Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
We may only be two episodes into High Potential, but Kaitlin Olson and ABC have a certified hit on their hands!
I am not usually a procedural kind of guy. However, this show is making me reevaluate my interests! Miss Morgan is a whole vibe, and despite her eccentric nature, I feel like I know people like her — including people with a wealth of random knowledge.
High Potential has proven that it’s a series with enough potential to last for years. Interestingly, I’ve heard it both ways about this show. Some people were hooked instantly and loved it. Others didn’t find the character relatable and took issue with a few aspects of the show.
I am here to tell you that I heard you, and there are things I can agree with from both camps.
The Secret Sauce In High Potential Is Kaitlin Olson’s Morgan
First, let’s state the obvious. High Potential is as formulaic as it comes. All the standard bells and whistles of a female police chief who leads with her heart. The seasoned detectives are unfriendly to newbies. And the case-of-the-week is filled with twists and turns, likely leaving the audience in tears.
The secret sauce in this recipe is Kaitlin Olson’s Morgan. She sets the tone. For one thing, the family dynamic is refreshing to see. Usually, fictional eccentric geniuses lead lives too solitary to form meaningful relationships, let alone whole families.
One of the first dings I and others had for the series is that High Potential runs the risk of making the police look incompetent. After careful reflection, I no longer feel that way.
Interestingly, I never heard people make that remark about other shows where a genius helps out the police or some other form of authority. Have we all forgotten Scorpion, Psych, and Elsbeth? The cops needing a helping hand is nothing new.
Also, crimes go unsolved in the real world all the time. After watching High Potential Season 1 Episode 2, I finally noticed something. It’s not that the cops are incompetent. It’s that Morgan is faster. She speeds up the process of discovery.
Every time technology and science advances, it isn’t just people in authority that are helped. Criminals also have access to all of the same advancements. That means more hands on deck are needed to figure out crimes that get more complicated to solve every year.
In that regard, High Potential is ahead of other procedurals. Who else could’ve clocked the footage in the pilot?
I believe the cops would have figured it out, but it wouldn’t have happened as fast without everyone’s favorite cleaning lady. However, I’ll never turn down more screen time from Detective Karadec. That is a man right there.
High Potential Boasts A Disturbingly Attractive And Talented Cast Of Supporting Characters
One other thing about the recipe for police procedurals: You have to have some good-looking people to fill out the station. I don’t make the rules, but I’m not mad about it. I haven’t spent much time at police stations, so you all will have to let me know if the cliche is based on reality.
That being said, Detective Karadec is disturbingly handsome. Like, commit-a-crime-just-to-be-arrested-by-him handsome. And don’t even get me started on Deniz Akdeniz’s character! If you watch the hilarious series Ghosts, you may recognize him from Ghosts Season 3 Episode 7, “The Polterguest.”
If you haven’t seen it, he plays a male stripper who does a sexy dance for a ghost while talking about dinosaurs. Those who have seen it know that it is a one hundred percent accurate depiction of what happens in the scene. All I’ll say is that he was COMMITTED to his character.
However, looking amazing is great and all, but if you can couple that with solid talent, you get Judy Reyes as Captain Selena. Her character is so warm and understanding. I find that so refreshing from the usual police chief who just wants his coffee in between grunts and talks AT his people.
She’s a good one, that Miss Judy. We also got more of Daphne and Ludo, which is great because their characters felt like supporting characters of supporting characters in the pilot.
Speaking of Ludo, High Potential shows how common it is for divorced or broken-up couples to maintain healthy co-parenting. While that may not always be the case, everyone I know who has kids with someone they are no longer with has a healthy co-parenting relationship.
And if you can do it looking as fabulous as Miss Morgan, even better!
High Potential Plays Around With The Relatability Of Its Main Character
One of the things that I heard from a couple of viewers was that they took issue with how Morgan always looks put together. Here’s the thing: I somewhat agree with that opinion.
However, I know moms with multiple kids who will not step out of the house unless their face is beaten for the gods. And that’s their prerogative. Sure, her hair and make-up always look put together. Sure, she dresses like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. But she has help!
She has her lovely elderly neighbor, who was absent in this episode, and her ex, who seems more than willing to watch his kids. Now, right there is some fiction because I don’t know many baby daddies who can drop whatever they’re doing to watch their kids.
Notice how I didn’t say “babysitting.” I’m looking at some of you non-custodial dads out there. It’s not babysitting when it’s your kids. So, I couldn’t be happier for the character of Ludo (Taran Killam). It’s about time we had more “good dad” representation. However, if other “good dad” characters come to your mind, please let me know in the comments!
Back to Morgan, Kaitlin Olson’s performance during any heartwarming scenes is so moving. Morgan is sincerely sweet and caring to the people around her, including total strangers. How can you not instantly love a character with such a big heart?!
It’s not easy to keep smiling when dead people are now a part of your daily life.
“Who’s Dead This Week?”
Now, here’s the thing about police procedurals. It’s a case-of-the-week format. Sure, there’s always an over-arching storyline, but for the most part, it’s “Who’s dead this week?”
And that’s perfectly fine because every broadcast show has that in one form or another. It’s just a vehicle to develop the plot and characters further. However, High Potential is delivering some intriguing cases!
Did you guys know that thing about the moon? I certainly didn’t! Side note: I loved the tap-dancing car mechanics. It’s so important to have interests and hobbies outside of work.
More to the point, this case was much easier to follow than the one in High Potential Season 1 Episode 1. We also met Garret Dillahunt as Lieutenant Melon, another addition to the handsome roster of detectives.
Is it a requirement that all male detectives look like they stepped out of a Lincoln car commercial with John Slattery? Specific, I know, but also true. We also got double the case boards in this episode with lots of lovely banter from the newly introduced Detective Melon.
Are case boards really a thing? And do police stations really hire someone who is in charge of making them? If you know, please let us know in the comments! That goes for all questions asked. These aren’t rhetorical.
And let’s all applaud Morgan for finally getting her car back! I don’t think she could’ve gotten away with bringing a grocery cart onto the bus too many more times.
However, the best part of “Dancers in the Dark” has to be the last few minutes. The scene where Captain Selena confirmed that Morgan’s missing partner, Roman, didn’t abandon them was heartbreaking.
There were so many tears in this episode, from the wrong person being pushed off the roof to Morgan finally getting an answer about Roman. Full disclosure: I teared up. Oh, how I teared up. One point for High Potential and zero points for this TV Fanatic.
And the daughter overhearing and then crying?! I was a mess. On the one hand, he didn’t abandon his family, but that means he is actually missing and possibly even dead. There’s no way of knowing what will transpire, but it’s safe to say we have our over-arching story.
Whatever the case, or rather, cases, I will be glued to my seat, absorbing every entertaining moment of this fantastic show!
Do you think Morgan and Karadec will develop feelings for each other?
Do you think we will see any of Olson’s castmates from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia make cameos?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this or any other show, and join me again when I review the next episode of High Potential!
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