ABC’s new police procedural High Potential takes viewers into the bustling world of the Los Angeles Police Department. Created by Drew Goddard and starring comedian Kaitlin Olson as civilian consultant Morgan Gillory, the show has an entertaining premise but remains a work in progress.
Morgan is a brilliant but unwieldy single mother who happens upon a mistake in one of the LAPD’s investigations. Impressed by her unique mind, Lieutenant Selena Soto recruits Morgan to assist the department’s Major Crimes unit. Despite initial resistance from Detective Adam Karadec, Morgan uses her high IQ and encyclopedic knowledge to help solve cases.
Olson brings zany energy to the role of Morgan. Yet three episodes in, High Potential still focuses too much on its eclectic lead. More needs to be done to flesh out supporting characters like Karadec and create multi-layered stories beyond each case of the week. Goddard’s creative talent ensures moments of flair, but the show must steer into its distinctive qualities to avoid procedural pitfalls.
If the writing evolves to match Olson’s unbounded performance, High Potential may uncover hidden depths. For now, its potential remains only starting to shine through.
An Unlikely Partnership
The ABC series High Potential introduces viewers to Morgan Gillory, a single mother raising three children on her own in Los Angeles. By night, Morgan works as a cleaner at the LAPD office. It’s during one of these late shifts that Morgan’s incredible mind is discovered.
While dancing around to music as she tidies, Morgan inadvertently knocks over an evidence box. Attempting to set things right, her keen eyes notice something amiss in a crime scene photo. Morgan reworks the police murder board, correctly labeling the supposed suspect as the true victim.
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This doesn’t sit well with by-the-book Detective Adam Karadec. He demands answers from the mysterious interloper caught on camera. That’s when Lieutenant Selena Soto steps in. Impressed by Morgan’s instincts, Soto decides to conduct an experiment.
Despite Karadec’s protests, Soto recruits Morgan as a consultant for their Major Crimes unit. Morgan possesses “high intellectual potential,” with an IQ of 160 and the ability to absorb endless facts. Junior detectives Daphne Forrester and Oz Ozdil are also assigned to the case.
Now partnered with Karadec, Morgan aids investigations in her bold style. Yet complicating her new role is a lingering mystery from her past. Morgan is single due to the still-unexplained disappearance of her oldest daughter’s father years ago. And serving as the dedicated mother of three proves challenging alongside police work.
Through it all, Morgan’s partnership with the LAPD begins, though just how long the reluctant Karadec will tolerate her unconventional methods remains an open question.
Cracking the Enigma
At first glance, Morgan Gillory seems an unlikely detective. Her eccentric style—loud prints, sky-high boots—clashes with crime scenes. Yet this contrast cleverly enhances Kaitlin Olson’s spirited performance as ABC’s brilliant but buffoonish consultant.
Morgan navigates each case with bold self-assurance stemming from her immense yet impulsive intellect. Her IQ of 160 grants uncanny perception yet poisons protocols. Correcting others’ errors matters more than courtesy. This arrogance irritates, yet results compel respect.
Witnessing Morgan’s mental acrobatics through lively cutaways, we share her thrill at connections overlooked by experts. No detail escapes her watchful eye, from centuries-old architecture to modern surveillance foibles. Information absorption proves limitless.
Beneath bravado burns compulsion. ‘If I see a mistake, I must fix it’ leaves little peace. But Olson ensures empathy exceeds exhibition. Glimpses of domestic disorder hint trauma plagues Morgan; reasons for reinventing in middle age are unclear.
Her children stabilize this maelstrom. Through sweet scenes, we grasp maternal devotion’s power over compulsion, bringing complexity absent in rapid-fire reasoning.
Ultimately, Olson grounds potential absurdity. She anchors ludicrous talents in flawed humanity; recognition of High Potential satirizes its genre. Without minimizing magical intellect, she spotlights its burden and one woman’s dance with normalcy.
As enigmas go, Morgan captivates. Her defiant spirit awakens stale procedurals, Olson’s dynamism ensuring all witness her humanity’s cracks.
Hidden Depths
While Morgan Gillory captivates as High Potential’s lead, the series also introduces a slate of supporting players. Though competently performed, these characters remain sketchily drawn three episodes in.
Detective Adam Karadec is partnered with yet continually outwitted by the eccentrically brilliant consultant. Daniel Sunjata injects wore-down dedication into the role, hints of further depth promising to emerge.
Most engaging thus far is Karadec’s exasperated dances with Morgan. She proves theories without pause as he waits, wrong-footed, for her inevitable “got it!” Their rivalry fuels dry humor, chemistry developing.
Lieutenant Selena Soto oversees major crimes with empathy, Judy Reyes suggesting wisdom beyond her lines. You wish to see life outside cases for these experienced officers.
