High Potential Season 2 reveals that the show is taking a different direction this time, explained in depth

If a High Potential character comes in with a theory that puts the room full of highly trained and experienced detectives with their predictable conclusions to shame in every single episode, it isn't long before the premise of the show becomes a little repetitive and predictable.

The first season of the ABC show High Potential received immense critical acclaim, owing to its unique characters and interesting plotlines. However, Morgan, walking into a room, looking at the evidence, and forming a probable theory about what might've happened, and being correct every time, started getting a little predictable.

The part where she continued to outshine the highly trained LAPD detectives, who are actually trained to discover the things that she's finding, despite being interesting and entertaining, could start to get old.

It appears High Potential is more than aware of this developing possibility and, with the return of its second season, is taking steps to add a little more complicated dynamic in the case-solving process.

High Potential Season 2 is taking steps to ensure unpredictability

The "genius outsider" trope can get predictable over a period of time, and given the critical acclaim that High Potential has received, it would be amiss not to take steps to avoid getting stuck in this trope.

The second season of the ABC show appears to be ensuring that it doesn't fall into the predictable formula where the mom of three with a 160 IQ, Morgan Gilroy, walks into the crime scenes and notices important details in the crime scenes that highly trained detectives seem to have missed.

In the second season, the LAPD detectives and Morgan are trying to crack the Game Maker case. Morgan has a theory linking different abduction cases together, even though there was no clue or evidence connecting them. The LAPD detectives, however, this time around, appear to be losing some confidence in her abilities. This leads them to question her theories and push back on them.

This is partly motivated by the fact that this case might put her kids in danger, leading her to take steps for their protection, which do not align with the LAPD's rules. This has given the detectives cause for worry, thinking that her genius is compromised by her maternal instincts, leading them to second-guess whether she's fit to consult. Showrunner Todd Harthan, in a recent conversation, on whether the second-guessing will be a struggle throughout High Potential Season 2, said:

"I think this one is unique in that it involves her kids and a dangerous person getting close to her children, so she’s in a very heightened protective state at the beginning of the season. There will be flare-ups throughout the year, but we’re starting in a pretty extreme place. There’s definitely some hiccups throughout the season though."

The second-guessing of Morgan's theories places the audience in an interesting position, making the plot a little less predictable, even if Morgan does end up being correct in her theories.

The "genius outsider" trope, despite being interesting, will only continue to sustain if the show makes the High Potential individual evolve as well, ensuring that she has an arc and is not just starting from a place of perfection.

Therefore, Kaitlin Olson's Morgan being challenged and second-guessed adds an interesting new dynamic to the show.

Read More: High Potential Season 2: Why is there a problem between the precinct and Morgan? Details revealed

New episodes of High Potential Season 2 stream on ABC on Tuesdays at 10/9c.

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