Morgan Gillory, played by It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia star Kaitlin Olson, is a genius with impeccable fashion and a complicated relationship history. A major subplot of High Potential’s pilot season is Morgan searching for her ex, Roman Sinquerra who, according to her, has been missing for over a decade. Her ex-husband Ludo Radovic (Taran Killam) is also still in the picture but only as a peaceful, platonic co-parent.
Since High Potential’s pilot episode, there’s been intense chemistry between Morgan and her partner, Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). Soon after, Tom (JD Pardo) is introduced as another potential love interest, with Morgan even leaving her number for him at Karadec or Tom is better for Morgan in High Potential. This isn’t an either/or situation, however: Morgan needs to date Tom if she and Karadec have any chance in the long run.
Being With Tom Will Help Morgan Ease Back Into Dating In High Potential
Tom Isn't Mr. Right, He's Mr. Right Now
Despite her charisma, Morgan starts High Potential as a single mother of three. Before the premiere comes to a close, the audience learns that Morgan is still haunted by the unsolved disappearance of her ex-boyfriend, Roman. However, it seems as though Morgan is simply searching for answers rather than holding out for a romantic reunion. Alternatively, ex-husband Ludo is a caretaker for Morgan’s children, but there are zero lingering sparks between the two. Tom could be the perfect entry-level relationship for Morgan to approach romance in High Potential.
Despite his charm and good looks, there’s no room for Morgan to grow with Tom.
From what has been shown of Tom so far, he matches Morgan’s wit well. The two can play off of each other’s jokes as a fun flirting technique. Their relationship dynamic would allow Morgan to have a necessary casual relationship, but they aren’t soulmates by any means. Despite his charm and good looks, there’s no room for Morgan to grow with Tom. The full depth of his character is unclear after two episodes, but the way both characters broach the topic of dating in High Potential episode 7 ("One of Us") reflects solely surface-level attraction.
Karadec Is Not Ready Yet To Be With Morgan
The Detective Needs Time To Discover His Emotions
Karadec and Morgan don’t get off to the best start, which actually points to them eventually being romantically involved in High Potential. After all, some of the best TV couples are enemies-to-lovers. While Karadec and Morgan have found mutual respect, they have a long way to go. Karadec recognizes Morgan’s impressive skills, but the two still frequently clash when working cases. Karadec pushes Morgan’s buttons so much that she “quits” (and immediately returns) twice. Meanwhile, Morgan challenges everything Karadec knows about police work. Still, every disagreement only shows how much Morgan and Karadec complement each other in High Potential.
Both Kaitlin Olson (Morgan) and Daniel Sunjata (Karadec) are left-handed.
While the crime-solving duo is far more compatible long-term than Morgan and Tom, Karadec needs time to accept his less-than-hostile feelings for his co-worker before they bloom into romantic inclinations. Karadec often deflects from his emotions, hiding behind an exasperated demeanor when talking about Morgan and refusing to call them partners in season 1, episode 5 (“Croaked”). But the way he constantly checks in on her after emotional moments gives away how much Karadec secretly cares for Morgan. Karadec’s police work puts High Potential into conversation with the best procedural shows, but he needs to stop hiding his true feelings.
High Potential Is Better Off With A Slow-Burn Romance With Morgan & Karadec
They Deserve The Build-Up
Aside from cracking Karadec’s tough exterior, he and Morgan need to focus on perfecting their professional relationship in High Potential before considering a romantic one. In many ways, the build-up is just as important as them getting together. Taking the time to develop High Potential characters properly will pay off in dividends, as a tried and true trope of network television is the slow-burn Couples like Jake and Amy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Nick and Jess in New Girl prove that waiting is half the fun.
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Karadec and Morgan already have a clear connection in High Potential that neither fully realizes. Letting the tension build while their independent character arcs are explored will make their transition to romance feel like a natural progression of the overarching plot. Essentially, letting Karadec and Morgan slow-burn will embed their relationship into High Potential itself. Tom and Morgan dating could even sow the first seeds, depending on Karadec’s reaction or the impact Tom has on their working relationship. Though High Potential season 2 is still up in the air, the show’s popularity makes further renewal (and a slow burn) seem inevitable.
High Potential returns January 7, 2025, 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.
- 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
- Seasons
- 1
