The plan forHigh Potentialseason 2 could potentially mean the series’ sophomore outing will see the procedural drama’s success deteriorating.High Potentialseason 1 proved a critical and commercial success, earning the “Certified Fresh” status on Rotten Tomatoes and being ranked high by critics (96 percent) as well as audiences (81 percent).High Potentialdid incredible numbers for ABC, the best in seven years for a new show, averaging 11.5 million cross-platform viewers (viaThe Hollywood Reporter) and breaking its impressive record with each episode. However, one detail aboutHigh Potentialseason 2hints that the tide might turn.
An adaptation of the French TV showHPI,High Potentialseason 1 directly benefited from its refreshing take on the procedural genre. Following a highly intelligent and unconventional Morgan Gillory in her newly obtained consulting job for the LAPD,High Potentialseason 1’s casesnever felt repetitive, and the overlap of Morgan’s private life due to her being a parent and consulting for the police only enriched the procedural drama.High Potentialbeing the top-performing show after CBS’sTrackerandMatlockin the 2024-2025 TV season showed its formula worked with audiences too, but that could change with season 2.
High Potential Showrunner Will Have A “Different Game Plan” For Season 2
Speaking atGold Derby’s Meet the Experts: TVshowrunner panel,High Potential’s showrunner Todd Harthan discussed what went into the making of the procedural drama, specifically to make it stand out against the French TV show it’s based on,HPI. Talking about the tone ofHigh Potential, Harthan highlighted how the objective was to be authentic in showing Morgan’s obligations as a mother along with her job as a LAPD consultant, highlighting how her flaws and responsibilities automatically made the character more relatable. At the same time, Harthan also hinted at differences betweenHigh Potentialseason 1 and season 2.
Harthan opened up about the toll it took to runHigh Potentialseason 1, admitting it left him exhausted. However, theHigh Potentialshowrunner also highlighted how returning for season 2 energized him and his team and made them more focused, revealing how “once you have a first season under your belt, you sort of learn some things good and bad … you go in with a different mentality, different game plan.” Learning from past mistakes inherently implies that the insight might help them do better inHigh Potential’s future, buta radical change could also hurt the procedural drama.
Drastically Changing High Potential Season 2 Can Backfire
High Potential Season 1 Easily Balanced Its Procedural Nature With Overall Character Development
High Potentialseason 1’s tone brilliantly communicated the high stakes of the crime investigations while also succeeding in not making them too serious, with Morgan’s fresh approach to any case immediately making each of them livelier.The empathetic approach with both victims and her team made Morgan stand out compared to other consultantsin other police procedurals, benefiting the show as a whole because of how unlike any other procedural it makesHigh Potentialfeel.
It would be difficult to pinpoint any moment when the procedural drama possibly went wrong in season 1.
High Potentialseason 1 seemingly struck a perfect balance between the focus on Morgan’s consultant job and her private life, withMorgan’s children often being the focus without participating in investigations. AsHigh Potentialseason 1 showed to be able to rely on Morgan’s high potential intellectual qualities while also letting other members of her team shine and brilliantly solve cases, effectively never over-relying on the show’s premise, it would be difficult to pinpoint any moment when the procedural drama possibly went wrong in season 1.
High Potentialseason 1 is available to stream on Hulu domestically and Disney+ internationally.
WithHigh Potentialseason 1 consistently breaking its own records and not feeling weak at any point in the story,it would be difficult to imagine how a “different game plan” could make it better, especially considering how it could potentially alter the very things that made it stand out and that are beloved by its viewers. However, Harthan’s different approach might refer to small changes, not overhaulingHigh Potentialcompletely, thus only fixing whatever minor lapse he saw in season 1.
How High Potential Season 2 Can Keep Things Fresh Without A Major Overhaul
A Bigger Focus On High Potential Characters Beyond Morgan Can Also Work
High Potentialseason 1 established Lieutenant Soto and her team of detectives as a strong one, only made better by Morgan’s addition. Still, season 1 heavily focused on Morgan. HavingHigh Potentialseason 2 put a spotlight on the other detectives in the team, making it even more of an ensemble showcould modify the procedural drama for the better without changing it completely. It’s something season 1 already showed a glimpse of by havingotherHigh Potentialcharacters being smarter than Morgan. More of that could help makingHigh Potentialseason 2 more solid without overhauling the procedural drama.
