It’s a tale as old as TV: a genius who can’t help solving puzzles meets a detective who’s too straitlaced to admit they need help. It’s not love at first sight—it’s crime-solving at first murder. Sparks fly. Bodies drop. Happy endings happen… until the next week’s crime rolls in.
Yes, you know the type: “Castle,” “Bones,” “The Mentalist.” All spun from the Sherlock Holmes playbook, featuring a prickly cop paired with an unconventional, often downright infuriating, civilian sleuth. They’re frustrating, they’re brilliant, and we love every second of it. Enter “High Potential” (Tuesdays, 10 EDT/PDT, ☆☆☆ out of four). It’s ABC’s latest bid for a cop-and-consultant hit—and it’s got just enough charm to pull it off.
Created by Drew Goddard (yes, that Drew Goddard—the man behind “The Good Place” and “The Martian”) and starring Kaitlin Olson, the show might seem like a formulaic romp, but it’s got a glimmer in its eye. It’s that cozy, breezy detective dramedy we don’t see enough of anymore, lost amidst grim procedurals and spin-offs about every Chicago profession imaginable. Based on a French series, “High Potential” could fill that sunny, quirky niche we’ve all been missing.
The Quirky Genius and The Straitlaced Cop
In this new dynamic duo, Olson plays Morgan, a single mom of three with a ridiculously high IQ and a big mouth that gets her into trouble more often than not. It’s not so much that she’s flaky; it’s that her brilliant mind sees things out of place, and she just can’t help but try to fix them—whether that means rearranging crime scene evidence or calling out her boss. This habit, as her ex and current manny (Taran Killam) reveals, has landed her in trouble plenty of times, sometimes even in jail. Her route to police consulting? She’s a janitor at the station—until she stumbles into detective work by literally overstepping her station. Enter commanding officer Selena (Judy Reyes, of “Scrubs” fame), who quickly decides Morgan’s knack for observation and endless trivia could be, well, useful. Picture “Good Will Hunting,” but with pop music, leopard print, and a lot more chaos.
Morgan’s partner in crime-solving is Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata, “Rescue Me”), the stereotypical by-the-book cop who’d rather be anywhere than babysitting an unpredictable genius. But Morgan has that rare TV gift: the ability to instantly spit out obscure facts, like which way the wind blows in Los Angeles on certain days—or to deduce who the killer is before Karadec has even blinked. She might take her baby to crime scenes, borrow evidence like it’s her personal crafting material, and laugh in the face of police protocol, but hey—that’s the fun part, right?
Why It Works (and Why It Might Not)
The show quickly falls into a comfortable rhythm: Morgan’s oddball antics clash with Karadec’s gruff resistance, yet they somehow make it work. She’s aided by her ex (Taran Killam), who provides the childcare while she’s out there finding clues and getting into trouble. The first seven episodes that have aired set up a classic pattern: case-of-the-week mysteries with a side of serialized plot. There’s also a larger arc where Morgan and Selena dig into the 15-year-old disappearance of Morgan’s boyfriend—because, obviously, there’s got to be a tragic backstory.
“High Potential” takes a page from lighter procedurals like “Monk,” “Lucifer,” and “Psych.” Its cases are dark, sure—but they’re a little less gruesome when everyone’s clearly having a blast chasing the bad guys. Olson’s comedy chops absolutely shine, stealing every scene with her sharp timing and effortless charisma. Her chemistry with Sunjata is just sharp enough to keep the familiar formula from feeling too tired, but it’s Olson’s standout performance that elevates ‘High Potential’ into something truly enjoyable.
The show’s viewership numbers confirm it as a bona fide hit. Over its first five weeks on air, “High Potential” has averaged 10.42 million viewers, making it ABC’s most-watched new series in six years. The October 22 episode amassed 6.83 million viewers within seven days of linear viewing, according to Nielsen data, helping ABC win the Tuesday 10 p.m. hour for the first time in four years. When factoring in streaming on Hulu and Disney+, the episode’s total climbs to 10.49 million viewers, a 191% increase over its live audience of 3.6 million. These numbers demonstrate that “High Potential” is not only finding an audience but growing one week to week.
Still, a show this predictable can go either way. Comforting and familiar, or stale and clichéd? It’ll depend on how you feel about Morgan herself. Is she loveably quirky or just plain annoying? Will her constant breaking of the rules feel endearing or frustrating by episode eight? Olson’s charisma is enough to carry “High Potential” through its sillier moments, but whether it can rise above its predecessors will depend on how much you enjoy this particular brand of quirkiness.
Closing Credits
“High Potential” is a lot like its lead character: a bit messy, a bit silly, and packed with charm. If you’re into sunny murder mysteries that refuse to take themselves too seriously, it’s got potential. Whether that potential grows into an obsession-level favorite or a fun-but-forgettable romp is up to you. As for Morgan—love her or hate her, she’s not going anywhere. And, like all good TV detectives, she’s got plenty more crimes to solve.
“High Potential” airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC.
