There are such a lot of aspects that make Excessive Potential into such an extremely entertaining sequence. Whereas police procedurals are a dime a dozen, no others have Morgan and her massive mind.
The present matches the published procedural invoice, with nearly each field checked, from the overly critical, good-looking detective to the cop who surprisingly wears heels. Nonetheless, Morgan technically isn’t a cop.
On this crime-fighting present, Morgan Gillory is the magic sauce that retains Excessive Potential enthralling and charming from one scene to the subsequent. How does she accomplish this?
You might suppose, “Clearly, it’s how she completely pairs animal prints.” I’m simply kidding. What makes Morgan such a enjoyable character to observe is her huge thoughts and all of the loopy details rolling round in it.
How nice wouldn’t it be if we may entry each final bit of information we’ve ever heard or realized with knowledgeable element and readability at a second’s discover?
If I may try this, you’d discover me making massive cash on Jeopardy. In reality, the details in Morgan’s thoughts assist form every episode and create an oddly enjoyable studying expertise whereas searching for homicidal psychos.
Morgan Pulled Out All The Stops In The Premiere Episode To Showcase Her Reward/Curse, Giving The Group Extra Clues Than They May’ve Ever Imagined
Proper from the beginning, Morgan was already placing her mind to work manner earlier than she managed to search out herself on the payroll. Good factor the precinct’s finances can afford her.
What’s with police procedurals and the trope of “finances cuts?” Have you ever ever observed there may be solely a finances disaster when it matches the plot? It looks like lazy writing, however that’s simply me.
When you recall Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 1, the cops had been coping with the kidnapping of a lawyer and the dying of her husband by the CEO of a tech safety firm who was shacking up with the lawyer’s sister.
The cops thought they’d Ring digital camera footage of a younger girl on the residence of the sufferer the day of the homicide. One fast look from Morgan made her understand instantly that the video was doctored.
The very first thing she says is, “The video has the flawed date on the timestamp.” She then proceeds to launch into what I can solely describe as a Google deep dive however from her mind.
With simply the eyeballs in her head, Morgan may decide that the wind within the Ring digital camera footage was blowing within the flawed course. How is that even humanly attainable?
Climate Patterns Of The L.A. Basin
I don’t learn about you, however I nonetheless need to make an “L” with my arms generally to recollect which manner is left. The truth that she may inform how the wind was blowing satirically blew my thoughts.
And on prime of that, she will be able to bear in mind particular days for wind instructions. Granted, that might have been as a result of fast flashback displaying the wind knocking scorching espresso throughout Morgan (Kaitlin Olson). Who’s to say?
Nonetheless, piping scorching espresso spills apart, she then launched into this clarification about how the winds within the L.A. basin blow from the south in the summertime, particularly from July to September.
I can’t even bear in mind when hurricane season is, not to mention how the wind is meant to blow round what time of yr.
Now, at this level, a few of chances are you’ll be saying, “She knew which manner the wind was blowing due to the church.” I hear you, however let me clarify.
The Course Of Catholic Church buildings
To promote what she was saying to the cops, Morgan needed to pull out all of the stops to show she wasn’t simply blowing smoke. Everybody right here remembers that loopy church reality, proper?
As all the time, I’ve obtained you coated for those who don’t. To show the course of the winds, Morgan identified a church within the Ring digital camera footage and revealed that every one catholic church buildings had confronted east because the fifth century.
Morgan had her personal opinions about why this architectural protocol was carried out, however we are going to stick with the details. When you don’t bear in mind what it was, ask me within the feedback.
With out this data, the case would have been lifeless on arrival as a result of, as Captain Selena (Judy Reyes) says within the episode, the staff had nothing earlier than Morgan identified their errors.
And it’s not like Morgan is aware of each element concerning the world. She’s extra like a sponge, absorbing every little thing and pulling out every reality individually.
Botanical Manipulation
Working example: When Morgan requested her neighbor, a florist, about plant wilting, she used that details about ranunculi to just about resolve the case.
She dragged Karadec again to the scene of the crime and identified that the room was, in truth, a greenhouse and that the killer manipulated the local weather controls to throw off the time of dying.
