Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
There's an Unexpected New Development in the Church Bombing Case on The Irrational: Learn More
Behavioral scientist Alec Mercer is committed to uncovering the truth about a deadly church bombing.
Ace behavioral scientist Alec Mercer’s mind is always racing on The Irrational, airing Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.
How could it not be? Between teaching college classes and handling abductions, homicides, poisonings, and other life-and-death cases, Alec (Jesse L. Martin) has a million things going on in his head.
Alec is also always thinking about a tragic church bombing that rocked his world nearly 20 years earlier. The deadly explosion left him with visible burn scars, haunting gaps in his memory, and guilt over his failure to place the bomber, Wes Banning, who killed 13 people, at the scene. As a result, Banning wasn’t charged with murder.
The case got more complicated when Banning, a suspected “lone wolf,” sabotaged his own parole hearing after spotting a figure in the doorway. Alec, who now believes Banning had an accomplice, has managed to clear cloudy memories of the bombing, including one about a logo on the getaway vehicle. That has led to a major development in the case.
What is the twist in the church case on The Irrational?
Alec’s ex-wife, Marisa (Maahra Hill), an FBI agent, has two sources of good news. One is that investigators have found a company whose logo — four interlocking arrows forming a circle — matches the one that stirred in his memory bank.
“After 19 years, the FBI is officially reopening the case,” she tells Alec. That could be a game-changer in finally getting to the truth about the deadly explosion.
RELATED: Who Did Jesse L. Martin Play in Rent? Learn What He Says About the Broadway Hit Today
Marisa explains that the logo was used by a dry cleaning company.
“It was located less than three miles from the Methodist church,” she says. “After the bombing, we know the van turns left on 10th Avenue.
“The same direction as the dry cleaner,” says Alec, whose memories from the day of the bombing surface. “That’s what I remember seeing.”
It turns out that the dry cleaner went out of business eight years ago and the owner passed away, according to Marisa.
“Any family?” asks Alec, who’s eager to know what the next move will be.
“His daughter relocated to Iowa,” she says. “Now that I have your confirmation, I can reach out to an agent in Sioux City.”
In addition to memories of a traumatic past getting stirred up, emotions do as well.
“I know this isn't easy for you,” Marisa tells her ex.
Alec doesn’t disagree about the prospect of finally recovering his past. “I imagine the feeling’s mutual," he says.
But where will this new movement in the tragedy that changed Alec's life lead? Find out where the drama goes. Watch The Irrational, airing Mondays at 10/9c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.
