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.

Ever since Tim Roth stopped playing Cal Lightman in Lie to Me (2009) I've been craving a smart psychologist fighting crime.

Then came Perception (2012), but Erick. McCormacks character was just a tad too crazy.

I had big hopes for. Mind Games (2014), but Christian Slater played an extremely annoying role, so it was cancelled as no one could stand watching it.

Enter The Irrational (2023) where an expert in human behavior helps law enforcement. We are immediately exposed to his backstory, which I am sure we will further explore in forthcoming episodes.

The crime he solves in the pilot is okay. We are not as audience convinced that he's a genius (yet), but he does drop a few interesting tidbits from time to time.

My wish list for future episodes: Writes, take a look at "The Mentalist" and "Lie to Me" and see if you can add a bit of that magic to the show.

I will continue watching.

... and so I did. Just finished watching episode 10 of season 1, which is the weakest so far. Something has been bugging me and that's how the writers makes professionals do or say things that a real professional would never say or do. These kind of shows works because they have a foundation. There really is such a thing as behavioral science. But it''s not just the science - sometimes law enforcement agencies are involved, and there we see a multitude of small errors. Calling CIA officers for agents. Wrong use of weapons and tactics, etc.

Both Lie to Me and The Mentalist had real, bonafide professionals helping them with the science. That would be a great step going forward if this show should have a future.

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.