‘The Irrational’ Recap: ‘Point & Shoot’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THE IRRATIONAL -- "Point & Shoot" Episode 106 -- Pictured: (l-r) Emidio Lopes as Mason Hill-Jones, Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, Neville Wingo as Donald Sales, Travina Springer as Kylie -- (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘The Irrational’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve talked at length about the refreshing nature of the NBC series, The Irrational, and rightfully so. For this has been an unconventional series, showcasing unconventional crimes and ideas as to how they could be committed. Giving rise to stories that rarely resemble our world, plunging us into a whole new one where science and thought are king. Making it wondrous escapist television focused heavily on the flaws of the human condition. But of course, it was only a matter of time before this show did indeed begin to really reflect our world and ponder upon what makes some people indulge in awful decisions in everyday life. Because one cannot explore the human condition, and how we think, without applying it to the real world.

Well as it turns out, the next episode in this fascinating crime drama opted to do just that, in the most powerful way imaginable. For ‘Point & Shoot’ went straight for it and decided to examine in great detail… how police officers and law enforcement can quite literally get away with murder in this world. Because like it or not, this is a problem in our society and it seems quite irrational that it continues along and well, what this episode had to say upon such matters was quite poignant and powerful, and it accomplished this feat… by having a law firm and a broken husband ask Alec for help. Simply because, a man named Mason lost his husband to a botched warrant delivery. And of course, the police hired the fanciest expert witness money could buy to shut the case down, so they needed Alec, who agreed to help.

In large part because the incompetence in this case concerned him greatly, and that concern grew when he saw how, Dustin Atwood, his rival in the courtroom, manipulated the jury and made everyone believe that while mistakes can happen, police officers are elite and on their game otherwise. Which prompted Alec to think upon how law enforcement is oft portrayed as the hero in every scenario and even their mistakes are seen as heroic and related to other factors than the truths we’ve learned. Prompting him to speak the jury differently and really speak to justice and how the police abused power instead of enforcing the laws. Which brought forth a settlement offer since the department knew it was about to lose… but Mason wanted more. He wanted complete justice. So, Alec continued to dig and really came to understand that this abuse of power went deeper than expected.

In that, money was involved here, and corrupt officers were about to be exposed by the deceased, prompting this gross misconduct and abuse of power, one that Alec exposed instead and brought peace to a broken man’s heart and of course… this story left us with a lot to ponder upon. Since this episode made it clear that we currently live in a world where we hold our safety nets in the highest regard and believe them to be infallible, when in fact… they are very fallible. For they are now filled with law enforcement officers that have lost sight of their oath or join up for the wrong reasons and abuse power and think they are above it. Resulting in this. And such thoughts task us… to be vigilant, to demand better of our systems and demand that it remain at the high standard we think it holds itself to, when it does not. Giving rise to one sobering episode.

One that truly echoed the ways of the world right now in every way possible. Because it was a black man gunned down by crooked cops in this story, as it happens in real life far too often and well, this show deserves a round of applause for taking its premise and applying to the real world. For that offered objectivity on a subject where few view it objectively, so that a good conversation can happen, and real lessons can perhaps inspire change. Yet what was equally as incredible, was that this episode still had more big moments to offer us. Since Marisa was deep in her case in this tale, and through her fine work, learned of a name that might be the top dog in all of this, Mathias. Which finally gives her something to work with and wraps up, a flawless and important episode of television. One that really showcased the true potential of this series, and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the season looks like, now that this saga has turned an eye to our flawed and irrational world. Until next time.

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