Jesse L. Martin returns to NBC with his new procedural, "The Irrational," where he plays the character Alec Mercer, a renowned behavioral science professor who uses his expertise to solve criminal cases. Alec's own past, particularly a tragedy that resulted in a burn on his face, plays a significant role in the show. The article describes the process of creating Alec's scars, with Martin and the makeup department collaborating to make them look realistic. The final result is a combination of prosthetic pieces and special effects makeup, which took about an hour and a half to apply.