High Potential

Over the past two decades, there’s been a noticeable shift towards television dramas having the veneer of high art, generating think pieces rather than serving as pure entertainment. But crime drama High Potential is a return to the TV of yesteryear: it’s soapy, campy, and makes no apology for its adherence to pop culture mass appeal.

Based on the French-Belgian series HPI, it’s a more light-hearted and accessible take on shows such as CSI. Kaitlin Olson shines as Morgan, a single mother-of-three and cleaner for the LAPD with remarkable intellect and a knack for problem solving. She sees the world through numbers and the minute details that most people overlook. This leads to her being hired by the force after she spots flaws in a murder case while on cleaning duty. 

Having made her name as the riotously amoral Dee Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Olson proves that she’s so much more than the outlandish bartender she has depicted for almost 20 years. As with Sweet Dee, she plays Morgan with aplomb. With her impeccable comedic timing, she carries the series and shines as a deeply principled character whose socioeconomic status means that her ingenuity is often overlooked by her peers in positions of authority.

All too often, US television depicts poverty with a fetishist’s lens. Working class single mothers are routinely portrayed as frivolous, negligent and unfit. But Morgan is a refreshing outlier, as is the show in its positive depiction of the working poor. Our protagonist proudly rides the bus with a shopping trolley full of groceries, dons flamboyant outfits and brightly lacquered nails, and imparts her expansive knowledge onto her precocious son. We also see her tender and nurturing side with her eldest daughter Ava (played by talented newcomer Amirah J), whose father mysteriously disappeared 15 years ago.

At times, however, the series’ delivery comes across as a tad cartoonish. Morgan’s encyclopaedic knowledge and near-flawless forensic observations border on the farfetched. Such characterisations can be forgiven in large part due to Olson being such a likeable presence despite the dialogue’s heavy-handedness.

Glossy, slick, and with a fabulous leading lady, it’s a fun bit of escapist television. High Potential doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, and it’s all the better for it.

Antonia Georgiou

High Potential is released on Disney+ on 23^rd January 2025.

Watch the trailer for High Potential here: