‘The Irrational’ Recap: ‘A Kick in the Teeth’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THE IRRATIONAL -- "A Kick in the Teeth" Episode 202 -- Pictured: (l-r) Miles Mussenden as Sam, Maahra Hill as Marisa, Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer -- (Photo by: James Dittiger/NBC)

​Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘The Irrational’. To revisit the Season Two Premiere, click here.

It wasn’t that long ago, that we discussed the fact that season two of The Irrational on NBC was going to be quite the unique season of storytelling. One that would feature everything we love about the series, since it does dive deep into fascinating explorations about what drives us to do the unsavory things we sometimes do, while also growing the characters and taking their lives in new directions. Which seems like a tall order, since the show is only an hour long and growth for so many is no easy task. Well, this is top of mind today, simply because the next episode in this magnificent series showcased how it is going to pull of that dual duty, and it is worth revisiting, because ‘A Kick in the Teeth’ put on a masterclass regarding such matters.

For this is a story that in essence used, sharp, focused writing to bring all those of elements into a single episode and that gave rise to a tale that was thoughtful, engaging and breathtaking to say the least. Where the central element we love, was engaging and powerful. Since the deaths of a bevy of innocent and seemingly unrelated people, stuck fear into this humble town. For so many were wondering if a serial killer was lurking about. But the more Alec and his team, and Marisa’s team, pondered upon this case, they came to realize… that it wasn’t a serial killer. This monster had a goal in mind, and his desire to smash out the teeth of his victims likely related to that goal. That prompted everyone to look for common threads amongst the victims so that this could all make sense, and what they discovered was quite unique to say the least.

In that, they were all relatives of a tech visionary who donated his semen often in his youth to fund ideas, and he was also quite the lothario to begin with. And the common thread here was that all of them were his children in some capacity, and had his dental condition, one that prompted so many to have dental work performed for a more palatable smile, and well, this all mattered because dear old dad was dying and his fortune was setup to go to everyone that was a genetic heir, and one man… wanted all the money. So, he figured out how to track down everyone through genetic testing to fatten the pool for himself, and he took some measure of revenge for having his inheritance threatened by knocking out teeth, and his final confrontation with Alec, spoke deeply to how… hardships, and psychological damage from a bevy of sources, can put us on a dark path that shatters us and pushes us to believe that our only way to heal and find agency is to punish others. Giving rise to a very complex ‘why we do what we do’ sequence. 
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But in between all of that… was the character growth in question. Which was handled so wonderfully and so smoothly. For instance, this story informed us that Phoebe was quickly learning that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, since she came to learn that she needs to be doing more in her day and that her amazing new boss isn’t all that great, nor does she harbor integrity. Plus, we saw Riz grow in his new role and find confidence within it by hiring the new guy, Simon, who was critical to solving the case. But the true centerpieces of growth here came forth for Marisa and Alec. Since Marisa came to learn here that she happened to be a natural leader who was about to get her shot at transforming her department as she saw fit, thanks for a forthcoming promotion. As for Alec, well he came to learn… that it might be time to move far beyond his past. Since Izzy, the woman he helped through her early days of healing from burn wounds last season, convinced him to look into surgery that might clear up the physical scars from his own encounter with fire.
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All of which, made for just an incredible episode. For the case was fast paced and fascinating and left us with an engaging mystery and plenty to think upon regarding the lesson. But above all, it really did take the characters in a bold new direction, and while Kylie didn’t exactly harbor a ton of growth here, it’s just a matter of time before she gets her due. Because everyone here is becoming more before our eyes and moving into new chapters of their lives, and this just enriched the story so much and it really was handled in a masterful manner. Because it was just so smooth, and so matter of fact, as though growth is perhaps easier than we give it credit, and well, all this does, is leave us excited for the weeks ahead. To watch that growth take place and take part in more fascinating cases from this dynamic crime drama. One that is slowly reinventing the genre. Until next time.

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