New Show 'The Irrational' Brings Jesse L. Martin Back to TV
Everyone loves an NBC procedural—and an NBC procedural starring Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) is even better. This fall, The Irrational will follow Alec Mercer (Martin), a world-renowned behavioral scientist who brings his unique understanding of human behavior to a wide variety of high-stakes FBI cases.
"His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him and the team on a series of intense, unexpected journeys to solve illogical puzzles and perplexing mysteries," NBC promises. Here is everything we know about the network's new series The Irrational.
Related: NBC Revises Fall 2023-2024 Schedule and Reveals Premiere Dates
What is The Irrational release date?
The Irrational will premiere at 10 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 25 on NBC.
Is The Irrational based on a book?
The show is based on bestselling author Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. The 2008 nonfiction book pushes back on the idea that human beings act largely from a rational place.
Who is cast in The Irrational?
The Irrational is coming in strong with a stacked cast of talented performers.
Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer
Brendan Meadows/NBC
Veteran actor of stage and screen Jesse L. Martin is coming back to NBC with his turn as Alec Mercer, an unparalleled expert in human behavior. Martin made a name for himself on Broadway, originating the role of Tom Collins in the acclaimed musical Rent, which he also reprised in the 2005 film version.
On television, he spent nine years (from 1999 to 2008) as Detective Ed Green on NBC mega-hit Law & Order and nine years (2014 to 2023) on the CW’s The Flash.
Related: 'Law & Order: SVU' Delayed Due to the Hollywood Strikes—All About Season 25
Maahra Hill as Marisa
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
Maahra Hill will play the female lead in The Irrational, an FBI agent who often finds herself teaming up with Mercer. In the past, Hill played the titular role in the OWN series Delilah as well as smaller parts in The L Word: Generation Q, Black-ish and How to Get Away with Murder.
Travina Springer as Kylie
Brendan Meadows/NBC
Travina Springer will appear on The Irrational as Kylie, a creative type and Alec's younger sister with whom he lives. You may recognize Springer from her recent turn in the Disney+ MCU series Ms. Marvel, where she played Tyesha, a character beloved for her strong sense of self.
Molly Kunz as Phoebe
Molly Kunz will play Alec's protegé Phoebe, a graduate student pursuing her master's degree in psychology. Kunz previously appeared in a number of projects for film and TV, including 2018’s Widows and a two-episode arc on Chicago Fire.
Arash DeMaxi as Owen
Brendan Meadows/NBC
Arash DeMaxi is set to play psychology grad student Owen. DeMaxi is coming off a four-episode run on Netflix’s Partner Track and a 2022 guest appearance on The Blacklist.
Related: NBC Revises Fall 2023-2024 Schedule and Reveals Premiere Dates
How many episodes are in Season 1 of The Irrational?
The Irrational has 10 episodes set to air this fall on NBC. There's always a chance that fewer than 10 episodes will air if the series does not do well in ratings.
How to watch The Irrational
The Irrational will air on NBC on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET starting Sept. 25. The episodes will be available to stream the following day on NBC’s streaming service Peacock as well as on the NBC app.
Is there a trailer for The Irrational?
There's not a trailer just yet, but there's a 30-second teaser that introduces us to Alec Mercer, “the behavioral science guy.” It features him listing a number of human behaviors and conditions that we assume will come up in the first season—predictable irrationality, paradoxical persuasion, retrospective framing, inattentional blindness.
As Martin’s narration explains, “Understanding human nature can be a superpower, which is why the FBI ends up calling me.”
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