I’m Excited For High Potential To Come Back, But There’s A Really Obvious Change The Writers Need To Make For Season 2

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I absolutely adore the series “High Potential“. It’s packed with appealing characters, engaging weekly mysteries, and a captivating long-term mystery that gradually unravels episode by episode. It’s exactly what you’d expect from an offbeat detective series on network television, but there’s always room for improvement. In the interest of helping one of my favorite new shows excel, not to criticize something I don’t dislike, let’s discuss one aspect that could use some refinement in “High Potential“.

Kaitlin Olson’s character Morgan Gillory, who plays a consulting detective, demonstrates exceptional intelligence. This isn’t unique among fictional detectives; Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, and Patrick Jane from The Mentalist are just a few examples. When creating genius-level fictional detectives, writers must decide the extent of their characters’ intelligence. Intelligence is not a fixed trait but rather a wide range. Choosing where to position a character on this spectrum is an important decision writers need to make in crafting their stories.

Imagine you’re a screenwriter for a detective series. In one scene, your protagonist encounters a note written in Chinese at a crime scene. You must determine if your sharp-witted detective has learned Chinese during their career or not. Similarly, when a tag is torn off a shirt, you need to decide whether your detective can identify its origin from its appearance alone. Throughout the show, it’s essential to balance how much your detective already knows due to their intelligence, how much they have to figure out through struggle, and how much supporting characters help them uncover.

From my perspective, I find the portrayal of the character in “High Potential” slightly skewed. Instead of slipping into the cliché of having her supporting detectives appear inept, it seems to overemphasize her intelligence, which feels unrealistic to me at times.

For instance, in a recent episode, she provided an extensive history of the game ‘jacks’, even detailing its regional names and evolution. The series attempted to explain this by suggesting that ‘jacks’ held a special significance for her growing up, but such profound knowledge about a wide range of subjects is something she often displays too frequently, which I believe detracts from the overall appeal of the show.

To put it simply, I’d like her character to exhibit extraordinary intelligence. She should possess knowledge beyond the ordinary, frequently surprising us with obscure facts from various disciplines. The show revolves around a woman who is exceptionally intelligent, often outsmarting others in conversations. However, she doesn’t have to be an expert on every topic that arises. It’s important for her to demonstrate both a broad understanding and the humility to seek further information when necessary, uncovering truly deep-dive facts.

The character, often referred to as ‘High Potential’, occasionally faces challenges. For instance, in a recent episode, she needed to watch numerous baseball games to understand why an announcer mentioned Tiddlywinks. There are also many scenes of her scrutinizing case files and trying to decipher clues. This is all well and good, as I appreciate that she doesn’t instantly solve everything. However, in Season 2, it would be intriguing to see ‘High Potential’ tone down her intelligence slightly.

Grant her instances of extraordinary insight, yet allow for moments when she is uncertain. Encourage the supporting characters to be more active. Have her frequently consult her phone to confirm details since she generally has a good grasp but not an encyclopedic knowledge of everything. The aim is to portray her as a genius while still making her feel like a genuine, relatable human being rather than a flawlessly informed television character.

The hit series High Potential has been given the green light for another season! With the finale leaving us on a nerve-wracking edge, fans can’t wait to dive back in. I’m as excited as everyone else, but when it comes back, I hope the main character might be just a tad less smart, making her more relatable and giving secondary characters a chance to stand out.

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2025-02-16 17:37