High Potential gets off to a perfectly fine, formulaic start

Welcome back, Castle and The Mentalist. Or is it Bones and Rizzoli & Isles that the pilot of High Potential reminded everyone of the most? A healthy mix of each is present in ABC’s latest procedural. And there’s nothing extraordinary about it except its genius protagonist (and lead star). In High Potential, a terrific Kaitlin Olson plays Morgan Gilroy, whose high IQ, advanced cognitive abilities, and photographic memory make her stand out among a slew of detectives at the LAPD, where she works as a mere cleaner. Any longtime viewer of television will recognize Morgan’s personality and skills aren’t particularly unique. She’s an amalgamation of various beloved TV characters. You know, the smarties who use their unique observations to solve a crime in a 40-minute episode, from Lieutenant Columbo and Adrian Monk to Temperance Brennan to Spencer Reid. 

Of course, the direct inspiration for her and the show itself is the French-Belgium series HPI, which series creator Drew Goddard (The Good Place) adapts into a standard American procedural. It’s not an original idea by any means, but perhaps that’s High Potential’s biggest selling point. ABC’s drama yearns to be the next big go-to network TV show to invest in for several years, thanks to its broad-strokes character dynamics, mysteries, and charming heroine that you can’t help but root for. (It’s similar to what CBS is attempting with Elsbeth because who doesn’t want weekly comfort viewing back?)

As seen in the pilot, Morgan’s rare abilities don’t make her any less relatable. She’s a single mother of three struggling to maintain a job, relying on coupons for grocery shopping and her older neighbor for babysitting at odd hours. She also claims it’s tough for her to hold onto a career, relationship, or even a conversation because of her “gift” (read: obsession) to find a solution to any problem she comes across. High Potential’s first episode gets credit for wisely bringing enough layers to Morgan right away.  

Olson’s snark ensures that she isn’t a hapless sack either. The actor’s roles are usually more smug (this is a compliment), as seen in Hacks, The Mick, and, of course, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. She ever-so-slightly tones it down here, switching expertly between sly and sentimental when Morgan requires emotional heft. This is seen most in her relationship with her kids: a teen daughter, nerdy son, and toddler. A big reveal comes toward the end of the pilot when the eldest child, Ava (Amirah J), confesses that she still feels abandoned by her dad. Ava’s father (Morgan’s first husband) disappeared 15 years ago. Morgan is convinced something bad happened to him, but no one believes her, including Ava. Even the cops never took her seriously back then. 

She gets another chance to investigate his whereabouts when she unintentionally proves her mettle to Captain Selena (Judy Reyes) and Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). At first, the two are pissed that Morgan casually messes around with the murder they’re investigating. While dusting Karadec’s desk one night, Morgan stumbles upon crime-scene photos and spots an error. With a few glancesshe realizes the dead man’s wife isn’t a suspect, as the cops theorize, but a victim herself. She’s right, of course. Selena clocks Morgan’s weird but awesome Sherlock Holmes-esque deduction skills and teams her up with Karadec who, despite his reluctance, can’t deny that this civilian is incredibly helpful.  

Thanks to Morgan’s memory, she is able to spout off random facts crucial to the investigation like wind directions or the construction of 18th-century churches. And with her knack for picking up suspects’ body language, they figure out who the two culprits are. Is the actual case one of High Potential’s strengths? Not really. Unlike Elsbeth, this show doesn’t bring in fun guest stars to play kooky murderers. This isn’t a plot-heavy TV show that you need to keep track of. So I appreciate that we spend sufficient time with Morgan’s family instead and learn about her vulnerabilities as a parent. She’s strict yet understanding, quick-witted, and also very concerned. These qualities enable her to bond with the victim’s daughter, providing a window into the character we’re supposed to fall for.  

As for Morgan’s love life, if history is any indication, we’re shaping up for a romance between her and Karadec at some point. Their unexpected professional partnership is undeniably going to bloom into a friendship and relationship. That’s how you get a devoted set of shippers. Just ask fans of Castle and Beckett, Lucifer and Chloe, Booth and Bones, and so on. 

Expect more than a few obstacles, though, including Morgan’s renewed hunt for her missing husband. She gets an offer to officially become an LAPD consultant, and part of the deal is the detectives will look into her ex’s vanishing. Don’t worry, she also negotiates a salary bump, which mans she can ditch the coupons. High Potential’s pilot is perfectly formulaic as it sets up season one. There are no guarantees on the survival of a network drama nowadays, but Kaitlin Olson and Judy Reyes are good reasons to give this a shot. Who knows: You might end up spending the next several years watching them unravel lighthearted murder mysteries.   

Stray observations

• • Morgan’s outfits tell a story of their own. She wears loud, mismatched clothes covered by some sort of fur coat. This tells me that Morgan doesn’t give a fuck and that she can’t necessarily afford a more put-together professional fit. 
• • Taran Killam is an inspired casting choice as Morgan’s second husband, Ludo. They aren’t together anymore but he helps raise their kids. (Also, R.I.P. to Killam’s former ABC series, Single Parents). 
• • Another ABC series this reminds me of is Stumptown, which was taken away from us too soon. (Cobie Smulders needs to lead her own series again in the vein of what Olson does here) 
• • So how long will it be before Morgan and Kadarec start falling for each other? Will High Potential wait for them to realize they have chemistry, or are we expecting fireworks imminently?  
• • I’m adding Morgan to my list of fictional characters I’d want on my trivia team.
• • Sorry if this is me speaking too soon, but I’d kill for a Rob McElhenney, Danny DeVito, Charlie Day, or Glenn Howerton cameo.