Warning: SPOILERS for High Potential season 1.High Potential had a stellar pilot season, but arguably the most interesting aspect of the series is the episodic case that Kaitlin Olson’s Morgan Gillory solves alongside the LAPD. Morgan and Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) work together each episode to investigate crimes with the help of Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), Lev “Oz” Ozdil (Deniz Akdeniz), and Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes). The Major Crimes Division functioned as a well-oiled machine up until the High Potential season 1 finale, finding synergy and mutual respect across the first 13 episodes.
While the ending of High Potential season 1 already indicates what kind of cases the procedural has in store for the future, the mysteries already covered are compelling enough to revisit. Certain cases seem obvious in hindsight, while others reveal their hidden nuances with further review. The wait for High Potential season 2 already feels agonizing, but rewatching the best cases from the pilot season will be a great way to pass the time until the Major Crimes team returns.
13
“Pilot”
Episode 1
High Potential‘s pilot, a direct recreation of its predecessor HPI, centered on a kidnapped woman who the LAPD initially suspected of murdering her husband. Morgan inadvertently inserts herself into the case and discovers clues that reveal the woman’s sister, motivated by her corrupt lover, was the culprit.
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High Potential episode 1 proved Kaitlin Olson is more than her It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia role and was a strong start to the series, but the actual case left something to be desired. While not a bad mystery necessarily, High Potential episode 1 pales in comparison to its successors.
12
“Survival Mode”
Episode 4
High Potential episode 4 focused on a single mother from a wealthy family whose children are abducted. Though her ex-husband is initially a suspect, the case takes a turn when Morgan and Karadec discover his body.
The big twist of the episode is that the family’s driver kidnapped the children to get the mother’s attention, since he was “in love” with her. The story isn’t bad, but High Potential executes unexpected reveals much better later in the season, leaving episode 4 to feel a bit forgettable.
11
“The RAMs”
Episode 9
High Potential episode 9 let other members of the LAPD take the lead as they investigate the hit-and-run death of a well-known sportscaster. Somewhat predictably, the young woman in charge of managing the sportscaster’s home (and sole beneficiary of his will) was responsible for his death.
Episode 9 was an amazing episode for what it revealed about what happened to Roman in High Potential, but the case doesn’t subvert any expectations. The pivot to the woman’s secret boyfriend being the murderer was something new, but nothing that couldn’t have been predicted halfway through the episode.
10
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrel”
Episode 3
High Potential episode 3 was interesting because it was the first time the procedural had a murder victim that the audience posthumously rooted against. After finding a man dead in a hotel bathtub, Morgan and Karadec quickly learn he was a con artist who scammed vulnerable women out of thousands of dollars.
Leaning into moral ambiguity is one of the most compelling reasons to watch High Potential, but the procedural only gets better with time.
By the time the killer is revealed, it’s a bittersweet moment, since High Potential made it clear he was only trying to avenge his mother. Leaning into moral ambiguity is one of the most compelling reasons to watch High Potential, but the procedural only gets better with time.
9
“Dancers in the Dark”
Episode 2
High Potential already struck gold in its second episode, with Morgan helping solve the attempted murder of an at-risk youth with a passion for dancing. The main crime ends up intersecting with a string of robberies another department is investigating, leading to the reveal that the getaway driver was the victim’s friend and the intended target.
Though Morgan has to witness her first death before cracking the case, she brings justice to the young dancer and his family. Morgan’s empathy in High Potential is a great strength, and the care she put into episode 2’s case was an early example.
8
“Partners”
Episode 12
High Potential episode 12 once again made the murder a bit morally gray, since the tech mogul who was killed was responsible for proliferating AI software that was unregulated and ruined people’s lives.
High Potential episode 12 also developed Morgan and Karadec’s professional relationship, as they had to work alongside the FBI, including his former partner. The case poses some confounding ethical dilemmas, but the episode ends with a satisfying and wholesome conclusion as Karadec calls Morgan his partner for the first time.
