The television landscape, however, was different in its two seasons. The Irrational launched as a stopgap measure in the fall of 2023 amid a shortage of original scripts at networks due to writers’ strikes. The series benefited from less competition and a strong run to get off to a strong start on NBC and Peacock. The series premiered to 12.1 million viewers across all NBCU platforms in its first 15 days. By late November, the series had earned a season two renewal.
In season two, The Irrational struggled to match the performance of its first season, as it was on a completely different playing field. It saw significant ratings declines from its first season.
The Irrational’s fate was likely sealed weeks ago, with so many NBC series going belly-up this season and renewal decisions coming at the last minute as the network has to make room for about 180 hours of expensive NBA sports programming in primetime next season.
Still, it was a difficult decision, as Martin is a beloved actor on NBC, where he previously starred in Law & Order.
Based on Dan Ariely’s book Predictably Irrational, The Irrational follows world-renowned behavioral science professor Alec Mercer (Martin) as he applies his unique expertise to a series of high-profile cases involving government, law enforcement, and corporations. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior leads him and the team on a series of intense, unexpected journeys to solve illogical puzzles and baffling mysteries.
