Warning: SPOILERS for High Potential.High Potentialis only halfway through its first season, but the show has already made a lasting impact. Headed byIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiastar Kaitlin Olson,High Potentialis a modern police procedural set in California.High Potentialhas a unique sense of identity, however, that sets it apart from any other procedurals on air. The first episodes were so engaging that the wait leading up toHigh Potentialepisode 8feels agonizing, but it’s nearly over. For those who have yet to experience the wonderful world of Olson’s Morgan Gillory, now’s the time to tune in.
From costuming to casting to crime, every beat ofHigh Potentialis fresh while retaining the best parts of classic cop shows.No character is one-dimensional, no plot is easily predictable, and no resolution feels anything but earned.High Potential’s myriad of attractive qualities deserves to garner massive audiences ahead of a potentialHigh Potentialseason 2.
8High Potential Puts A Unique Twist To The Procedural Format
Morgan Deals With Crime And Comedy
While othermodern procedural showspush boundaries,High Potentialpays tribute to shows that came before it while keeping its content exciting.Each episode ofHigh Potentialfollows a new case for Morgan to solve, ranging from murder to abduction to wrongful imprisonment. Though the subject matter may be serious, Morgan brings a light-hearted presence to the police station that never feels inappropriate because she backs it up with care. For as many quips as she makes, she offers twice as many meaningful contributions to the case.
The originality ofHigh Potentialstill far outweighs what it’s reminiscent of, so viewers are always in for new content.
Still, there’s a certain familiarity to her whimsy that makesHigh Potentiala perfect show for fans of quirky procedurals that are no longer airing.FromSuits’s Mike Ross toiZombie’s Olivia Moore, Morgan has beencompared to most offbeat protagonists from years past, withHigh Potentialeven being likened to a modernPsych. The originality ofHigh Potentialstill far outweighs what it’s reminiscent of, so viewers are always in for new content.
7High Potential Gives Kaitlin Olson To Flex Her Acting Muscles (& She’s Good At It)
Olson Has Been A Hidden Gem All Along
ManyHigh Potentialviewers originally pressed play because they recognized the name of lead actress Kaitlin Olson.Olson has an expansive career in comedic roles, with none quite as memorable as her infamous Dee Reynolds fromIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.High Potential’s Morgan, however, is a complete rebrand for the actress. While Morgan is usually still the funniest person in the room, she has a real depth of character that makes her much more complex than any other role Olson has taken on before.
ABC’s New 94% Rotten Tomatoes Hit Reframes Kaitlin Olson’s Image After 16 Seasons Of It’s Always Sunny
Kaitlin Olson’s new role in ABC procedural showcases a dynamic range of acting skills that It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fails to utilize.
High Potentialallows Olson to display a range of emotions and dynamic acting choices that she’s never had the opportunity to flaunt before, and the result is a full-fledged character.High PotentialprovesIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiahas hidden Olson’s talent, but Morgan allows her to have serious moments on-screen without the audience waiting for a punchline.Olson’s ability to seamlessly move between levity and longing, humor and heartbreak, etc. makes Morgan a character to root for week after week.High Potentialowes a lot to Olson’s secret acting prowess.
6High Potential Has A Compelling Personal Narrative
Morgan Doesn’t Choose Between Work And Family
Aside from being a genius at solving crimes, Morgan is a mother who cherishes her children more than anything.At times, the hardest thing Morgan deals with during an episode doesn’t involve the case at all: it involves her child. Morgan’s relationship with her eldest daughter Ava (Amirah J) is particularly rocky, with all the ordinary teenage problems mixed with a missing father. The interesting family dynamic inHigh Potentialmakes it so that even when Morgan’s shift ends, the stakes don’t disappear.
What truly setsHigh Potentialapart from other shows is its utilization of the ex. Morgan’s ex-husband, Ludo, fathers two of her children, but there’s zero tension between them.
Ludo’s role inHigh Potentialis akin to being a rock for Morgan, someone who listens and supports her but also calls her out when needed.There’s a real friendship there that feels endlessly refreshing in a sea of shows that use failed relationships as sources of drama.High Potentiallets its characters show maturity instead.
5High Potential Has A Burgeoning Slow-Burn Romance
Morgan And Karadec’s Chemistry Is Undeniable
In classic police procedural fashion, the main colleagues seem to have the potential to be“partners”in more ways than one.Daniel Sunjata’s Detective Karadec is the perfect foil to Morgan, but they’re a dynamic duo on the scene. There’s an interesting dynamic to their work relationship, with Morgan always trying to get Karadec to think laterally while Karadec is constantly trying to get Morgan to follow protocol. They come from fundamentally different perspectives, but they always end up closing the case together while working in tandem.
Morgan Needs To Date Tom For Karadec’s Sake In High Potential
If Morgan Gillory and Detective Karadec have any romantic future in High Potential, new love interest Tom needs to be properly utilized.
