Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Irrational season 2, episode 10.
The Irrational season 2, episode 10 aired on NBC Tuesday, January 21 and sees Kylie come face to face with a reality that many struggle to accept. Because everything’s been going well between the software engineer and her new love interest, Kylie worries that something bad may have happened when she doesn’t text back. Marisa is convinced that it’s a standard case of ghosting, but Kylie refuses to believe she’s been rejected.
To prove her friend wrong, Kylie looks through crime reports and discovers that Joyce’s phone has been stolen. However, when she returns it over drinks, Joyce admits that Marisa isn’t completely off base. She was, initially, avoiding Kylie due to lingering fears from her previous relationship. The news is difficult for Kylie to hear, but Travina Springer believes she appreciates Joyce’s vulnerability. The star hopes her character ends up with a partner who is honest about their feelings and makes an effort to communicate.
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ScreenRant interviews Springer about the episode’s lesson on choice architecture, why Kylie’s behavior wasn’t farfetched, and her relationship with Alec in The Irrational season 2.
Kylie’s Reaction To Being Ghosted In The Irrational Season 2 Is Relatable, Says Springer
“Other people’s version would be to go to someone’s Instagram account and do some cyberstalking. Kylie just pulled out the big guns because she has access to it.”
ScreenRant: Season 2, episode 10 was about choice architecture, which I thought was an interesting concept. Do episodes like this ever make you question your own decisions and understanding of the human mind?
Travina Springer: Do you know what? Absolutely. One thing I love about our show is the behavioral psychology aspect to it. I’m fascinated with human behavior and why people do the things they do, and none of us are immune to being affected by these things. So absolutely. I’m always tickled by all the things that I learned about human behavior and how we’re influenced. I sometimes reflect in my own behavior as to why I do things inspired by what I learned on the show.
I think a lot of us are influenced by things. I was listening to this podcast episode that was talking about how coffee shops look the same internationally, because we’re all influenced by what we think it needs to look like, and it looks the same on Instagram. And so when people say they like things, or this is their preference, I am always curious, is that actually your preference? You don’t realize how much you’re influenced by what we’re being fed or what’s around us. Every episode you leave a little smarter.
We meet Joyce, Kylie’s love interest. Nobody wants to believe they’re being rejected, but why do you think Kylie went as far as she did to prove that wasn’t happening?
Travina Springer: I think that, in Kylie’s mind, she really didn’t believe or want to believe that she was being ghosted. And her behavior, unfortunately, doesn’t even sound that farfetched to me. I think a number of us know people who either have been ghosted or we know people who have been and are delusional about that and come up with all the excuses for why someone hasn’t texted them back or called them back. I know people who are not above driving by someone’s house at 2:00 AM or stalking them on social media.
And so I think that’s Kylie’s version of, “Hey, I’m a contractor for the FBI. I have connections, and I’m really great with a computer. I can take it to another level.” Other people’s version would be to go to someone’s Instagram account and do some cyberstalking. Kylie just pulled out the big guns because she has access to it. She couldn’t possibly fathom that somebody that she had such a great time with [would do that]. It would make more sense that something bad happened to this person, which shows why she’s just as irrational and delusional as a lot of other people. [Laughs]
When you were reading the script, did you think Kylie was being ghosted or did you believe it was going to come back around at the end?
Travina Springer: Oh my gosh, I loved this script, by the way. So much. Aadrita Mukerji wrote this episode, and it’s so fun, and I was so excited about this storyline. I just think it’s so relatable and just a fun way of Kylie being rejected. And so I think in the very beginning, I thought that she was going to be ghosted, and it was going to be a teachable moment for her.
Like, honey, it happens, and it’s okay. But I really like that the writers gave us a hopeful ending—that there was maybe some truth to the ghosting, but there’s a possibility for more and for love for Kylie. That’s what she deserves. That’s what all of us deserve.
Springer Hopes Kylie Finds A Partner Who Challenges Her In The Irrational
“Kylie really wants a deep connected relationship with someone where there is no BS, where they are able to be honest and truthful.”
Kylie, obviously, looked surprised when she found out there was some ghosting going on. What were her thoughts when she learns that, but also hears the reasoning from Joyce?
Travina Springer: I think she was really shocked. And also, I think the other part was like, “D*mn it, Marisa was right.” Because I was so adamant. Like a lot of people, once you’ve had your mind set on whatever you believe, it is really hard to contradict that belief. So she was probably processing that and then maybe what that rejection meant. And maybe she felt something that Joyce didn’t feel for her and what that felt like.
But I think it was really mature of Kylie to pause and hear Joyce out because it was really vulnerable of Joyce to share that, “Hey, I actually was ghosting you for a second, and then I lost my phone and wanted to connect with you.” Because I think sometimes people don’t give people the benefit of the doubt or give people space to be vulnerable and communicate and then mend when something like that happens. I think that she was thinking, “Okay, let me hear her out because I really like her, and I want to know what’s possible here.”
Where do you hope that relationship goes? What do you feel Kylie would benefit most from having in a romantic partner?
Travina Springer: I think Kylie would benefit most from having someone who definitely challenges her and who can keep her on her toes, but also someone who is soft and a great communicator. She needs someone who can chill her out a bit, keep her on her toes, because I think that’s something that she craves. Beneath all of that, Kylie really wants a deep connected relationship with someone where there is no BS, where they are able to be honest and truthful. And I think that’s why she sat there and was open to hearing what Joyce had to say.
Another big relationship in Kylie’s life is Alec, and I want to go back a few episodes. When Alec stepped in front of that train, Kylie asked him to stop taking so many risks. Does she believe he’ll listen?
Travina Springer: I think she doesn’t believe he’s going to, which is what upsets her so much. I think about that episode and that moment, and just in general, how much Alex stresses Kylie out. [Laughs] And Marisa. She was like, “I can’t do this.” But I think that he heard her differently in that episode when she really told him, “You have to stop doing this.” It’s a theme that we will continue to see throughout the season.
One thing that’s really beautiful about their relationship and dynamic is that he can hear Kylie in a way that he may not be able to hear the same information from someone else. He really does value my opinion, as do I with his feelings and his opinion. There’s just a really beautiful relationship there. I think for him to see her hurt meant a lot. Hopefully he will take it in. But we’ll see how long that will last. I love working with Jesse. Our scenes are so fun. It’s just genuine. We’ll improvise the, “I love yous.” They’re always improvised.
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About The Irrational Season 2
Created and executive produced by Arika Lisanne Mittman
The Irrational follows world-renowned professor of behavioral science Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) as he lends his unique expertise to high-stakes cases and mysteries. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him to work alongside varying clients ranging from the FBI to everyday people caught in perplexing situations desperate for answers. With the help of his trusted team and social-science experiments, Alec solves crimes and uncovers the truth to answer intriguing, and irrational, questions.
Check out our previous interviews with The Irrational cast and crew:
The Irrational season 2 airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
