How Jesse L. Martin’s ‘The Irrational’ inspired him to ‘profusely thank’ his former teacher

“The Irrational” star Jesse L. Martin plays a professor on the NBC procedural — and he said the role has inspired him to reflect on his education and the teachers who made a difference in his life.

“It’s fantastic and it made me reach out to a teacher I had growing up,” Martin, 55, told The Post. “I … had to profusely thank him for what he did because teachers don’t get a lot of love — and it’s even harder nowadays.

“I know it’s a set [on ‘The Irrational’] and the students [in the series] are actors, but when I get up there I feel like I’m doing the Lord’s work with those class lessons,” he said. “I feel like if I wasn’t an actor, I’d most likely be a teacher — because, when we get to do those teaching moments on the show, it’s the most fun I could possibly have.

“I absolutely love it.”

“The Irrational,” which returns Jan. 29 (10 p.m.) on NBC — and has been renewed for a second season — is based on Dan Ariely’s 2008 nonfiction book, “Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.”

It’s set in Washington, DC, and revolves around Professor Alec Mercer (Martin), who’s a world-renowned expert in behavioral psychology at (fictional) Wylton University — with a unique insight into human nature that he shares with local authorities to help solve crimes.

Alec also bears permanent facial scarring from a horrific criminal attack but can’t remember anything about the incident.

Travina Springer and Maarha Hill co-star as Alec’s younger sister, Kylie and his ex-wife Marisa, an FBI agent. Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi play his research assistants, Phoebe and Rizwan.

“Up until now I’ve played detectives on TV, particularly on NBC,” Martin said. “I had a run on ‘Law & Order’ [as Det. Ed Green] and I did ‘The Flash,’ where I played a detective as well [Captain Joe Walsh]. Those roles were ‘just the facts’ parts; in [‘The Irrational’] we have a crime-of-the-week in the procedural world but it goes further than that because … everything is a brain situation for Alec, not only in him solving the case but how it can lead to what he teaches his students.

“It’s one of the things that attracted me to the project,” said Martin, who’s a series executive producer. “[Ariely] is a professor and a writer and that goes beyond the detective world — it goes into Alec using his brain to help teach people. It’s not only that week’s crime, but the genesis of the crime. I think that’s what’s most interesting to our audience.

“I would describe Alec as a teacher who’s constantly learning, with some huge stakes,” Martin said. “Every day he’s getting involved in life or death situations, but how much can he learn from that?

“Some of the principles that Dan put forward in his book … I feel like I’m smarter now, somehow.”

Martin said his favorite scenario on “The Irrational” is Alec’s relationship with his sister, Kylie, with whom he’s now living after going through his divorce.

“Alec lives with his sister in her apartment and she teases him endlessly about being a grown man who needs his own space,” he said. “I told the writers a long time ago that I don’t ever want Alec to move — because what we do in that space at that apartment, when Alec relaxes, what he and his sister do back and forth is gold to me. 

“It’s such a great relationship and I have to thank Travina all day long because she makes me feel comfortable. 

“It’s literally my favorite space.”