High Potentialproved to be a breakout hit for ABC, but the unique procedural has iconic predecessors to draw upon in season 2 and beyond. Kaitlin Olson’s portrayal of Morgan Gillory was nothing short of spectacular, withMorgan’s HPI inHigh Potentialsetting the new drama apart from its many contemporaries. Nonetheless,High Potential’s best episode was actually an homage.
BeforeHigh Potentialeven premiered, comparisons were immediately drawn between the ABC procedural and the USA Network’sPsych. The similarities culminated in theHigh Potentialseason 1 finale connecting toPsychdirectly. James Roday Rodriguez, who portrayed Shawn Spencer inPsych, directed “Let’s Play” (High Potentialseason 1, episode 13). ForHigh Potentialseason 2, however, genre tributes are limitless.
8Veronica Mars
Similar toHigh Potential,Veronica Marsgained a devoted following due to its original premise and captivating main character. Kristen Bell played the eponymous teen detective from its 2004 debut to its belated series finale in 2019. The first three seasons aired consecutively in the mid-2000s, but Hulu developed a fourth and final season after 12 years.
Ironically,High Potentialis already connected to the teen drama viaRob Thomas’ work onVeronica Mars. Thomas now works onHigh Potentialas a writer and executive producer, meaning his involvement already lends itself organically to aVeronica Marstribute episode or even full-blown crossover.
It would be amazing to see Kristen Bell cameo as a former private investigator, but it would be just as interesting to see a more subtle approach.High Potentialcould incorporate neo-noir elementsor offhandedly mention a father-daughter detective duo to pay homage to the Y2K hit.
7Castle
Given how crowded the procedural genre has been for decades, it’s no surprise that premises including an unexpected twist stand the test of time. Such is the case withCastle, where the classic crime drama meets a creative wrinkle. The titular author, Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), begins to assist the NYPD after a copycat murder takes inspiration from his writing.
Beyond the explosive inciting incident, themysteries inCastlewere abundant and thrilling, softened by a formulaic but entertaining romance subplot between Castle and Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). Despite the dramedy ending in 2016,Castleremains one of the most unique crime dramas of the 2010s.
The best way forHigh Potentialto play off ofCastle’s lingering influence is to borrow its concept but turn it on its head. Maybe Morgan gains an ardent fan after a story is published regarding her role in the LAPD. Conversely,a crime novelist could shadow Morgan for inspiration, setting up either a twist killer or a great homage.
6Agatha Christie’s Poirot
Out of Agatha Christie’s illustrious career, two detectives are head and shoulders above the rest: Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Both have earned their fair share of adaptations, butAgatha Christie’s Poirothad an unbelievable 24-year run. Starring David Suchet,Agatha Christie’s Poirotadapted every major story involving the titular detective across 13 seasons.
Thebest episodes ofAgatha Christie’s Poirotare faithful adaptations of the original novels and short stories, which were originally published between 1920-1975. Poirot’s tendency to prioritize psychology and observation over static evidence made him a talented— if not egotistical— detective. His peculiarities only made his character more beloved, however, which translated perfectly in Suchet’s iconic portrayal.
While Morgan could simply cross paths with a mustached, Belgian investigator, ABC could make a much more interesting Poirot-inspired episode.The LAPD could be called in to investigate a murder intertwined with period piece elements, like an Agatha Christie-themed escape room. Morgan could even force Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) to dress up in classic Poirot garb.
5The X-Files
While some detective shows are remembered for their terrifying crimes,The X-Filesgarnered a cult following by fusing classic procedural elements with science fiction. Aside from the interesting supernatural angle, the dynamic duo of Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) provided a blueprint that many successors tried to emulate with their central partnerships.
Thebizarre storylines inThe X-Filesonly made it more memorable, for better or worse.The X-Filesremains something of a time capsule, capturing the kookiest corners of the 90s and early 2000s in equally peculiar packaging. Nevertheless, the strangest episodes are still fondly remembered for their undeniable camp factor.
High Potentialcould include a hilarious homage toThe X-Filesby having Morgan become fixated on a case that seems impossible, likely due to seemingly supernatural forces. While Karadec and the rest of the Major Crimes Unit urge her to give up on the hoax,Morgan could unravel a conspiracy much more intriguing than UFOsor shape-shifting aliens.
4Columbo
Every crime procedural of the 21st century has one groundbreaking title to thank for its success:Columbo. The late 60s-early 70s drama completely redefined the genre, introducing the concept of giving away the killer immediately. Thus, rather than a traditional Whodunit, Peter Falk’s eponymous protagonist follows the inverted detective format, focusing on the chase rather than a dramatic reveal.
The manyiconic guest stars ofColumbodrew in viewers, but no character comes close to the detective himself. Columbo’s quirks, ranging from his love of chili to his trusty beige raincoat, made him a caricature in the best way possible. Morgan could easily reference the icon simply by quoting his catchphrase:“Just one more thing…”
3Twin Peaks
The X-Filesmay have had unbelievable plots, but there was an air of ironic sincerity that kept the series grounded, if not a tad goofy at times. In contrast,Twin Peakswas a drawn-out fever dream of pure insanity. FromTwin Peaks’ iconic villains to its shocking twists, absurd characters to uncanny camerawork, it’s without question David Lynch’s magnum opus.
IfHigh Potentialwere to draw inspiration fromTwin Peaks, it would need to fully commit. There’s no subtle way to incorporate the drama’s unsettling, reality-altering elements. Whether it’s a dream sequence or a mass hallucination,High Potentialwould need to dive headfirst into the surrealist world ofTwin Peaks.
2Criminal Minds
Most entries on this list have comedic elements or a tongue-in-cheek tone, butCriminal Mindsis one of the greats because it refuses to shy away from the darkest possible plots. TheFBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unitdoesn’t simply catch the bad guys— it delves into their fractured psyches and explains, in excruciating detail, how they became violent criminals.
Admittedly,High Potentialcrossing paths withCriminal Mindswould be tonally disjointed, but it would be a fascinating mix regardless. Given thatHigh Potentialseason 1 has already introduced its version of the FBI, it doesn’t seem unrealistic to hope that the BAU will be mentioned— if not directly involved— in one of the LAPD’s future cases.
1Psych (Again)
Of course, there’s no other title I would rather see honored thanPsych.James Roday Rodriguez did phenomenal work on the season 1 finale— and David Giuntoli’s deranged kidnapper was an amazing successor to Ally Sheedy’s Yang— but there are plenty of other cases forHigh Potentialto pay tribute to in the future.
Another direct reference feels downright inevitable, considering James Roday Rodriguez will return as a director in season 2 and further solidifyHigh Potential’s place asPsych’s spiritual successor. Even ifHigh Potentialrefuses to acknowledge other detective shows, paying tribute to Shawn Spencer would finally allow the king of references to become a reference himself in a perfect, full-circle moment.
