Could Alec's talk with his dad have changed his mind about getting his scars removed on The Irrational? It could be a factor!
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for The Irrational Season 2 Episode 11
As fans of The Irrational know, Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) carries the facial and body scars left from a church bombing when he was a teenager. Season 1 revolved around the mystery of Alec trying to find out who was responsible for the bombing, which he solved at the end of the season.
Season 2 has shown Alec moving on as solving that mystery. He was also told that a new cutting-edge procedure might erase his scars, and he was tempted by it. Alec decided to keep the scars as reminders of how he's grown yet the temptation was clear.
In Episode 11, a case of a "ghost ship" brought Alec back to his hometown and a reunion with his father, Eli (played by TV veteran Ron Canada). Things were clearly tense between the two, with Alec worried his recovering alcoholic dad had relapsed. There was also a beef on how Eli had never visited Alec when he was in the hospital from the bombing.
It got more intense with Alec suspecting an old friend of the family was involved in a case involving pirates attacking the ship, setting off a huge argument between the pair. It turned out that it was another old friend who told Alec off about Eli's always being proud of him, and Alec didn't seem to appreciate it.
That led to Eli confessing the reason he wasn't there in the hospital: After five years sober, it took hearing of Alec being burned to cause Eli to hit the bottle hard. He was literally in the gutter when some cop friends took him to detox. He hadn't drank since but the shame followed him.
How does Eli feel about Alec's scars in The Irrational?
Alec was stunned by his father's confession and forgave him for his actions. He then brought up the surgery, expecting Eli to go ahead and tell him to do it. Instead, Eli said that Alec should just do what made him happy. He added the wise advice, "People with the most scars have the biggest hearts."
There are various reasons why Alec might want to rid himself of the scars. Now that he has solved who was behind the bombing, he doesn't need this constant reminder every time he looks in the mirror. While lover Rose is fine with them, Alec still feels self-conscious and ridding himself of the scars can build up his confidence.
There are also practical issues for filming, as it takes over an hour to apply the makeup to Martin. This would be an easy way to save some time and money for the production staff and Martin himself would likely enjoy not having to put up with it. Thus, the surgery is an easy way to explain not needing the scars.
Yet Alec may be wary of it as the scarring and the bombing drove him to become this expert in the first place. It's part of his identity and he'd hate to change that. That his father is okay with how Alec is speaks volumes, as Alec now appreciates his dad's own struggles and sacrifices.
This is a bit up in the air and likely will continue to play into The Irrational Season 2. Yet given how he's settled so much of his past, Alec may decide the scars should also be left in the past. However, they're also part of who makes Alec the man he is and the scars may stick around even if Alec wants a happier future.
The Irrational Season 2 airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.