High Potential‘s season 1 finale proves why Kaitlin Olson’s ABC show is one of the most successful new series on TV right now. Based on the French series HPI, it puts its twist on the police procedural genre, with Morgan at the center of its storytelling. Olson’s character leads High Potential’s ensemble as she helps the LAPD Major Crimes division solve their cases more swiftly, thanks to her having high intellectual potential. High Potential has already been a success for ABC‘s broadcast, linear, and streaming viewership, and that adds to the pressure to deliver a great season 1 capper.
High Potential episode 13, “Let’s Play,” starts with Morgan and the LAPD getting their case of the week. Instead of a straightforward crime, however, the heroes see themselves forced to play a game with their unknown subject, supposedly named David. The mystery proves to be trickier to solve, as they find themselves always running against time. Things escalate when one of their own, Oz, becomes the target. Amid the chaos at work, Morgan’s personal arc also sees some major movement, with the return of Tom and a big revelation about Roman’s whereabouts.
High Potential Season 1 Finale Case Highlights The Show’s Creativity
“Let’s Play” Introduces A Worthy Opponent For Morgan
Morgan’s genius is the initial hook for High Potential. Joining the LAPD as some sort of consultant kicked off the events of the series and even just after 13 episodes, it’s clear that her co-workers, even Karadec, love her. The challenge moving forward is to flesh out Morgan to be a multidimensional character. High Potential showing her life at home, which includes the ongoing mystery about Roman’s disappearance, is a good start. However, pitting her against a formidable foe like the one in “Let’s Play” is a much more intriguing way to do this.
Morgan struggles coming to terms with the idea that someone with the same mental caliber as she does would use it for evil.
The danger of having someone like Morgan as a lead character is that shows can use intelligence as a deus ex machina for storytelling. High Potential averts that issue early on in the season 1 finale, as Morgan finds herself a worthy foe. She even admits that David is smart enough to craft consecutive elaborate crimes. Morgan struggles coming to terms with the idea that someone with the same mental caliber as she does would use it for evil. Coupled with her childhood story reveal, the series offers a different perspective when it comes to Morgan’s gift.
“Let’s Play” Effectively Makes High Potential Season 2 More Exciting
High Potential Season 2 Will Pay Off Some Major Lingering Stories
Beyond the case, the season 1 finale also makes some significant progress with its overarching storylines, including an update about Roman. Finding out about what happened to her first husband was Morgan’s primary motivation for joining the Major Crimes division, and throughout the year, bits and pieces of information were revealed about the matter. Karadec taking things into his own hands and finding out Roman is alive sets up a much more exciting sophomore year for the show.
While it will take a little while for new episodes, High Potential season 1 ending on a cliffhanger means that season 2 will spend time paying off many, if not all, of these lingering mysteries. Whether that’s the LAPD catching David or Roman finally appearing, both plots are compelling to keep us invested in the show’s story for the foreseeable future. Granted, Tom’s return in “Let’s Play” feels a little out of place but it makes sense that ABC would want as much drama in the finale so it has more narrative opportunities to take advantage of next season.
Admittedly, it’s frustrating that it will take months before High Potential provides any resolution to these arcs, but only because the show has done well to set the stage for season 2.
Overall, the season 1 finale is a testament to the show’s quality, which it has maintained throughout its run so far. While some episodes are better than others, “Let’s Play” proves it can deliver thrilling cases that we love in a procedural format while also telling more universal storylines that center on family and relationships. Admittedly, it’s frustrating that it will take months before High Potential provides any resolution to these arcs, but only because the show has done so well in setting the stage for season 2.
