High Potential Season 1 Episode 1 Review - Los Angeles Weekly Times

Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0

There might have been something to that SAG-AFTRA Strike after all because the shows coming out of the woodwork for the fall broadcast season are incredibly written with High Potential at the top.

It turns out that paying writers their fair share means quality writing — ground-breaking stuff.

Before even debuting, the series had a solid and certified fresh on everyone’s favorite review aggregator. However, the real indicator is in the audience feedback, and I have a feeling this show is going to get a lot of love from viewers.

High Potential is rife with brilliant writing and rich with top-notch acting from television veterans who know how to shine on the small screen.

Kaitlin Olson Shows Amazing Versatility In The Way She Seamlessly Shifts Between The Different Tones Of The Show

Kaitlin Olson is a familiar face in the comedy genre, with credits to some of the most well-known films and shows.

She is literally my favorite part in the Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy movie The Heat.

I wonder if she had to go method to play a Ukranian drug dealer or what kind of character study an undertaking like that involves.

Of course, we have to mention one of the longest-running American live-action sitcoms, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which has multiple seasons yet to come.

That’s right, it’s still going, and it’s still sunny. If you’re late to the party, trust me when I say it is very easy to get caught up. That is one dark, hilarious hole to fall down. Just let your loved ones know if you decide to go down that rabbit hole.

Now, back to the lovely Miss Olson, who is finally getting to stretch her dramatic muscles in High Potential. Sure, the show still boasts incredible comedy, but there is so much heart here.

Kaitlin Olson shows amazing versatility in the way she seamlessly shifts between the different tones of the show.

Shows Like High Potential Are Bringing Light To Possible Trends In Female-Led Series

From the start of the episode, it was clear that, although it shares similarities to other police procedurals and shows with a central genius, High Potential will take audiences on a brand-new adventure.

First of all, Olson’s character, Morgan, is wonderfully quirky and has a touch of camp in all the right places.

I clocked the wardrobe and couldn’t help but think of a red-headed attorney-turned-sleuth named Elsbeth Tascioni.

Why is it that female geniuses, like Elsbeth and Morgan, are always given a ridiculous wardrobe, while male geniuses, like Monk and House, wear completely normal attire?

It basically says, “These women are so unheard of, they couldn’t possibly dress like ‘normal’ women,” and for the men, “Oh, he’s just really smart. Why would he dress differently than any other man?”

I could be grasping at straws, but usually, where there is smoke, there is fire. Listen, we’ve made a ton of progress over the years in the way women and minorities are portrayed. But there are still the little things that get overlooked.

However, that is my only ding against High Potential because that first episode was so good! Kaitlin Olson delivers an enthralling performance fueled with clever dialogue from a likable character.

High Potential’s Greatest Strength Is Not In How Smart The Main Character Is But In How Relatable

Since this series is an Americanized version of its French counterpart, High Potential had plenty of source material to work with. I have to say I am not a “procedural” kind of audience member.

However, you better believe that I am one hundred percent hooked on this show! I will be watching the hell out of it. The series’ greatest strength is not in how smart the main character is but in how relatable.

Shows like The Good Doctor and Sherlock present characters with unbelievably high IQs but are meant to be eccentric and on a different wavelength.

With Morgan, High Potential gives viewers an everyday mom who is doing her best to give her family a good and stable life.

She has legitimate responsibilities. She didn’t devote her entire life to chasing a career or becoming the leading name in the world for science or medicine.

And even though she can spot a “mistake” like a truffle pig and cares about others, Morgan is far from a “Mary Sue.”

High Potential Has Cracked The Code On Making Learning Fun For Adults Of Any Age

High Potential still runs the risk of rubbing some viewers the wrong way. Despite its fun premise and quirky lead, some audience members may be turned off by the show’s over-the-top elements.

How many fuzzy animal-print jackets can costuming possibly have lined up for the character?

I’m sure when the similarities between High Potential and Elsbeth are recognized, the series will pivot the styling. If I saw Morgan walk out of a police station, my first thought wouldn’t be that she is a consultant. The optics are interesting.

Regardless, my hat is off to High Potential for figuring out how to make learning fun. Did you know that fact about catholic churches? I sure as hell didn’t!

I will never look at another steeple the same way again. The sick pleasure most people get out of a series like High Potential is being struck dumbfounded. We love having the beginning, middle, and end explained to us like a child.

The ironic part of High Potential is that the series is about a character with amazing analytical skills, but audiences will analyze Kaitlin Olson‘s character to understand how and why she does everything.

You know what that means, right? Investment! Audiences are going to get hooked in a fast way!

High Potential Is Likable, Relatable, And Genuinely Fun

High Potential isn’t just an intelligent series; it’s also a lot of fun.

If you’ve watched the first episode, you know that whenever Morgan explains her theories, it’s always through the lens of her POV. That’s how we got the lovely shot of the wife flipping off her curtains.

That’s just fun writing right there. High Potential gives viewers a look into the mind of someone who is not only brilliant but also likable, relatable, and genuinely fun.

And if you watched House without getting rubbed the wrong way but find Morgan intolerable, you may have some soul-searching ahead of you.

High Potential is only one episode down, and I’m already ready for a season 2 announcement.

JUDY REYES, DANIEL SUNJATA, JAVICIA LESLIE — (David Bukach/Disney)

As an unexpected Kaitlin Olson fan, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this series has a longer shelf life than the actress’s previous project, The Mick.

And if you haven’t seen The Mick, I highly recommend binge-watching the crap out of that truly bonkers show. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Hulu and Disney+.

As for High Potential, you can count on me to watch and rewatch every episode of this brilliant series to bring you the most in-depth coverage.

But I also love this show, and if it keeps going in the direction of the pilot, the series has a fan for life.

However, life rarely makes anything perfect, so I fully expect there to be more dings against High Potential in the future, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy this fun ride.