After that, the case was nearly solved and resolved, with Morgan impressing the pants off of Captain Selena. Actually, that was a loopy case, and I don’t blame Selena for seeing the worth of getting somebody like Morgan on the staff.
Morgan’s First Official Day On The Job Would Have To Contain Faucet Dancing Automobile Mechanics, Or It’s Simply Not Excessive Potential
One factor about Excessive Potential that makes it so recent is the way it regularly finds methods to throw off viewers. Did anybody have faucet dancing mechanics on their bingo card?
No? I wager that shook a reminiscence unfastened for you, although. Because the second episode, quite a bit was using on Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 2. It was the primary official episode after the sequence was picked up.
The case definitely took Morgan and Karadec on a roundabout journey that will’ve been tough for any detective to resolve. At first, Karadec suspected the mechanic had jumped from the highest of the constructing in an act of suicide.
Nonetheless, Miss Morgan doesn’t miss a factor. The primary clue she observed was that the automotive the sufferer fell on belonged to him and had plasma chameleon paint.
The Price Of Plasma Chameleon Paint
Now, I seemed up how a lot this color-changing automotive paint prices, and holy crap. Morgan was proper when she stated there’s no manner the sufferer took a swan dive onto his most prized possession.
Granted, the sufferer was nonetheless alive, in order that they in all probability would have found out that it wasn’t a suicide, however Morgan sped up the method.
Nonetheless, the staff wouldn’t have been heading in the right direction as a result of everybody that Morgan and Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) talked to instructed them that the sufferer was beloved by everybody who met him.
Que the lightbulb sound as a result of that was when the staff obtained an actual break within the case. Morgan found out that the killer pushed the flawed particular person due to a selected phenomenon involving the moon.
The Opposition Impact
I’m speaking, after all, concerning the opposition impact. When you’re like this TV Fanatic, you in all probability scratched your head by Morgan’s clarification.
And for those who didn’t wrestle, get examined for Excessive Potential. The official definition of this impact reads: A phenomenon the place a tough floor or object with many particles seems brighter when illuminated from straight behind an observer.
Doesn’t actually assist, does it? Mainly, the moon was massive and shiny within the sky, shadowing the 2 mechanics dancing on the roof. Since they had been within the moon’s shadow, the killer couldn’t inform who he was pushing.
Sadly, this was when the case hit a lifeless finish as a result of, properly, the killer managed to kill the fitting goal earlier than the cops may cease him. All they’d was video footage of the particular goal getting shot.
This was additionally Morgan’s first time coping with a dying on the case, and it despatched her reeling a bit. Nonetheless, from the shock got here one thing even higher – Morgan solved two instances.
Muzzle Flash Trajectory
Whereas strolling across the precinct to clear her head, she popped by the theft division and observed one thing that related her homicide case to Detective Melon’s (Garret Dillahunt) within the theft division.
That’s proper, it was a two-for-one. Morgan observed that the muzzle flash trajectory of the gun utilized by the killer was the identical because the one utilized in a theft case.
Morgan remembered that previous weapons have lots of copper and lead left in them, which causes the precise sparks that the killer’s gun set off when taking pictures.
Miss Gillory found out that the mechanics had been utilizing automobiles within the store to rob banks, however the goal had a change of coronary heart, and the killer wanted to tie up unfastened ends.
Total, it was a really comfortable ending, with the unique sufferer recovering totally.
Generally, It Takes A Savvy Finances Shopper Like Morgan To Nail Down The First Clue In A Case That Goes From Attractive To Scandalous Relatively Rapidly
Simply to remind everybody, the sufferer in Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 3 didn’t totally get better, and we aren’t mad about it, largely. Critically, a number of the victims in these instances genuinely suck.
This man, whereas ridiculously scorching, was additionally a scammer who defrauded girls out of their cash till he conned the flawed ladies.
Mainly, he was stealing cash from a physician and in addition an older girl in a house with a type of dementia. The son of the older girl instructed the physician, and the 2 conspired to kill the man.
Earlier than you’re feeling even a spark of sympathy for the person, I’d prefer to level out that he faked a romance with the physician who had just lately misplaced her husband.
Want extra? The man was married and had a bit of lady whereas dwelling this different life as a con man. By the tip, I used to be rooting for the killers. It’s what it’s. They in all probability would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for that meddling Morgan.
