High Potential Shot to 30 Million Views in Season 1 (& It’s Back With New Episodes)

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Everyone’s been talking about “High Potential” for a year now, and the second season currently airing is generating even more excitement. ABC has a strong track record of successful shows, and this new series is no exception. Created by Drew Goddard, “High Potential” is inspired by the French-Belgian show *HPI*, which ran for five seasons and 38 episodes.

The first episode of *High Potential* drew 3.59 million viewers in the US – a strong start for a new show. As the season progressed, viewership soared, eventually reaching 30 million across all platforms like ABC and Hulu. With season two now airing weekly, it’s a perfect time to discover what makes this series so captivating.

High Potential Masterfully Interweaves Storylines

High Potential shares similarities with other crime dramas, but it stands out thanks to its captivating writing and memorable characters. The story follows Morgan, a single mom of three who cleans for the Los Angeles Police Department overnight. Although her job is fairly simple, she unexpectedly helps crack a complex case. Morgan’s high IQ of 160 makes her naturally curious and skilled at problem-solving.

After uncovering this information, Morgan becomes a police consultant and starts collaborating with the head of Major Crimes, Selena Soto, along with detectives Adam Karadec and Daphne Forrester, and Daphne’s partner, Lev Özdil.

High Potential is a weekly crime show where each episode typically features a new case, though some mysteries unfold over multiple episodes. Like other shows of its kind, it follows detectives solving unexplained deaths that usually turn out to be murders. What sets High Potential apart is its immersive approach – the show doesn’t hand-hold the audience, but instead puts viewers right alongside Morgan and the LAPD as they investigate. Their investigations often hit roadblocks until Morgan’s exceptional intelligence helps crack the case.

ABC’s new crime drama is quickly becoming a hit, and it’s more than just a series of murder mysteries. The show’s main character, Morgan, is also secretly investigating the disappearance of her first husband, Roman, who is the father of her oldest daughter, Ava (Amirah J). Fifteen years ago, Roman vanished without a trace, and when Morgan joins the LAPD as a consultant, she makes two demands: childcare for her three children and a full investigation into Roman’s disappearance. This personal quest quickly becomes the most challenging case she faces.

Kaitlin Olson Perfectly Portrays Morgan Gillman

One of the best things about *High Potential* is Kaitlin Olson’s performance as Morgan. It’s a stark contrast to her role as Deandra Reynolds (Olson is married to Rob McElhenney, who plays Mac in the sitcom). Morgan is incredibly intelligent and a skilled problem-solver, which makes the character compelling and keeps the show’s weekly cases interesting.

What makes Morgan a unique protagonist is her belief that her high intelligence actually holds her back. She struggles to move past difficult experiences and old conflicts, and often feels lonely and restless because she needs constant mental challenge.

The show *High Potential* could have easily depicted Morgan as a single, childless woman, but it chose a different path. By giving her three children, the series immediately establishes her as a more layered and unique character, particularly within the world of procedural dramas. While Olson delivers a solid performance as a consultant, it’s arguably Morgan’s life as a mother that resonates more deeply with viewers. Outside of her work with the LAPD, she’s dealing with the everyday challenges of family life, including raising her teenage daughter, Ava, and navigating a relationship with her second ex-husband, Ludo Radovic (played by Taran Killam).

Olson’s performance as Morgan is a highlight of High Potential, largely because of how well her character connects with others. She has a generally friendly co-parenting relationship with Ludo, who often handles childcare. Morgan and Selena also get along well, with Selena acting as a mentor and repeatedly expressing her satisfaction with Morgan’s work as a consultant.

Despite working well together, Morgan and Adam often clash due to their different approaches to investigations. Morgan tends to trust her gut instincts, while Adam prefers to follow procedures. Over time, they begin to appreciate each other’s strengths, and Morgan even tries to help Adam with his personal life by offering dating advice.

High Potential Explores Different Themes With Ease

Despite its complex storylines, *High Potential* is fundamentally a strong police procedural. The series offers a fairly realistic look at the LAPD and its operations, filled with engaging drama. Even with differing investigative styles, the weekly cases remain compelling and fresh, avoiding repetition or a lack of focus.

Besides the compelling police work, the show focuses on Olson’s personal life, exploring her family relationships and the challenges of balancing work and home. A key strength of the series is how clearly it separates Olson’s professional and private worlds. These storylines rarely intersect—with Roman being a notable exception—which makes her character feel incredibly authentic. The show also realistically portrays Olson’s reactions to the often disturbing cases she investigates, highlighting her inexperience with such intense subject matter.

A major theme throughout the crime drama, especially in its first season, is the contrast between working alone and working as a team. The main character, Morgan, is often expected to collaborate, but consistently demonstrates her ability to handle things independently. While her intelligence is an asset at work, it often hinders her personal relationships. The show effectively portrays Morgan’s development through her interactions with others, making her journey as a character engaging for viewers.

What’s in Store For High Potential Season 2?

It wasn’t surprising when ABC renewed its hit crime drama in January 2025, even before the first season finished airing. The first season had just 13 episodes, but season two will have 18. Production on the show had to be adjusted to accommodate actor Olson’s schedule, as he was also working on *It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia*. Olson began as a producer on the show, and, mirroring the career progression of another key figure, was later promoted to executive producer for the second season, joining 13 others – including director and screenwriter Rob Thomas, who is separate from the musician of the same name.

Season 2 of *High Potential* continues the story after the events of the first season. The finale, “Let’s Play,” ended with several major revelations and cliffhangers. For example, Adam unexpectedly reveals he knows where Roman is – Roman had been secretly working with the FBI before he vanished. Meanwhile, Morgan starts looking into a mysterious criminal known only as “The Gamer,” who brazenly takes credit for his crimes and even manages to contact Morgan directly.

The second season of *High Potential* launched on September 16, 2025, attracting over 4 million viewers. New episodes air every Tuesday, and with a complex storyline continuing from season one, it will take some time for all the mysteries to be revealed. Now that Morgan knows roughly where Roman is, she can begin to uncover the truth about her first husband.

While that unfolds, Morgan and the LAPD are busy with a case involving the “Game Maker,” a criminal who likes to tease investigators with clues, hoping they’ll lead to the rescue of kidnapped people.

High Potential season 2 airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.

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2025-10-11 03:15