Thank Goodness The Irrational’s Rose Plot Didn’t Fall Into This Annoying Trap

Whew! The Irrational‘s Rose plot could have easily fallen into an annoying trap that would have made the second season difficult …

The post Thank Goodness The Irrational’s Rose Plot Didn’t Fall Into This Annoying Trap appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Whew! The Irrational‘s Rose plot could have easily fallen into an annoying trap that would have made the second season difficult to watch.

The episode was full of twists and turns and kept my interest despite it being the second show in less than a week to feature a kidnapping that hit close to home.

It could have been disastrous, but instead, this story proved that The Irrational is no ordinary show.

The Irrational’s Rose Plot Was Familiar, But The Execution Was Original

How Many People Are Kidnapped By Revenge-Seekers on TV?

The description for the season premiere sounded like it was full of tired TV tropes.

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I like kidnapping stories if they’re done well. They’re high-stakes and, in some ways, better for drama.

The torment of not knowing whether a loved one is alive or dead or if you’ll ever see them again is even worse than knowing that someone killed them.

Still, The Irrational’s Rose plot has been done so many times that it didn’t sound compelling.

I was dreading this story, but I was so glad to be wrong!

The Irrational’s Rose Plot Avoided One Serious Mistake

Finding The Culprits Quickly Helped Make This Story Tolerable

The worst thing The Irrational could have done was drag this plot out.

Yes, I’m talking about you, Found, with your missing Lacey arc that seems set to go on forever. One episode of a kidnapped loved one is enough.

The Irrational’s Rose plot not only wrapped things up by the end of the hour, but moved quickly.

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a fast pace.

By the first commercial, the FBI had caught one of the kidnappers and by half-time, the game had completely changed, with Alec sacrificing his freedom so the cops could track the kidnapper more easily.

I was slightly miffed that Alec got tied up again so soon after the season finale, but in real time it was months, so whatever.

Alec’s decision to surrender to the villains was a turning point in more ways than one.

It was a lot more fun to try to figure out how Alec was going to get out of this than for the cops to run all over the city looking for Rose.

The Irrational’s Rose Plot Worked Because Of The Series’ Commitment To Exploring Mental Health

Alec’s Use of Psychology Against The Perp Was Only One Example

The Irrational’s Rose plot worked because it’s a different type of series than most procedurals.

Alec’s job as a neuroscience professor isn’t just a gimmick; the series takes neuroscience and mental health issues seriously, and it uses his work to bring them to the forefront.

The whole point of the show is that Alec uses his advanced knowledge to predict why perps do what they do and to talk them into surrendering or confessing.

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In that sense, this Rose story wasn’t any different. Alec had done the same thing earlier in the episode when he convinced the other kidnapper to tell them what he knew.

The Theme Of The Episode Was “Triggered Behavior”

The Kidnapping Plot Makes More Sense When Viewed In Context

The Irrational’s Rose plot worked partially because it was an exploration of the theme Alec brought up in class.

His lecture was about how people make poor decisions when triggered emotionally, and he ended by encouraging his students to slow down and think when tempted to act on their feelings.

Then Rose was kidnapped by someone who was a perfect example of what Alec was talking about.

Not only was he the type of villain no one should ever want to hang out with, but he was ready to murder two MI6 agents to get revenge, even though that wouldn’t solve the problem of his wife’s death.

That recklessness and impulsivity got Harry killed and nearly ended Alec and Rose’s lives, too, so the scenario was a demonstration of the real-life consequences of acting on pure emotion.

It’s also debatable whether Alec was using logic or emotion throughout this episode.

He had the sense to realize something was wrong when Rose stood him up and couldn’t be reached, but he also insisted on being involved in the investigation even though he couldn’t be objective, and he ended up taking a risk that could have been disastrous for him.

Thus, in some ways, he also demonstrated the point he was trying to make.

The Irrational’s Rose Plot Offered Just Enough Danger To Be Worth Watching

It Was Interesting, But Would Have Been Annoying If It Lasted Any Longer

When police procedurals tell these types of stories, we know the main character won’t die.

Thus, the threats and violence don’t always feel as scary as they’re supposed to, and that can make these types of episodes boring.

The Irrational’s Rose plot risked that, both because it had been done before and because Alec had been kidnapped in the previous episode back in the spring.

However, there was just enough danger to make me curious about how Alec was going to get out of this one.

Had the story dragged on much longer, I probably wouldn’t have been able to take it, but a high-stakes story for a short period of time worked well.

Over to you, The Irrational fanatics!

Are you glad this Rose plot didn’t last too long? Did you find the premiere to be must-see TV?

Hit the comments and let us know!

The Irrational airs on NBC on Tuesdays at 10/9c and on Peacock on Wednesdays

The post Thank Goodness The Irrational’s Rose Plot Didn’t Fall Into This Annoying Trap appeared first on TV Fanatic.