Generic Model Candles
Funnily sufficient, the primary reality from her mind really helped Dr. Iris Bowman (Melinda Web page Hamilton) along with her alibi. The sufferer had set issues up for a horny time in a lodge room with candles across the tub the place he was drowned.
All that thrashing within the water doused one of many candles, and since Morgan was acquainted with that particular model, she was capable of deduce roughly when the sufferer was killed.
It feels bizarre referring to the conman character as a “sufferer,” given what a dirtbag rubbish particular person he was. These abs deserved to be on a greater particular person.
Issues obtained very “Morgan’s Thoughts” when the cops found that the sufferer was utilizing a special identification. Morgan’s eager eye noticed one thing so particular that it bordered on stretching actuality.
Madagascan Stitching Superstition
The conman, Chad Guerrero‘s Eduardo Cortez, had led this double lifetime of preying on susceptible wealthy ladies by wanting the half. He took worn-out designer fits to a tailor and had them fastened up.
Miss Morgan observed that the stitching on the fits was particular to a Madagascan customized of how the seams are sewn. Crossing stitches is taken into account unfortunate.
So, one plus one equals discovering a Madagascan tailor. Via this skilled seamstress, Karadec and Morgan had been capable of get hold of the conman’s actual identification.
However how on the planet may the cops discover a tailor from such a selected nation? That’s when Morgan busted out my favourite reality from the present.
Madagascan Naming Customized
All Madagascan names are distinctive, and each identify has that means. And when two folks get married, they simply smash their names collectively into one massive, big, lengthy identify.
As Morgan stated in Soiled, Rotten, Scoundrel, it’s tremendous romantic, and I agree. It’s additionally tremendous useful as a result of from there, all they needed to do was discover the tailors within the space with the longest names.
Morgan is principally the place limitless data meets widespread sense. That’s in all probability why, in any case this data, Morgan nearly had the killer within the bag.
Granted, earlier than getting there, she virtually obtained Karadec stabbed by a lodge bartender (Ck Bolado), however you’ll be able to take a look at the assessment for that.
Mountain Climbing Powder
The ultimate nail within the coffin is when Oz discovers the white powder outdoors a window to the conman’s lodge room. As quickly as Morgan noticed it, she knew it was mountaineering powder.
Do you bear in mind who was a mountain climber? The son of the girl with dementia that the conman defrauded. Say what you need, but when it had been my mother, I wouldn’t even have cared about getting away with the homicide.
Mamas are off-limits.
Forty-Eight Hours Of No Sleep Couldn’t Cease Morgan From Going Into “Mama Bear” Mode And Utilizing Every thing She Had In Her Large Mind To Discover These Little Ladies
Talking of mamas, “Survival Mode” was dripping with “Mama Bear” power. This was the viewers’s first time seeing how a lot Morgan loves being a mother.
Actually, that’s one of many issues that units her aside from different “eccentric genius” characters. She has a household that issues to her greater than anything, and it was undoubtedly felt in Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 4.
This case was a doozy, too, as a result of it was self-contained inside a rich household and their employees. Mainly, the grownup daughter, Mia, of a resort tycoon is coping with the kidnapping of her little women.
In the long run, the tycoon’s driver was secretly in love with Mia and had killed the ex-husband earlier than ransoming the women as a part of a plot to seem like the knight in shining armor by “miraculously” discovering them.
The craziest half is that he would use the ransom cash to comb Madeline Zima’s (Doom Patrol) Mia off her toes. This episode wanted two components to flesh out the story as a result of even Morgan struggled with this case.
If viewers bear in mind, Morgan hadn’t slept twenty-seven hours earlier than discovering out concerning the case, so her feelings had been on excessive alert. She was a bit sharp with Karadec and the captain.
Nonetheless, it didn’t cease her from cracking the case. For the reason that ex-husband was a survivalist fanatic, Morgan may sum up his character simply from strolling round his home.
Vegetable And Fruit Gardening Experience
Nonetheless, it was the greenhouse that actually obtained the wheels shifting on the case. For one, Mogan instantly noticed that the cucumbers and tomatoes had been beside one another.