7
“Chutes and Murders”
Episode 10
The murder in High Potential episode 10 was much less elaborate than most of its peers, which worked to the procedural’s advantage. Investigating the murder of a nanny helped Morgan come to terms with being a working mother as she experienced parallels between the case and her personal life.
High Potential episode 10’s storyline with Elliot (Matthew Lamb) also hinted at Morgan’s mysterious past. The case wasn’t too obvious, and the fellow nanny killing the victim to avoid a complicated blackmail scheme was a unique angle.
6
“Obsessed”
Episode 8
Another case that had important parallels to Morgan’s life was the attempted murder in High Potential episode 8. The victim, consumed by investigating the death of her fiancé, was attacked and nearly killed by the culprit. Morgan and Karadec investigate at an elite country club, where she faces thinly veiled judgment from most people they talk to.
The episode hinted at Morgan’s backstory in High Potential, but the case’s resolution was especially vindicating. Not only did the woman survive, she also managed to find closure to her fiancé’s murder and ensure the culprit lived to serve his sentence.
5
“Croaked”
Episode 5
High Potential episode 5 starts with a bang as Morgan narrowly saves Karadec’s life at the crime scene. After a woman is poisoned by a rare frog, the investigation reveals a convoluted tale of how she seduced the adoptive mother of her secret son and tricked her into believing they were in love, all the while illegally trading exotic animals online.
From the ironic murder weapon to the High Potential’s ensemble cast’s scene-stealing, episode 5’s case was by far one of the most unique and enjoyable to watch unfold (even if the story veers into overly-complicated territory).
4
“The Sauna at the End of the Stairs”
Episode 11
High Potential episode 11 was one of the most creative entries in the pilot season. The murder case took place 10 years before the episode, cleverly illustrating how different witnesses have different memories of the night that contradict and have to be pieced together to reveal the truth.
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High Potential episode 11 introduced the villain of the LAPD in Selena’s boss as he tries to shut down the investigation, but Morgan puts all the clues together at the last moment and exposes how the youngest member of the family killed his father to protect his mother.
3
“One of Us”
Episode 7
Morgan’s kids in High Potential are pivotal to the plot, especially in the tense midseason finale. After Ava (Amirah J) begs Morgan to bring her to work on her day off, a thrilling hostage situation breaks out as two former military members demand the LAPD review a recent case that resulted in the wrongful incarceration of their friend.
Morgan eventually identifies the key details the original investigators missed, but seeing her daughter held at gunpoint was a harrowing moment that proves High Potential episode 7 is an anxiety-inducing, tonally distinct case that stands out from the rest of the pack.
2
“Hangover”
Episode 6
High Potential episode 6 utilizes a similar structure to episode 11, with Morgan and Karadec having to piece together the events of a company party from the foggy recollections of multiple witnesses.
What seems like a simple murder of a CEO turns into an exciting subversion that exposes the CEO as a fraud and her assistant, who was positioned as the murderer with no memory of the night before, was saved by hidden footage that proved the “murder” wasn’t a murder at all— after the CEO tries to attack the assistant, she accidentally impales herself on her award.
1
“Let’s Play”
Episode 13
Unsurprisingly, High Potential episode 13 had the best case by far. From High Potential’s ironic casting of the serial kidnapper to its enthralling riddles and puzzles that slowly reveal the disturbing nature of the case, the season 1 finale ended on a high note.
What makes the episode 13 case so enthralling is how it impacted the team personally, with Oz nearly dying and Morgan targeted for her intellect.
What makes the episode 13 case so enthralling is how it impacted the team personally, with Oz nearly dying and Morgan targeted for her intellect. Since the serial kidnapper wasn’t apprehended, it’s safe to assume that he’ll be Morgan’s adversary once again in High Potential season 2.
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High Potential
9/10
- Release Date
-
September 17, 2024