WithHigh Potentialonly in its pilot season, the tension between Morgan and Karadec has to stew a little more before anything can come of it. In the meantime,High Potentialhas introduced JD Pardo’s Tom to be a love interest for Morgan.The presence of Tom further complicates the relationship between Morgan and Karadec and offers future opportunities for jealousy, misunderstandings, or increased tension.WhetherKaradec or Tom is better for Morgan inHigh Potentialis up to interpretation, but the show will certainly explore each option thoroughly.
4High Potential Has A Great Ensemble
The Characters Are More Than Supplemental
Part of what makes a great procedural is an equally great cast of characters.High Potential’s record-breaking viewershipis due not only to Olson’s acting skills but also to the work of its ensemble members.Javicia Leslie’s Daphne is kind but clear-headed, always ready to do her job with a smile.Unless she’s with Lev"Oz"Ozdil (Deniz Akdeniz), the major crimes investigator who is amazing with kids but not with staying serious on calls. Watching their work dynamic is equally entertaining as Morgan and Karadec.
The glue that holds the police procedural together is Selena (Judy Reyes), the head of the Major Crimes Division.Reyes is an accomplished actress, and her vast experience shines in the fictional LAPD, where she makes tough but sympathetic decisions. Garret Dillahunt’s Lieutenant Melon is a character that’s equal parts comic relief and rage-inducing, but his presence is always welcome. Even the performances of Ava and Elliot (Matthew Lamb) add to the show tenfold.High Potential’s cast is as vital to its success as its writing.
3High Potential Features An Interesting Overarching Mystery
Roman’s Fate Looms Over The Story
Aside from the mini-mysteries at an episodic level,High Potentialhas an underlying storyline throughout its first season.Ava’s father, Roman, allegedly disappeared shortly after her birth, and Morgan never gave up on looking for him. With her new role at the LAPD, Morgan finally has access to resources that could make a genuine breakthrough in the case and potentially give her answers she’s waited over a decade for. While Roman has mainly been haunting the narrative for the first seven episodes, his time is coming.
Showrunner Todd Harthan has teased that the mystery will come into the forefrontwhenHigh Potentialreturns, explaining:“It impacts Morgan, but by extension, it also gets to Ava”(viaTV Line).Ava and Morgan’s relationship is a major source of both conflict and comfort, but Roman has always been a point of contention for them.Ava can’t believe Morgan’s insistence that Roman is missing, and Morgan can’t believe Ava is so hopelessly resigned to believe he chose to leave them. Regardless of what’s revealed, it’s bound to leave one of them in shock.
2High Potential Is Visually Entertaining
The Show Is A Colorful Treat
The police procedural genre may conjure memories of dark, seedy interrogation rooms or grayscale skies, butHigh Potentialisn’t afraid to take a new approach to how it presents itself.High Potential’s unique style extends to its main character. Morgan isn’t your average protagonist, andHigh Potentialdoesn’t try to present her as such. Sometimes the costumes end up making a name for the show, likeCarrie Bradshaw’s outfits inSex and the City. Morgan’s wardrobe is on its way to the same fame, with her bright colors and interesting textures always on full display.
High Potentialcuts away to amusing images that correlate to her explanation in real time, shifting as her ideas change.
But aside from Morgan’s exterior,High Potentialvisually depicts her crime-solving skills in a fun, stimulating way.When Morgan lays out her hypothesis for the scene or gives niche background context that she knows from past research,High Potentialcuts away to amusing images that correlate to her explanation in real time, shifting as her ideas change. Everything inHigh Potentialis colorful and stylized to the point that every scene is instantly recognizable as the ABC procedural.
1High Potential’s Weekly Cases Have Been Creative Thus Far
Even The Crimes Match The Quirky Aesthetic
With an abundance of police procedurals available for viewing,High Potentialensures that its cases don’t blend into the background.From a rare animal trader being poisoned by her frog to a con artist drowned by his victims,High Potentialdoesn’t shy away from the moral ambiguity of police work. At times, viewers empathize with the criminal while others feel rotten to the core. Most victims are presented with sympathy, but some are complicated and almost villainous themselves.
High Potentialdoesn’t use plot twists just to say they have them. Every twist and turn adds suspense to the story and unravels something new, from a murder case where nobody was the culprit to a high-octane hostage situation revealed to be a false alarm.High Potential’s plot twists are incredibly satisfying, like pieces falling into place to form a puzzle that the audience doesn’t have a clear picture of. With unexpectedly smart writing and clear objectives,High Potentialis anunderrated proceduralthat deserves more attention.
High Potential
Cast
Morgan, a single mother of three with a brilliant but unconventional mind, partners with a methodical detective after solving a crime during her job as a cleaner. Together, they form an unlikely but effective duo, blending her unique problem-solving skills with his by-the-book approach to tackle challenging cases.
