CASE CLOSED

How ‘High Potential’ Miraculously Became the Hottest Show on TV

Kaitlin Olson’s quirky police procedural is the rare phenomenon: a bonafide broadcast TV hit. What’s the secret to its success?

By the prevailing logic of what makes a hit show, High Potential, a network police procedural, never stood a chance. Given the odds, it should have been relegated to one of those platforms crammed with shows that could only be justified as tax write-offs.

Instead, the series ended its freshman season as the Number One new drama, according to Nielsen. And we’re anticipating its return Tuesday, Sept. 16, on ABC, then streaming on Hulu.

We’re not alone in becoming fans. The series began in France. Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the U.S. all followed with their own versions. But why? Why should a show that sounds like a cliche–with a style that’s far from edgy, and a standard murder-of-the-week format–capture so many fans?

Most of that credit goes to its star and producer Kaitlin Olson.

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It’s not just that her character, Morgan, is brilliant. Yes, her IQ is 160, a phenomenon that occurs once in 30,000 people, despite what the deluded may tell you. Her instant recall of arcane facts, combined with logic that cuts through the din, make Morgan the secret weapon of the LAPD’s Major Crimes Unit.

Her compassion matches her genius. Although her intellect could make her the sort of Jeopardy! champion that you can’t escape at a party, Morgan doesn’t act superior to others. Relying on science, history, and data, she also taps into emotions to get to the truth.

That rarest of unicorns–a brilliant, sexy empath–Morgan’s also ridiculously reckless and goes after evil dudes armed with not much more than the confidence of her suspicions and the righteous fury of a mother wronged.

Morgan relates to all as a mom first. When the series began, this single mother was barely making it as a janitor on the night shift. While cleaning offices at the LAPD, she accidentally toppled files containing notes about a case. Righting that little mess, Morgan instantly solved what had flummoxed trained detectives.

Luckily, the head of this bureau, Lieutenant Selena Soto, is no fool. Played with her usual no-nonsense charm by Judy Reyes, Soto hires Morgan and teams her with the rigid and unlikable Adam, convincingly played by Daniel Sunjata. The cast of characters is rounded out by Morgan’s ex and her three children.

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Morgan was hesitant about taking the job as a consultant to the LAPD, but did so based on a deal. Soto would help Morgan find her lost love, Roman, the father of her oldest daughter. He disappeared 15 years ago, and Morgan can’t solve this mystery on her own. So she throws herself into police work. Now she has a desk in the offices she once mopped.

Protocol and procedure aren’t Morgan’s strengths. She tromps all over crime scenes, interrupts working detectives, and says precisely what she shouldn’t.

And we love it because we love Morgan.

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It’s not that she has superpowers beyond her mighty brain; it’s that she actively observes. She pays attention. She really listens to people, going far beyond the reflexive “I hear you.” People connect with Morgan. You’d want her to like you if you lived in the same world.

In that way, she’s like Carrie Bradshaw: You can imagine both as friends.

Like Carrie, Morgan cares deeply about fashion. Of course, Carrie’s sophisticated look (except that final season’s indefensible hat) is far harder to attain. She fancied haute couture; Morgan looks like she depends on Claire’s clearance sales and sprees at Goodwill. But she has her own style, and is as fearless in her outfits as she is on the job.

We must take a moment to compliment her manicurist, too. Her nails are always salon-perfect and match the outfit. And her boot game is on point. Without spoiling any plot twists about the criminal, Game Maker–who remains intrinsic to the first three episodes of the new season–let’s just admire the lavender satin miniskirt suit Morgan wears in the third episode, and specifically, pay homage to those white boots with purple flowers.

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No one would accuse Morgan of being frumpy or even marginally office-appropriate. Yet, she rocks the tops that are a little too low and the skirts that are a little too short. And that’s just it. Morgan rocks everything. She handles all with elan, from her kids’ problems to her ongoing quest to find her lost love.

Morgan’s constant juggling to get childcare covered, bills paid, and something almost edible on the dinner table is relatable. But she wins us over because she flouts expectations. Fiercely independent, Morgan knows she owes no one any explanations. Plus, she’s a great mother and a hell of a detective.

What may be best about Morgan is that no one expects her to be who she is. People dismiss janitors, figuring they are inferior. And people don’t expect knockouts to be this smart.

We also don’t expect to like them quite this much.

Jacqueline Cutler

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