Think of High Potential as Elsbeth from a trailer park. Single mom Morgan gets involved in a murder investigation while she’s cleaning the police squad room–she’s the janitor. While LAPD Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) dismisses Morgan’s analysis of the case, Lieutenant Detective Selena (Judy Reyes) sees Morgan’s potential. Morgan has a 160 I.Q. but her compulsions cause her to lose jobs. I’ve only watched the first episode of High Potential but I’m hooked! GRADE: INCOMPLETE but trending towards an A.
She is likable but it seems pretty generic-like MONK or ELSBETH.
Patti, yes, I think HIGH POTENTIAL is generic, but I like Kaitlin Olson so I’ll keep watching.
This is fingernails on the blackboard to me.
Hard pass.
We love Elspeth – the character – but even Jackie is debating whether to keep watching this season.
Jeff, Diane is a big fan of ELSBETH so we’ll be watching.
ELSBETH is rather more clever as a series than this pilot is…utterly generic Quirk and quick addition skills don’t impress me as examples of genius at work or play, behind the camera nor in front.
BRILLIANT MINDS, which had its pilot broadcast last night, isn’t close to a work of genius either, but at least put a little effort into researching how a character so blessed/afflicted might actually behave, if also making him a generic rebel against the generic stuffed shirts. (I note with some amusement that USA TODAY’s Kelly Lawler loves HP and loathes BM…surprised she didn’t refer to the latter as BM.)..and, to be fair, she saw a small slew of episodes and I’m sure star Zachary Quinto, at least, can become tiresome in a lump PDQ)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/09/23/brilliant-minds-review-nbc-zachary-quinto/75248390007/ (has a link to her 10 Best, in which includes HP.
It looks like other reviewers liked Brilliant Minds more than her. It is very 1990s in style (HOUSE) but I will probably try another one or two. I would like to watch one network show for a change.
Patti, network TV is almost entirely generic programming. The networks have lost their creative edge when they became obsessed with money.
Todd, the reviews of read of BRILLIANT MINDS say it’s a HOUSE knockoff. HIGH POTENTIAL is generic, but Kaitlin Olson is not.
It’s not Quite a HOUSE knockoff, but I suspect it wouldn’t mind being so. Greg House was intentionally self-defeating almost as much as anything else…the BM protag is, in the pilot, more Conveniently Heroic, if hobbled and not respectful of the obviously pompous and limited.
Todd, I’d rather watch Zachary Quinto as Spock.
The scripting for Olsen’s character doesn’t transcend much of anything for me in the pilot. It could improve.
Todd, hopefully the scripts get better for HIGH POTENTIAL. Until then, I’ll just watch Kaitlin Olson being silly.
I’m loving this one too, George.
Morgan is really likable. Can’t say I feel the same way about the male detective.
Beth, the male detective is grumpy, but I think Morgan will win him over!
I missed the pilot episode but I saw episode 2 last night and enjoyed it. I will continue until they piss me off!
Scott, how did your move go? Glad you enjoyed HIGH POTENTIAL!