‘I’ ON CULTURE
I usually avoid most of the new television series, since they seem like poorly done sequels of old shows. But I started watching High Potential because I was not feeling well and staying mostly in bed when the first episode aired. And it hooked me. It is a police procedural, and I have seen far too many of them over the years. But it has some interesting twists and turns that make it really interesting and enjoyable.
It begins with the Los Angeles Police Department struggling to prove that the wife of a murdered man, who had herself disappeared, was his killer. Janitor Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), working at night, rearranges the photos. Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) is furious and demands answers. Morgan demonstrates her ideas, which eventually lead to solving a really complex case. It seems she is a “high potential intellect” with an IQ over 160 who seems to be able to create patterns. When it’s noted that is a great thing to have, Morgan answers that it’s terrible, and that she has trouble holding a job or having deep friendships. The leader of the LAPD’s Major Crime Division, Selena (Judy Reyes), spots her potential and gives her a job as consultant.
Morgan brings up a key part of her strange private life. Her first husband, Roman, father of her oldest child Ava (Amirah J), disappeared 15 years earlier. She asks for answers as to what happened to him and is promised help. That provides an interesting sub-plot. Her second ex-husband Ludo (Taran Killam), a driving instructor, is father of her genius son Elliot (Matthew Lamb) and a baby, and seems always available to babysit. Our heroine has a messy life but one that is interesting.
So far, after around a half dozen or so episodes, Morgan and Karadec has solved some really tricky cases, ones more complex than the usual ones on TV series, and they do it in style. In many ways, the show reminds me of an old procedural, Columbo, with the ability of its lead to analyze tricky clues. But Olson has better legs, which are generally visible, since her character is fond of short skirts. I appreciate that, but she’s also brilliant and not a pushover.
There are three major elements that make this series work. The first is a series of really good scripts. The stories are interesting. The show may be a procedural, but it’s also a really fun “who done it” kind of one. Morgan is a fount of information on an enormous number of topics and is able to use that information to redirect investigations. The second is that, instead of creating jealous villains within the police department, the cops around her appreciate what she’s doing and provide support. But the best thing is the complexities even of the less central characters. No one seems to be cardboard cutout. The young detective, Oz (Deniz Akdeniz), instead of being just a callow kid, has good instincts and a great work ethic. Even Lieutenant Melon (Garrett Dillahunt) who, at the start, seems to be a nemesis, accepts her and even gets her a desk in the office so she’s as official as everyone else. No one is exactly who they seem. Tom (JD Pardo), a janitor, is also studying to be a nurse, and is slowly turning into a possible love interest.
But the pair at the top of the billing, Olson and Sunjata, are what really carry the show. They are both exceptional at avoiding stereotypes. He might come across as stoic and perhaps not accepting of the new consultant at first but soon clearly appreciates her. Her life is a mess: her teenage daughter is in semi-rebellion, her son is too smart to interact with others of his own age, and the baby is, well, a baby. The consultant job is clearly the best she has had in a long time, and she is intent on doing well. She might be messed up, but she has a real edge.
Happily, the people behind the show have not jumped to the obvious ploy of having the two stars get romantic, at least not right away. It has allowed the characters to change as they work together. That makes the episodes work because we can focus on the main elements and just appreciate the side elements.
This is a fun procedural on ABC Tuesday nights. I have read that it is getting good reviews with more people watching each week. I suggest you give it a try.