Last season, Dr. Alec Mercer overcame his own personal biases and the “halo
effect” to undercover a liberal politician’s involvement in the deadly bombing
that left him physically scarred. Perhaps this season, he might heal in other
ways as well. However, Dr. Mercer must first deal with the cliffhanger that ended
the first season finale when creator Arika Lisanne Mittman’s Irrational returns
tonight, on NBC.
One
of the things that went right for Mercer last season was his increasingly
romantic relationship with Dinshaw, so he would presumably be distressed to see
her snatched off the street and bundled into a van. Of course, it rather
follows that the kidnapping would be related to her previous work as a MI-6
agent. Fortunately for her, Mercer deduces her distress sooner rather than
later. He also has a direct line into the FBI. In addition to his ex, Marisa
Clark, who often calls in Mercer to consult, his formerly slacker sister Kylie
also works at the Bureau as a contract cyber-crime specialist.
As
a result, the season premiere, “Collateral Damage,” is less of a whodunit and
more of ticking clock rescue operation. Lead Jesse L. Martin has solid
chemistry with Keren David, which helps sell the drastic step Mercer takes to find
Dinshaw. Meanwhile, his long-suffering teaching assistant Rizwan Asadi must
endure several clinical experiments exploring the overwhelming desire for
revenge.
Indeed,
Mercer’s investigative methods are often the best elements of each episode.
This is very definitely true of the next installment, “A Kick in the Teeth,” a
crisply paced hunt for an apparent serial killer (nicely helmed by experienced
horror genre director Ernest Dickerson), but the mystery is undercut by the
episode’s limited cast of characters.
However,
it announces an increased role for supporting character, Simon Wilton, the
well-heeled replacement for Mercer’s other assistant, Phoebe Duncan, a Gen Z’er
“stressed out” by Mercer’s crime-fighting productivity. Wilton both embarrasses
and redeems himself. However, unlike other students of his generation, he takes
responsibility in a smartly written scene, featuring Max Lloyd-Jones as Mercer’s
new TA-gofer-sounding board.
Many hospitals simply are not equipped with full state-of-the art burn units.
That is one of the important take-aways from the documentary, To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story, wherein the horror icon frankly discusses his
recover from severe burn injuries. Dr. Alec Mercer, the behavioral psychologist,
can relate. He has returned to the unit that treated him to counsel a new burn patient.
While talking to her, he concludes she was a victim of arson in “Scorched
Earth,” the mid-season return of The Irrational, which premieres tonight
on NBC.
Unfortunately,
Mercer understands fire only too well. Even though the teen blames herself for
partying in an abandoned house (with candles—always a bad idea kids), he knows
the flame spread is all wrong. Once he prods the out-of-his-depth deputy fire
investigator to take another look, arson is confirmed. Obviously, that prompts
the question: who is the guilty culprit?
Mercer,
his unpaid teaching assistants, and ex-girlfriend FBI Agent Marissa Clark duly work
their way through the procedural stuff. By now, investigating with Clark is not
so awkward because Mercer has a new love-interest (traveling abroad for this
episode). Most viewers will start rolling their eyes when they hear a local
church was interested in the torched property, but The Irrational seems
to have a knack for using annoying cliches as red herrings.
In
fact, this episode teases a potential plot twist that could be incredibly gutsy—and
downright shocking for network television. Most critics will despise, but its
inherent logic (in accordance with Mercer’s theories) is what makes it such
potentially compelling drama.
