NBC Cancels The Irrational Despite Showrunner’s Optimism and Musical Episode Triumph

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The television series “The Irrational,” airing on NBC, has been terminated. This decision was made on the same day as the cancellation of “Night Court” and “Suits LA.” Jesse L. Martin’s “The Irrational” was among those shows. The finale of this two-season drama aired in March, leaving the cast and crew in limbo for over six weeks, hoping that their final episode would be powerful enough to secure another season, Season 3. However, the disappointing news arrived, reminding me of my discussion with the showrunner of “The Irrational” about her hopefulness for a third season and the musical episode that remains one of my favorite episodes in the entire series.

With respect to the show’s cancellation, Deadline indicates that a decrease in ratings from the first season to the second and a congested primetime schedule during fall played significant roles in the series being discontinued. However, it was reportedly challenging for the decision makers due to Jesse L. Martin’s popularity within the network, who previously starred on Law & Order.

During my conversation with showrunner/EP/writer Arika Lisanne Mittman before the season finale in March, she hinted at an “extremely intense” episode that would conclude Season 2. Interestingly, this turned out to be the series finale instead. The ending wasn’t a typical cliffhanger but rather a new beginning for characters Alec and Rose, which I was eagerly anticipating given my appreciation for Karen David’s performance on Legacies. When I inquired if the finale had been designed as a potential series finale in case The Irrational got cancelled, Mittman confirmed that it indeed served this purpose.

Without a doubt, it’s designed with the intention of being the final episode of the season. We always approach such matters with great enthusiasm. Our affection for this series is immense, and we eagerly wish to continue producing it. In fact, we were carefully arranging things in a way that would allow for its return.

For me, the standout moment from Season 2 is undeniably the musical episode titled “Suddenly Alec,” which has become the penultimate episode in the series The Irrational, where Rose chooses to abandon her spy career, rekindle her relationship with Alec, and Alec uncovers that he’s been trailed.

Discover two seasons of Jesse L. Martin’s The Irrational on Peacock TV! With monthly plans starting at just $7.99, you can subscribe and access this captivating series. For a more premium experience, opt for the annual plan at $79.99 and enjoy ad-free streaming, as well as the ability to download titles to watch offline whenever you want. Grab this deal now!

Featuring Jesse L. Martin from “Rent” and Karen David, once a star on “Galavant,” singing “Little Shop of Horrors” in an episode is bound to bring a smile to any musical theater enthusiast’s face. It’s a small comfort amidst the disappointment of its cancellation, as Arika Lisanne Mittman clearly enjoyed herself during production too.

That’s up there with the most fun I have ever had in my career, so it’ll be hard to top that.

The musical scene in the show traces its roots back to Mittman being an ardent admirer of the play “Rent“, which catapulted Jesse L. Martin into Broadway stardom during the ’90s. Later, he reprised his role for the 2005 movie adaptation with a heart-wrenching performance. Interestingly, one of the creators’ intentions from the beginning was to have him sing as Alec, and that wish came true before NBC decided to cancel the show! Mittman himself revealed this back in March.

As soon as I decided to include Jesse Martin in the cast, I wondered how we could persuade him to sing, given his commitment to acting and dedication to his character. He insisted that singing should be organic to his role, which I fully supported. We wanted Alec to sing only if it made sense within the storyline. Although Alec isn’t a musical theater performer, I was brainstorming ways to create an episode where it would make sense for him to sing. Once we brought Karen David into the mix, I began considering how I could get both Jesse and Karen to sing. This was definitely a challenge on my mind, but luckily, both actors were enthusiastic about the concept.

It seems that Jesse L. Martin and Karen David proposed an idea about their characters, Alec and Rose, participating in a community theater play. This suggestion sparked thoughts in Mittman’s mind about the feasibility of creating an episode centered around this community theater setting.

The question essentially boiled down to: ‘Is it feasible for us to stage a full-fledged musical? Can we manage a genuine musical production?’ We explored less expensive options for a community theater project. I jokingly suggested doing Shakespeare, since it wouldn’t cost anything. However, they hinted that we could inquire, and surprisingly, the higher-ups at NBC granted us permission to invest money and create an authentic musical. The notion of ‘Little Shop [of Horrors]’ appealed to everyone, and Jesse was particularly enthusiastic about playing the plant character. This is how all the pieces fell into place.

It might be wiser not to dwell on the enjoyment of the musical episode while grappling with the sad news about the cancellation of “The Irrational”, but at least there’s a touch of sweetness in Arika Lisanne Mittman’s wish coming true for Jesse L. Martin to sing, amidst the bitter tidings this spring.

As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that there’s no word yet about the possibility of another network or platform reviving “The Irrational” for a third season. It appears we’ve reached the final chapter. If you’re yearning to re-experience the first two seasons (and let’s not forget the captivating musical episode), you can now stream the show with a Peacock subscription. Enjoy the ride!

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2025-05-10 00:01