The Irrational

I was excited to start watching this new show as the preview clips were pretty good. It started out fine but halfway through seemed to be very predictable as far as the plot goes. Was nice to see Lauren Holly in it but she obviously looks different with all the work she has had.

I was really liking it until the scene where killer and he were outside chatting at their vehicles. When the guy pulled out the gun - it was a bit strange because he hadn't yet been accused. Then they drive around and get in a car crash? I mean c'mon, that's the best the writers could do? I'll watch next episode and see.

Had to speak up after seeing the pro reviews that gave this new series a rotten rating elsewhere. Those critics seem to have gotten pretty jaded. Maybe watching one too many procedurals? None, repeat none, of these tried and true TV tropes have ever been perfect. But to damn "The Irrational" for being what it is, is, well, NOT rational. The show's an example of a pretty familiar but often successful format and its pilot masterfully established both its star and premise with panache and in record time. It set itself apart from other murder mysteries for me, as much for its arguably endearing and interesting star turn as the very real science the character's mini-storytelling makes accessible. I suspect that the more I watch this series the more I'm going to like it -and the more I'll learn about my OWN motives!

Too many tropes in this show to enumerate. There's the brilliant college proffessor who does this crime-fighting thing as a sideline. Of course he has a dark past with some damage, in this rare case visible to the naked eye. He drives an oddball car that stands out. He is well respected by his (naturally) ex-wife and students, but not so much by other professionals in various disciplines. And on, and on, and on.

This thing is kinda predictable, like a not-well-written Columbo episode with the clowns all dropping their hints flat on the floor in front of the audience -- and the coppers. I don't think I'll have the patience to struggle through another episode of this show. The first one was enough to turn me away.

Conclusion: not terrible, but not good either. I just don't have the time in my limited entertainment budget to waste on bland pate like this.

My first encounter with the talented Jesse L. Martin was in the 2005 movie of the stage play "Rent." He is a very talented singer and has also proven to be an accomplished actor. I enjoyed him more recently in the weekly series "The Flash."

Here he is a producer of the new "The Irrational" weekly series and stars as Alec Mercer. My wife and I watch it streaming on Peacock a day or two after the episode airs, that fits our schedule better.

The concept of a weekly 30-minute or 60-minute TV series is as old as TV. Very few of them over the years have been outstanding but they are competent, they serve a purpose, as mostly light entertainment where we can enjoy the actors and an interesting story line.

Alec is a professor, his theories involve the fact that given certain circumstances people often do irrational things. He uses this when called upon to help solve a crime. In the second episode, which we watched last night, a well-know author comes to him asking help to solve a murder, her own. Seems she was poisoned with Polonium 210 and is dying. (In the story, I found out tobacco can contain small concentrations of Polonium 201, a deadly radioactive substance.)

Anyway, I see there are a few very negative reviews of this show, in my opinion each of them is off base. This is a pleasant show and pretty well stands up to the hundreds or thousands of weekly TV shows over the decades. No one needs to watch it but there is also no reason to bash it.

Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) teaches and does research in Behavioral Science at Wylton University. He is sometimes called in to consult with law enforcement when they need his professional talents.

This show has the bones of a police procedural, but it is more than that. Mercer can help solve cases because he is observant and he understands human psychology. But he also deals with criminals in hostage situations or any time the police think an understanding of human psychology might help in dealing with a crisis. Because local government officials know of him, he may also be used behind the scenes in delicate situations where public relations are top priority.

But one of the most interesting facets of this series is that Mercer explains the psychology behind his decisions, often citing well-known behavioral experiments. And he can use his academic resources to help conduct his own experiments to test theories.

Jesse L. Martin is perfecting suited to this role. And he is surrounded by a good cast. The first two episodes were about interesting cases, but viewers who like learning about human psychology may enjoy this series most.