JESSE L. MARTIN: Im grateful that we had a first season, so that it could eventually click.
I certainly get involved with cadence on stage, doing Shakespeare and things like that.
And by cemented, the cement is not dry yet.
The procedural drama airs new episodes on Tuesdays.
Luckily, weve gotten a chance for those things to blend beautifully.
Oftentimes, Im like, Wait, is that more Jesse than it was Alec?
Image via NBC
Its all blending, which I think is a really good thing.
It keeps me interested and keeps me humble.
I am having a great time with this melange.
That was a fancy word.
Alec was on the hunt for answers about himself in the first season.
Did it feel different to go into Season 2 with those answers?
Image via NBC
Thats what makes things interesting on television and thats what makes things interesting in life.
I certainly get into spaces where my behavior is a big question.
So, its great to get the opportunity to push it as far as we can possibly push it.
Image via NBC
The new season debuts on October 8.
You did almost 200 episodes ofLaw & Order, and then you did another almost 200 episodes ofThe Flash.
The CW doesnt even look anything like it did in its previous form.
Does that kind of a run seem impossible these days?
Does it feel like a show can still make it for several seasons?
MARTIN: Ive always lived in the landscape where there was a lot more story to explore.
Thank goodness that Im here at NBCUniversal where they still live in that space.
Ive always been in that space, so Im quite used to it.
I dont know what thats like, at all.
Ive been doing it most of my career, so it feels normal to me.
Do you enjoy really getting to live in a character for that long?
MARTIN: Its fun.
Again, I dont know any different.
Thats how Ive always worked, particularly in television.
It feels entirely normal to have this time and this scope to explore and to figure things out.
Its actually a fortunate situation to be in because you do get those opportunities.
Im grateful and Im here for the challenge.
One of them is a mentor of mine, Stephen McKinley Henderson.
I would work with her in any capacity.
Im such a huge fan of Audra McDonald.
I think she translates so many mediums, so flawlessly.
If I ever got a chance to work with her, I would jump on it.
There are certainly characters coming up on our show.
Weve never met Alecs mother.
Id love to work with an old pal, Whoopi Goldberg.
I could literally go on.
New episodes air Thursdays on NBC.
The amount of possible stories exploring human behavior seems endless.
What have you most enjoyed about the kinds of cases youve been able to explore on the show?
MARTIN: My work as an actor has always been about human behavior.
The mark of a good actor is how much theyre able to reflect humans and their behavior.
The more interesting actors we get in, the more that behavior surfaces.
In some cases, in this season, you see how people behave with animals.
There are so many places to get creative.
There are so many stories that can get told when youre just talking about behavior, in general.
MARTIN: Yeah, I never get enough of her.
MARTIN: Lets just start with the actor, Travina [Springer].
Shes a fantastic human being.
Shes absolutely a beautiful spirit.
So, when you start there with an actor, youre already good.
The minute they say go, shes gonna go.
And its not even really his home, its his sisters home.
I appreciate that relationship so much.
I appreciate Travina for filling that character so beautifully.
It is the most grounding thing on the show for Alec.
Who Is ‘The Irrational’s Alec Mercer if He No Longer Has His Scars?
I also think the relationship Alec has developed with Izzy is so sweet.
What have you enjoyed about the time theyve spent together?
Will he give any more thought to her idea that he consider laser therapy for his own scars?
It moved him beyond belief.
If they are minimized, does that make his life better?
Are they a part of him?
The Irrationalairs on NBC and is available to stream on Peacock.
Check out the Season 2 trailer:
Watch on Peacock