Junior detectives Daphne Forrester and Oz Ozdil pop up solely for case check-ins. Javicia Leslie and Deniz Akdeniz display charisma that deserves spotlighting through personal plots.
Of supporting faces, Morgan’s ex Ludo and daughter Ava intrigue most. Her strained bond with Ava hints at turmoil beneath surface rebellion. Taran Killam underplays co-parenting Ludo—how much humor could his slacker shine bring?
Potential exists to flesh out this team. Deeper relationships could intensify High’s focus on not just what but who makes Morgan Gillory tick. Character growth might lift format beyond formula, High living up to its name.
Cutting Against Convention
High Potential introduces viewers to weekly cases of interest to cops in LA. Yet three episodes in, these feel like predictable routines more than puzzles primed to challenge Morgan. Minor mysteries unfold and conclude satisfactorily but scarcely astonishingly.
Still, moments capture the keen workings of her mind. Vivid cutaways place us within convoluted theorizing, global minutiae pieced together in flickers. We share her thrill in cognition, if not the culmination.
Protocols pose props for punchlines too. Morgan bends rules by bending truth; humor found where police stiffness cracks. Laughs arrive easy, yet lazier mysteries disappoint.
Drew Goddard brings acclaim for complex, genre-bending works. His touch is needed, dismantling stale whodunits. Varied locales and crimes far from usual fare could intrigue.
Take cues from shows of unafraid modulate mood, case by case. Dark Friday cases spice lighthearted weeks. Masterminds lurk behind mediocre masquerades one episode, merely mediocre next.
Potential lies waiting fulfillment. By thinking outside the box more vividly, high potential may rise above repetitive ruts. With cases captivating as its star, this show sparkles ever brighter.
Imagination on Screen
While Kaitlin Olson dazzles as ever, High Potential’s production values tread worn ground. Dull station settings suit dour procedurals but clash with zany Morgan.
Fortunately, Olson pops in animal prints amid drabness. Her costumes alone enliven dreary hallways and brighten gloomy plotlines. More wonders what adventures suit Morgan beyond these bland walls.
Recalling Drew Goddard’s visually lush past, viewers wish for locations transporting. From his scripts emerged surreal sci-fi vistas and Victorian chills. High Potential deserves Los Angeles displayed in all eccentric glory.
Street scenes glimpsed offer potential. Shadowy night alleys and sunny side streets await exploring. Cultural landmarks offer backdrops fresh and fun, untapped backgrounds for left-field clues.
Cinematography aims functional, rarely festive. But Goddard gifts imagery to thrill. Steady shots suffice exposition, yet inventive flourishes could surprise. What wonders might spin from spirited lenses and offbeat locales?
While budget binds, imagination lifts. With visual spirit to match its hero, High Potential may rise above its routine roots. For now foundations lay for flair; should witty writing meet vibrant screens?
Tapping High Potential
Through three episodes, High Potential shows flashes of fun amid formula. Kaitlin Olson brings fresh energy as quirky consultant Morgan Gillory. Yet around her, characters stay sketches while cases click closed too cleanly.
Drew Goddard and company possess skills reviving drained genres. Their past works twist tropes, pique minds, and keep viewers guessing. For high potential to shine, they must channel such imagination.
Deeper dives into multidimensional personalities beyond Morgan are needed. Relationships explored further could stoke humor and heart. Intricate mysteries worthy of her big brain would boost intrigue.
Tonally, modulating moods episode by episode takes cues from peer procedurals. Light chapters gain gravity opposite darkness. Locations worldwide inspire unique crimes beyond standard police fare.
Potential flickers in High’s distinct lead and visual flair. But steady routines may stall a series with star creators. Complexity lifting characters and plots above familiar could realize its promise.
Optimism remains their talent triumphs current predictability. With strengths stressed and shortfalls reworked, High Potential may thrill longterm, like premieres tease. With refinement, its highs could reward loyal viewers in future seasons.
Judgement reserved; early signs spark hope if adjustments hit. With ingenuity across episodes, High Potential can rise from ranks.
The Review
High Potential
Despite following procedural formulas, High Potential shows flashes of charm and humor thanks to Kaitlin Olson's vibrant lead performance. However, the series still struggles to distinguish itself, with thin supporting characters and routine cases. While its creative pedigree and episodic fun hint at promise, High Potential has yet to capitalize fully on its strengths or break free of weaknesses. With a sharpened focus on complexity in future episodes, this series still has the potential to develop into an entertaining addition to the crime genre.
PROS
- Kaitlin Olson's energetic performance as the unorthodox consultant Morgan
- Intricate visualizations of Morgan's thought process
- Potential for tone shifts from episode to episode
- Creative pedigree of Drew Goddard and crew
CONS
- Flat characterization beyond the lead
- Routine, formulaic cases
- Plot patterns that fall predictably
- Low-budget production qualities
- Lacks standout qualities to differentiate from peers
