Warning! SPOILERS ahead for The Irrational season 2, episode 8, “Lost Souls”
I’m grateful for Marisa’s (Maahra Hill) positive attitude toward Rose (Karen David) in The Irrational. Marisa and Alec (Jesse L Martin) have a complicated relationship history. Their marriage ended a long time ago for reasons related to Alec’s ongoing trauma from having survived a church bombing. Still, the pair care deeply for one another, and working closely together could easily lead to a reconciliation. Now, however, Alec has moved on with Rose, while Marisa is focused on her job after losing her previous boyfriend to a killer in season 1.
Alec’s medical emergency in The Irrational season 2, episode 8, “Lost Souls” forces Marisa and Rose to work together to rescue a tennis star who disappeared while hiking. This situation turns the tables, as Alec has to sit and worry about the fates of the people he cares about rather than being the one taking risks. While Alec’s illness is one of the consequences The Irrational showrunner Arika Lisanne Mittman promised he would face for his extreme risk-taking behavior, “Lost Souls” also puts Marisa and Rose in close quarters for the first time since Alec and Rose began dating.
Why Marisa Tries To Warn Rose About Alec
She Is Concerned, Not Jealous
After Alec collapses while questioning a cab driver and is rushed to the hospital, he doesn’t want to listen to the doctors about resting and recovering from appendix removal surgery. Rose and Marisa approach the issue differently, however. Marisa puts her foot down and orders Alec to stay put while Rose tries to reason with him. This leads to a situation where Rose feels she has overstepped despite being Alec’s current girlfriend.
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Thankfully, Marisa’s focus during this conversation is on Rose’s well-being. I think Marisa tends to view Alec too harshly, which is one of the reasons their marriage broke up; nevertheless, it is refreshing that she tells Rose that Alec is stubborn and difficult to deal with while ill because she wants Rose to be prepared for potential conflicts rather than because she secretly still wants Alec for herself and is hoping to sabotage his new relationship.
Marisa and Rose Both Love Alec In Different Ways
Marisa’s Love For Alec Is Platonic
Close
Although Marisa’s romantic relationship with Alec was over a long time ago, she still cares deeply for him, which is why she rushes to the hospital in “Lost Souls.” Her decision to accompany Rose on the search for the lost tennis player is also a manifestation of love for Alec, as she is uncomfortable in the woods but wants him to stay in the hospital and thus volunteers to take his place in the investigation. Conversely, Rose sees Alec as a potential soulmate and is deeply in love with him, which makes it difficult for her to see his weaknesses.
Marisa’s platonic love for Alec drives her desire for him to be happy, so she doesn’t want Rose to make the same mistakes with Alec that caused Marisa and Alec’s relationship to fail.
Thus, I’m not surprised that Marisa is eager to support Rose and Alec’s relationship even though most television dramas would take the more typical path of jealousy and anger between two women who have been romantically involved with the same man. Marisa’s platonic love for Alec drives her desire for him to be happy. Because of this, she doesn’t want Rose to make the same mistakes with Alec that caused their relationship to fail.
Why Marisa and Rose’s Friendship Is Refreshing
There Aren’t Enough Female Friendships On TV
Unfortunately, there are not many female friendships in primetime dramas. In my career, I’ve covered many TV plots involving women being jealous of one another, sabotaging and tearing one another down — usually out of jealousy because one woman has the partner or job the other has. This negativity is a poor representation of women on TV, so it is refreshing for two female characters who could easily be rivals to instead develop a friendship. Additionally, it’s doubly refreshing to have a positive representation of women of color in this situation, considering that this demographic is still underrepresented on TV.
Marisa and Rose’s friendship gives me hope that The Irrational will handle any potential love triangle story with maturity, grace, and a subversion of the usual negative tropes surrounding love stories on TV
The Irrational’s Max Lloyd-Jones has teased a potential love triangle among Alec’s interns, which usually leads to drama involving hurt feelings and jealousy. However, Marisa and Rose’s friendship gives me hope that The Irrational will handle any potential love triangle story with maturity, grace, and a subversion of the usual negative tropes surrounding love stories on TV. In any case, Marisa and Rose’s friendship represents a long-overdue departure from the norm for these types of storylines, making them both role models for real-life women who have both dated the same man.