High Potential

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Warning to those who haven’t seen the show ‘High Potential‘, whether you’ve watched it on ABC or streamed it using Hulu. If you don’t want any spoilers, better stop reading now!

In a more straightforward manner, let me express this: While I’m not suggesting they’re intentionally causing chaos in my life, High Potential’s creative team seems to have derailed the plotline I was eagerly anticipating, particularly concerning Morgan’s personal story. Despite their knack for infusing network procedurals with a lively dose of humor and energy that elevates Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata, and the rest of the cast, this recent episode seems to have disrupted the main plot I was looking forward to.

As a movie enthusiast, let me express that an episode entitled “The RAMs” struck a chord deep within my heart, much like the painful sting of a sharp horn. Or at least, it left me feeling let down about a romantic storyline that I had anticipated would be brief and unsatisfying. Yet, the pain remains! However, I must commend those involved for skillfully recruiting a three-person ensemble of guest stars who helped to soften the sorrow.

JD Pardo’s Tom Has Left The Building (And The Whole City)

Previously, I expressed my wish for a stronger connection between characters Tom and Morgan in the series High Potential, and was eager for JD Pardo’s character to stay for an extended period. Despite the hint of Tom’s personal matters coming up in future episodes, I tried to maintain a mix of concern and hopefulness. It could have been a positive development!

It seems that despite having feelings for him, Morgan hasn’t been exerting enough effort to develop their relationship beyond kinship. Her lifestyle often demonstrates an inability to manage multiple aspects of her life effectively, with her detective job consuming most of her time and mental energy. Consequently, she’s been neglecting his calls, and not returning them later on.

It was commendable how considerate he was, explaining clearly that he was moving to San Diego for a job opportunity, yet managing to hide his frustration beneath his calm demeanor. Tom skillfully portrayed the character who was trying hard to suppress his resentment. Despite acknowledging her situation, it doesn’t mean he should be content about it.

Despite Tom playfully leaving the possibility of a future connection hinted, I’m not very optimistic about it. This uncertainty became more pronounced when their interaction was interrupted by Karadec passing by while they were hugging, asking Morgan if she was prepared to leave. Many fans root for Morgan and Karadec, but that incident made me desire that pairing less.

It seems I’m pleased that Morgan and Tom separated during the first half of the episode, as this provided an opportunity for our three guest stars to truly shine.

  • Steve Guttenberg, of Police Academy and 3 Men and a Baby fame, popped up as a pampered rich dude with a not-so-neighborly relationship with the episode’s big victim, a famed baseball announcer. I’ll admit my immediate assumptions that he was responsible were just because of his guest-star status, but his breezy attitude and amusing performance still played into my suspicions. Alas, despite owning the car used as the weapon, Phil Elko was innocent. But guilty of bad taste, in that he named his prized four-car collection after The Beatles.
  • Sean Patrick Thomas (Save the Last Dance, Gen V) played another potential suspect, the announcer’s son who just so happened to get written out of his father’s will in place of a beloved assistant. The way Karadec was so transparently empathetic to Thomas’ Dexter Price had me convinced for a minute that the detective’s instincts were off-base, and that the son would indeed be guilty, but that was wrong. And I’m glad, since their mini-convo about losing their fathers was impactful.
  • The Wire vet Domenick Lombardozziin is the only one of these three that I expect to see again one day, as he’s currently a lynchpin in Morgan finding out more information about her long-missing husband. He’s leaving town all of a sudden, right when he’s able to offer information, which I’m sure is entirely due to BTS schedule-plotting more than anything organic to the story. But I’m definitely anxious to learn what he knows after he used the titular RAMs comment to “prove” he was telling the truth. I’m not all the way sold just yet.

In summary, the episode was well-rounded with some amusing interjections of humor and visual jokes related to measurements, which really sets High Potential apart from other shows. However, it unfortunately said goodbye to JD Pardo’s character, Tom. Now I’m off to check if Steve Guttenberg’s character will lend me a car to help ease the disappointment.

High Potential airs Tuesday nights on ABC at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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2025-01-16 00:08