# The Irrational (2023)

> A behavioral psychology professor consults on high-stakes cases until a female domestic terror suspect turns his world upside down.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/137425

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 29
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Arika Lisanne Mittman
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Jesse L. Martin, Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz, Arash DeMaxi, Caleb Ruminer, Kaj-Erik Eriksen, Sara Canning
- TMDB rating: 7.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16288838/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: breezy, diverting, lightweight, suspenseful, escapist

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed: a lightweight procedural crime drama that viewers find diverting early on, with the second season rated markedly lower than the first.

## Synopsis

The Irrational (2023-2025) is an American network crime drama created by Arika Lisanne Mittman for NBC. Jesse L. Martin stars as Alec Mercer, a world-renowned behavioral psychology professor whose reading of human nature helps governments, corporations and law enforcement crack high-stakes cases. Maahra Hill plays Marisa Clark, and Travina Springer plays Kylie Mercer, with Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi in principal supporting roles. Across two seasons and 29 episodes, the engine is a mostly case-driven structure in which each investigation turns on a suspect's psychology, while a larger thread pits Mercer against a female domestic terror suspect who unsettles his certainties. The tone is lightweight and diverting, a comfortable mix of escapist whodunit puzzles and procedural beats that suits between-hours viewing. Fans of The Mentalist, Criminal Minds and NCIS will find the same familiar American crime-drama pleasures here, with brisk investigations and a clever consultant at the center of each case.

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