Warning! Spoilers ahead for High Potential episode 9, "The RAMs"reasons to watch High Potential, there are other characters that episode 9 (“The RAMs”) highlighted.
As great as Morgan is, there is a talented ensemble waiting on the sidelines in High Potential. Daphne (Javicia Leslie) is a highly skilled detective with a candy addiction. Oz (Deniz Akdeniz) is an investigator with a more playful demeanor. Morgan’s partner, Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), is detail-oriented as well, but his skills often go forgotten with Morgan front and center. By allowing Morgan to skip a few scenes, High Potential episode 9 lets its unsung heroes shine and prove that a High Potential season 2 could utilize more than its female lead.
Morgan's Decreased Involvement in High Potential Episode 9 Allows Karadec & Other Characters To Shine
They Even Made A Big Break Without Morgan's Help
While she is busy cleaning up after her baby, High Potential shows off how the LAPD runs without Morgan’s interference. Karadec impressively advises Daphne and Oz on two drastically different situations before focusing on a witness who came into the station. Without missing a beat, Karadec makes a game plan at the drop of a hat and fields Selena’s (Judy Reyes) questions about the case before Morgan even enters the building. Meanwhile, Daphne and Oz partner up to investigate and prove they are just as entertaining as Karadec and Morgan, even without a genius-level IQ.
High Potential is adapted from the French series HPI. Both are streaming on Hulu.
Daphne even makes a key discovery in breaking the case, noticing an anagram that points to a prime suspect. Even though it was a red herring, finding out the owner of the car was a crucial piece of the overall puzzle. Morgan still eventually came around and gleaned information the LAPD couldn’t have noticed without her, but High Potential episode 9 emphasizes that it’s a team effort. Even without Morgan, the ABC procedural has a good chance to become one of the best ensemble shows of all time.
Until now, Olson has been the primary asset for High Potential, but seeing how the ing cast can step up and solve a compelling case is a good sign of how great the writing is of the ABC hit.
ittedly, this may be odd, considering that Morgan is the titular character. However, there's also no harm in knowing that a show has a great ing ensemble. Olson is brilliant in the role. Seeing her easily transition from playing Dee in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to a very different role via Morgan is so impressive. Until now, Olson has been the primary asset for High Potential, but seeing how the ing cast can step up and solve a compelling case is a good sign of how great the writing is of the ABC hit.
Why Morgan's Decreased Role In High Potential Episode 9 Is Good For Its Long-Term Future
The Main Storyline Will Have More Time To Progress
Now that High Potential has shown its side characters can stand on their own without Morgan present, the drama is free to give the other players their own subplots and development. With more to focus on than the episodic case and Morgan’s life, that means the overarching story and mystery can develop without feeling rushed. While the show slowly reveals what happened to Roman in High Potential, the ensemble can be fleshed out and turned into fully realized characters by the end of the season.
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Including more characters in key storylines gives High Potential more material to work with. While it’s shocking that ABC hasn’t renewed the show for another season yet, High Potential’s impressive midseason premiere ratings mean season 2 feels inevitable. Consequently, High Potential could flourish in future seasons by continuing to include its side characters. If High Potential only focused on Morgan, the procedural would either quickly run out of steam or begin to feel repetitive. Letting Morgan’s story slow down and give way to other characters is the best thing High Potential could do to maximize its own high potential.
It's unrealistic to expect Olson to continue carrying the majority of the scenes in High Potential for more than a couple of years.
Beyond that, High Potential diversifying its storytelling would allow the series to run for as long as possible. As the titular character, Olson has been at the front and center of its storytelling. The procedural primary follows her, both at work and at home. In of work, this could be extremely draining for Olson. Unlike streaming shows, network projects release an upward of 20 episodes per year. It's unrealistic to expect Olson to continue carrying the majority of the scenes in High Potential for more than a couple of years. Doing so can result in her being burned out.
What Morgan's Decreased Appearance In High Potential Reveals About The Show's Future Storytelling
Shifting The Focus Away From Morgan Was A Gamble
As previously mentioned, ABC has yet to renew High Potential for a second season despite being both a critical and commercial success. The show's viewership has significantly grown since its debut, and it's also a major hit on streaming once the weekly episodes land on Hulu. Because of this, it's safe to say that it's only a matter of time before ABC officially announces its sophomore year. It isn't impossible to think that people involved in the project already know that they are coming back for the 2025-2026 TV cycle.
Considering ABC's knack for running successful shows (like Grey's Anatomy) longer than that, Olson's endeavor needs to pace itself as early as now.
Assuming that this is the case, Morgan's decreased role in High Potential episode 9 could be an indication of the show's storytelling approach moving forward. ABC could start mixing up Morgan-heavy storylines with traditional procedural narratives, and based on the result in "The RAMs," there isn't any cause for concern. It's worth noting that the original French show that High Potential is based on, HPI, currently only has four seasons, with the next one currently uncertain. Considering ABC's knack for running successful shows (like Grey's Anatomy) longer than that, Olson's endeavor needs to pace itself as early as now.
High Potential Uncertain Season 2 Fate Is Baffling After A New ABC Update
ABC's hit show, High Potential, is still not renewed for season 2, a highly baffling decision considering the show's growing success.
ittedly, moving the focus away from its titular character this early in this run is quite a bold move for High Potential. That being said, taking the risk is paying off, as it realizes that it can stand on its own even without the narrative hook of Morgan's character. Whether or not this becomes a pattern moving forward is inconsequential at this point. Ultimately, this only proves that High Potential is a good show, regardless of the writers' approach.
High Potential continues Tuesday at 9 ET on ABC.
Morgan, a single mother of three with a brilliant but unconventional mind, partners with a methodical detective after solving a crime during her job as a cleaner. Together, they form an unlikely but effective duo, blending her unique problem-solving skills with his by-the-book approach to tackle challenging cases.
- Network
- ABC
- Cast
- Garret Dillahunt, TJ Lee, Kayvon Esmaili, Ariella Amar, Michelle C. Bonilla, Kerry O'Malley, Graham Rogers, Maia Jae Bastidas, Pamela Roylance, Rosslyn Luke, Sebastien Roberts
