Could Alec be losing his scars on The Irrational? The showrunner chimes in!

Alec has a chance to get rid of his burn scars on The Irrational but will he truly take it? The showrunner has chimed in!
THE IRRATIONAL -- "Cheating Life" Episode 109 -- Pictured: Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer -- (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)
THE IRRATIONAL -- "Cheating Life" Episode 109 -- Pictured: Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer -- (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC) /
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Fans of The Irrational know that Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) has borne both the mental and physical scars of surviving a church bombing when he was younger. It left Alec with scarring over his face, arms, and torso and drove him to help others in need. The season 1 finale had Alec finally bringing the person behind the bombing to justice as he tried to move on. 

In the second episode of Season 2, "A Kick in the Teeth," Alec reunited with Izzy, a woman badly burned herself in a fire. Alec helped her through her trauma by showing how they shared the same pain and helped her cope. Izzy was in a better place now and even talked of getting some cutting-edge laser surgery to get rid of her scars. She suggested Alec might do the same.

Alec brought it up to his sister Kylie, brushing it off as he'd long made peace with his scarring and wasn't vain enough to care about people staring at them. He also claimed he just didn't have the time for it. However, at the end of the episode, Alec admitted to Kylie that he was seriously considering it. He'd even invited Izzy over to dinner to discuss the pros and cons.

So is it possible Alec goes ahead to remove those scars and make a big turn? 

The Irrational season 2 will have a storyline about Alec's scars

Speaking to TVLine, showrunner Arika Lisanne Mittman revealed that Alec's handling of his scars will be a key theme this season. As she says, it's a very huge decision for Alec given how the scars have been a part of himself for so long. 

"Alec this season is going to be exploring how he feels about his scars and whether he wants to change that aspect of himself, or whether it's a permanent part of him that he wants to keep. This is just a very personal, emotional story for him. There is not a magical procedure that will make all of his scars go away, anyway, but he has to decide whether he wants to do something to make him look much more normal."

There is a bonus for Alec getting the surgery as it would spare Martin roughly two hours a day in the makeup chair to apply the burn makeup. Mittman admitted that is a consideration but not what drives the idea on. 

The big question is if Alec agrees to do it. He did find closure in solving who was behind the bombing and may decide the final step is to erase the burns as well. At the same time, Alec carries the scars as a reminder of all he's gone through and may feel it's good to carry them with him rather than totally forget them. 

Either way, it appears Alec's decision on how to handle his scar will be a key theme of The Irrational Season 2 and his final choice will be a part of his emotional journey in the show. 

The Irrational season 2 airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC. Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for coverage. Follow us on X and Facebook for more content.

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