I’d think about each particular person with a fruit and vegetable backyard instantly acknowledged the problem. The remainder of us needed to be spoon-fed the data. I’ve tried gardening, and I’ve what the other of a “inexperienced thumb” is.
For these not within the know or who don’t bear in mind, cucumbers and tomatoes are non-companion crops. They compete for a similar vitamins and have fully completely different watering wants.
Lo and behold, the survivalist ex-husband would by no means try this except one thing wanted protecting up. That factor simply occurred to be the ex-husband himself.
From that time, there was lots of operating round that led to one of many crappiest CPS brokers. Mia’s father, Christopher Cousins’s (The Younger and the Stressed) John Ashford, had bribed the agent to write down the ex-husband up as an unfit father.
Contemplating how a lot the women’ father beloved them, it was a transparent and blatant lie. I don’t care if the CPS agent was strong-armed. She may have gone to the police, and so they may have dealt with it.
Data Of The Kauai Area
However how did Morgan know that the CPS agent had been bribed? Properly, the fool left her lei from her journey to a resort in Kauai hanging on her freaking wall.
Morgan knew precisely the place the agent had been as a result of the inexperienced berries native to Kauai on the lei had been nonetheless recent. Oh, and the agent had on luxurious slippers from the resort.
I actually hope the CPS agent, Amy Davidson’s (The Lincoln Lawyer) Sarah Keller, misplaced her job. Every thing type of got here to a lifeless finish when the mother, Mia, turned a suspect. Reduce to Morgan shedding her thoughts over the concept that a mom of two would ever kidnap and ransom her kids.
Eager Eye And Intensive Data Of Chinese language Historical past
However just like the big-brained Mama Bear that she is, Morgan realizes a priceless piece of China is lacking from Mia’s dad and mom’ home, properly, not lacking a lot as switched.
Mia had taken an costly vintage to pawn for ransom cash. Nonetheless, Morgan seemed like she was about to drag Mia’s backbone out earlier than getting the total clarification. Keep in mind that look? I nonetheless get chills.
You see, the vintage Mia took was a Ming with a bit of boy enjoying Colin-Maillard, which wasn’t a factor till the sixteenth century. That have to be one previous ass vase.
In the long run, every little thing labored out, with Mia and her women reunited. And simply to ship issues off on a candy notice, the episode ended with Morgan snuggling as much as her children, lastly resting.
From Animals And Bugs To Actual Property And Hereditary Traits, Morgan Was On A Mission To Catch The Killer With Their Hand In The Honey Jar
Talking of children, Morgan isn’t the one mama round right here who will get pushed to her restrict. “Croaked” was in all probability probably the greatest episodes due to how everywhere the clues had been.
Sadly, the sufferer, on this case, wasn’t the best, however neither was the killer, so we’ll name it a draw. Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 5 was wall-to-wall drama from affairs and romances to lethal bugs and tranquilizer weapons.
When Karadec and Morgan arrived on the crime scene, they had been met with a lifeless vet on the bottom with a rash on her hand and a pile of pages with the phrase “Homicide” on them close to the printer.
Toxic Dart Frogs
It took Morgan all of 5 seconds after discovering that one of many Dart Frogs was lacking to infer all the technique of homicide. Because of Morgan, we now know by no means to the touch a Dart frog.
Granted, the identify is fairly telling, however Morgan is nothing if not thorough. As she would say herself, Morgan has to get all of it out, or her mind gained’t flip off.
Toxic dart frogs secrete lethal neurotoxins from their pores and skin, which may create hand rashes from the batrachotoxins.
Nonetheless, it needs to be famous that this clarification got here after Morgan needed to shoot Karadec within the neck with a snake tranquilizer gun. All as a result of the person was about to clean his arms with lethal venom.
Fred, the poor, lifeless Dart Frog, was floating within the hand cleaning soap dispenser. In a single fell swoop, Morgan found out the “how,” which meant it was time to determine the “who” and the “why.”
Fortunately, the sufferer, Rosslyn Luke’s (CSI: Vegas) Dr. Monica Davis, had a detailed buddy, Bethany, who reported Monica lacking. Monica had grown so very near Bethany and her household that they had been completely devastated by the information — properly, everybody besides Bethany.
That’s proper, for those who bear in mind, Monica was killed by her finest buddy — oh, proper. I virtually forgot that they had been really lovers, and Bethany was planning to run away along with her.
