It is loosely based on the life of Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist and professor at Duke University, and his 2008 non-fiction book Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.

[1] The show features Jesse L. Martin in the role of Alec Mercer, a behavioral scientist who, like Ariely, lends his expertise to governments, law enforcement, and corporations to solve complex issues.

Co-stars include Molly Kunz as Pheobe, Alec's grad student, and Maahra Hill as Special Agent Marisa Clark.

Throughout the show, Mercer applies his insights into human nature to help the police and the FBI solve high-stakes criminal cases, including murders, plane crashes, and kidnappings.

It echoes Ariely’s real-life role as a consultant to governments and corporations, where he leverages his expertise in behavioral science to address complex societal challenges such as policy-making, health decisions, and fraud detection.

[3] In November 2021, NBC announced it had given a put pilot commitment to The Irrational, and Arika Mittman stepped in as the show's writer and executive producer.

The website's critical consensus reads, "The Irrational could've used a lot more originality to live up to its promise, although Martin's shrewd presence makes even the utterly conventional pretty watchable.