a general audience? Will the series favor good storytelling and substance over flashy and explosive scenes? If The Irrational can pull each of these off and tie it together with strong performances from its cast, then this new series just might be NBC’s next big hit.