Right here is the place issues entered into “cleaning soap opera territory.” After some sleuthing, Morgan and Karadec found that Monica had been illegally procuring and promoting unique animals on the black market.
Psychological Dexterity With Phrases And Numbers
The staff discovered a pocket book with names and numbers, considering it have to be associated to the unique animals, and it type of was, however after all, phrases and numbers are Morgan’s bread and butter.
She virtually instantly found out that the checklist was for homes in the marketplace. Monica was attempting to find a household dwelling for her, Bethany, and Gavin.
Bear in mind after I stated the clues had been everywhere? After contacting the true property agent Monica was working with, Morgan lastly found out that Bethany and Monica had been extra than simply pals.
Intensive Data Of Bees
Wanting on the brochure for the home Monica needed, Morgan observed the situation: Orland, California, the state’s beekeeping capital.
And who had a “Pollinator’s Backyard” proper outdoors their salon? The bee-loving bestie/lover, Kathleen Munroe’s (FBI) Bethany Reed. Pollinator Gardens encompass tall flowers clumped collectively to make it simple for the bees to go from flower to flower.
If that wasn’t sufficient, Bethany’s salon signal was suffering from bee decals and decorations.
The case apart, making Bethany a bee fanatic felt like exact plotting. The writers may have simply made bugs the factor Monica and Bethany bonded over fairly than “being unhealthy at yoga.”
At this level within the episode, it was clear that Bethany was the “who” within the homicide case. It was only a matter of “why.” It took a little bit of footwork, however ultimately, every little thing needed to do with the younger son, Gavin.
The Rarity Of Ear Dimples
Morgan visited Monica’s ex, Adam Hagenbuch’s (Fuller Home) Shane Seger, who had been in jail for the final decade for armed theft, and upon nearer inspection, she found that the convict had ear dimples.
At that second, Morgan knew two issues. Gavin was Monica and her ex’s youngster, and he or she had been pregnant on the time of the theft. The ex took the warmth from the cops, and Monica’s dad and mom compelled her to offer the child up for adoption.
What’s so particular about ear dimples that might assist Morgan decisively conclude that Gavin was the ex’s son? Ear dimples are so uncommon that solely 0.1% of the inhabitants has them.
So, when somebody has not one however two, they’re 100% inherited by a guardian. So, if you’d like ear dimples on your children, it’s slim pickings.
Anyway, all of this might have been properly and good, besides Bethany found the reality. Monica stalked and seduced her to get nearer to the son she had to surrender as an adolescent.
And within the phrases of Bethany, “It was working.” This case was mess, mess, messy. Morgan even stated on the finish that it didn’t really feel like a win.
Nonetheless, there’s no manner the cops would have been capable of resolve this one with out Morgan’s massive mind holding all these details about bees, actual property, and frogs.
I’m beginning to perceive why there’s the trope about detectives always ingesting. This case was exhausting.
Morgan’s Large Coronary heart Fueled Her Huge Thoughts To Free An Harmless Assistant And Reveal That Generally Karma Was Already At Work
Bear in mind how I stated a number of the victims in these instances suck? Properly, right here’s one other one. Nonetheless, Excessive Potential Season 1 Episode 6 was difficult as a result of it appeared just like the sufferer had coronary heart as soon as upon a time.
It goes with out saying, however company greed is a vicious animal that takes no prisoners and may corrupt even probably the most altruistic coronary heart. Sadly, on this case, the sufferer had nobody guilty however herself.
Think about what the worst attainable factor may occur to you at an workplace vacation social gathering. Most individuals would robotically embarrass themselves in entrance of their coworkers.
Sadly, the sufferer’s assistant, Sam, undoubtedly takes the cake for the worst post-party hangover.
It could possibly be as a result of she blacked out in her boss’s workplace, or it could possibly be as a result of she discovered her boss, Elaine, lifeless on the bottom, stabbed along with her award.
The principle takeaway from this episode is that Karadec and the captain ought to study by now all the time to belief Morgan’s instinct. To be honest, although, the proof was fairly damning.
Pan Am Smile
Throughout Sam’s preliminary questioning, Morgan observed that she used a Pan Am smile every time she referred to Elaine. This smile doesn’t attain the eyes and normally reveals insincerity.
