Hailed as one of the best new shows of the year when it released, new episodes are finally here.
Disney Plus’ 96% rated crime drama has returned for a brand new season but fans should be warned.
New episodes of High Potential are landing weekly on the streamer from today (September 17). Early reviews and reaction are in for the premiere instalment and it comes with some advice that some may not be pleased with.
Created by Drew Goddard, known for his previous work on The Good Place, the series is inspired by the popular French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI). It sees It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia star take on the role of single mother Morgan Gillory. Blessed with an exceptional mind, she has an unconventional knack for solving crimes which leads to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective.
In season one, Morgan went from night time cleaner at a police station to working full time with the LAPD on their cases. After she inadvertently reorders crime-scene evidence and correctly identifies a suspect, she is recruited as a civilian consultant for the Major Crimes Division.
Paired with the disciplined Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), Morgan combines her intuitive brilliance and photographic memory with his procedural methods to solve crimes while using LAPD resources to search for her ex-husband, Roman, who disappeared 15 years earlier.
The season one finale ended on a gripping double cliffhanger, where Morgan learns that Roman is actually alive, and a chilling antagonist known as the Game Maker is at large. He could even be targeting Morgan and her family next.
In the season two premiere, while working tirelessly to shield her family from the Game Maker’s threats, another crime drags Morgan back into his game and the LAPD must decide whether to trust her instincts before the next move turns fatal.
Early reviews are starting to appear online already with one critic claiming it’s living up to the 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. They said: “High Potential is a solid procedural with a great central character. It could run for many seasons to come. But if just a little more attention were paid to the supporting characters, it would make watching all of those seasons much more enjoyable.”
Another, like verdicts of season one, highlight Olson’s continued performance as a highlight, saying: “The series continues to build on the strengths that Olson brings to the table. She knows how to land a fantastic reaction, be it comedic or poignant, and High Potential smartly leans into that gift.”
While The Guardian declares the show “a cosy, heartwarming cop show with a practically perfect detective.”
One other review hinted at a warning for viewers, saying: “Very promising start to season two. There’s still plenty of juice regarding Roman’s missing years. And ‘Eleven Minutes’, the strongest episode of the first three.”
This reporter has also seen season two’s first three episodes and viewers may need to wait a while, specifically a couple of weeks, before the show returns to its full speed.
It is great to see Olson pick up where she left off, as an accomplished lead of her own show. The rest of the detective squad all play their own part and there’s hints that maybe we’ll learn more about who they are behind the badges.
While the premiere sets up pieces in motion to answer big questions hanging over from previous season, it feels like a partly unnecessary distraction. The mystery of the week serves to be linked to the bigger plot line and won’t be season two’s best.
The show feels like it’s really back when it focuses on its proven formula. The above assessment of the third episode being the best is spot on, unfortunately that won’t be streaming for a couple of weeks yet so fans are warned to just hold on.