From Karadec’s POV, Alison Jaye’s (Shameless) Sam Wozniak was pretty much as good as responsible, however Morgan was removed from satisfied and used every little thing she needed to determine this one out with not a lot apart from a karaoke machine.
You see, Elaine had been heard throughout the social gathering having a really heated and loud argument with somebody that was heard by the entire social gathering.
Utilizing the partygoers’ testimonies and the karaoke machine log, Morgan narrowed down the time of dying. From there, they simply wanted to know who Elaine was having a screaming match with.
With assist from the receptionist on the social gathering, Morgan and Karadec tracked down Carmen and Arturo, dad and mom who had given testimonials praising Elaine’s new invention, the KanAIRy.
The machine is supposed to behave like a homeopathic temper stabilizer that kids use by inhalation. Initially, what guardian of their proper thoughts would let one thing that didn’t want FDA approval into their youngster’s lungs?
Deduction Of Monetary State of affairs
Whereas questioning Carmen and Arturo, Morgan clocked quite a lot of suspicious particulars simply from glancing across the couple’s new dwelling.
Mainly, Elaine had paid Natasha Elías’s (Station 19) Carmen off to maintain quiet concerning the KanAIRy as a result of it made her son sick. Carmen couldn’t sit idly by and confronted Elaine, who instantly threatened to take authorized motion in opposition to her.
Regardless of their heated argument, Carmen ultimately left, unable to meet what she had deliberate. Elaine was nonetheless very a lot alive when she left. Worst of all, Carmen revealed that she had instructed all of what occurred to Sam, giving the assistant motive.
Without end Chemical compounds
If that wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, whereas mulling over the case, Morgan recalled that Sam, throughout the social gathering, had googled, “[gsd ;imhd.”
However, considering Sam’s drunken state, Morgan shifted her finger one key over to show that Sam meant to search for “pfas lung.”
The KanAIRY gave off “forever chemicals,” and PFA exposure can cause asthma. That’s what Elaine was trying to keep hidden. Her device was going to hurt countless kids.
A few scenes later, Karadec and Morgan go to confront the victim’s husband, Eric, and Morgan delivers a verbal smackdown to the cheesiest-looking lawyer.
The Securities Act
Eric was in trouble because he did not disclose the harmful effects of KanAIRy to the investors.
Or, as Morgan put it, section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act does not look kindly on companies with materially false statements in their investor prospectuses. Mic drop.
Derek Richardson’s (A Million Little Things) Eric Barton was paying off the families, but only because he promised to help them by stopping Elaine. However, he couldn’t have killed Elain because he had a solid alibi.
He was busy getting busy in a hotel room with the actual inventor of the KanAIRy.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
While examining the device, Morgan noticed that Elaine had used peppermint, ginger, and licorice. Miss Gillory immediately noticed they were three of the eight Xiao Yao San herbs found in traditional Chinese medicine.
In Morgan’s own words, “Elaine’s inventions were all Western-based. Why isn’t she using white-people herbs like chamomile and lavender?”
That’s because Elaine was a big fat liar. She fabricated how she invented the KanAIRy and then paid her friend off for the idea.
Duchenne Smile
Things really didn’t look good for the assistant, Sam. As Morgan noted during the interview of the real KanAIRy inventor, Lynn Chen’s (Grey’s Anatomy) Nina, she used a Duchenne smile that reached her eyes every time Nina mentioned Elaine.
So, neither the husband nor the friend could have been the ones who killed Elaine because they were busy shacking up at a hotel.
All signs seemed to point to poor Sam as the culprit, but Morgan felt something was off, as things usually do when there is more to discover.
Acute Intuition And Two Way Mirrors
Morgan remembered that Sam described Elaine as extremely paranoid during her final weeks. So, as Morgan put it, why in the world would Elaine have a mirror directly behind her desk? Anyone could see what she was working on.
With one simple tap, Morgan showed Karadec that her fingernail could touch its reflection, meaning it was a two-way mirror.
The footage cleared Sam of all wrongdoing because Elaine had tried to attack Sam after the assistant confronted her about the harmful effect of the KanAIRy.
And just like that, Sam was free, but without Morgan’s help, it could have easily been a case of wrongful imprisonment.
Even On Her Days Off, Morgan’s Mind Is Still Running A Hundred Miles Per Hour, Especially In Life-Threatening Situations
I’d love to say I saved the best for last, but that’s inevitable with a show like High Potential, which gets better with every episode. This one was particularly exciting due to the unexpected hostage situation.
Although the episode delivered on one of the most action-packed cases, it also didn’t require the full breath and weight of Morgan’s massive mind.
If you recall, in High Potential Season 1 Episode 7, she brings Ava to the precinct to check out her job on Morgan’s day off. Amid the cheerful day, the entire building comes under a bomb threat.
Two vets take the precinct, specifically the homicide division, hostage at gunpoint to force the team to fix the wrongful conviction of an innocent man.
Do you think maybe the High Potential writers had the idea for the hostage plot, but then someone said, “You know what would make it even more exciting? If we threw one of Morgan’s kids into the mix.”
It’s fantastic plotting from writers who are not afraid to throw lovable characters into life-or-death situations. However, it explains why Morgan was too eager to help the vets, Brooke and Jeremy.
Keen Eye For Detail
From across the room, Morgan noticed a spot of blood in one of the crime scene photos with a perfect corner. So, we can add super sight to her resume.
This was the first clue that something was missing from the murder scene, and it was the first step in solving the case.
Michael Trotter’s (Law & Order: Organized Crime) Jeremy Davis, the more volatile of the vet duo, is entirely paranoid and has stepped into the role of full-on “ticking time bomb.”
To connect with the other hostage taker, Brooke, Morgan tells her she notices all the signs of a woman trying to have a child, and that’s why Brooke is set on freeing her friend — because they were starting a family together.
Fertility Medications
As Morgan said, prenatal vitamins can dry out the skin, and the spot where fertility hormones are injected can become swollen and even painful.
Little did Morgan know then that she had just found the clue that would ultimately free everyone.
Viewers who saw the episode might remember that the real killer was caught, but Jeremy, the other hostage taker, had wholly given into his paranoia at that point, knocking Brooke out with a blow to the back of her head.
That guy really went from zero to sixty on the stressed-out scale. I suppose it could’ve been a reference to the PTSD that is common among vets, but it feels like the wrong time for representation. We have NCIS: Origins for that.
So, Jeremy continued threatening the precinct despite the real killer having been caught and the wrongly convicted man freed.
Like a gambler with the best hand in history, Morgan confronted Jeremy and told him straight up that nothing would happen if he detonated the bomb.
Jeremy accused her of bluffing, leading to the most chefs kiss satisfying shut down of the series.
Plastic Explosives Protocol In The U.S.
As Morgan put it, since the 1991 Montreal Convention, all plastic explosives manufacturers in the U.S. are required to include a detection taggant.
That substance isn’t detectable to humans, but it irritates the noses of dogs, both trained and untrained.
When Morgan arrived at the precinct that day, she noticed a cop dog sniffing around Brooke and the supposed bomb in a box. As the “bomb” didn’t bother the dog, Morgan knew there was no explosive in the box.
Toxic Chemicals
Instead, Morgan surmised that Brooke brought a broken-down box and reassembled it in the bathroom at the precinct to get past security.
But, just to really stick the landing and get her theory across, Morgan pointed out that no woman trying to get pregnant would risk handling the toxic chemicals that it requires to make a bomb.
Of course, that didn’t stop the idiot from trying to detonate the non-existent bomb. In the end, everyone was safe, and justice was thankfully served.
However, I still think Morgan would have ripped Brooke’s throat out afterward if there hadn’t been cops all around. Her character from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia certainly would have.
ABC‘s High Potential has delivered seven episodes so far, with each as incredibly written and acted as the last. It’s nuts to think there is still another half of the season to enjoy.
Thankfully, that second half is coming up soon, so keep an eye out for any and all announcements from TV Fanatic.
What was your favorite fact from the first half of High Potential Season 1?
Do you think High Potential will employ the “will-they-won’t-they” formula for Morgan and Karadec?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you think, and join me again when I review more episodes of High Potential!
And keep an eye out for High Potential Spoilers, posted before each new episode!
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