Do we truly grow bored of the genius detective? Probably not – the satisfaction of seeing a fantastically gifted person crack incredibly intricate cases is one of fiction’s surest draws. As ever, our screens are swarming with such characters: over the last twelve months we’ve been introduced to Ludwig, David Mitchell’s riddle-creator turned brilliantly perceptive detective; been reunited with Natasha Lyonne’s human lie-detector Charlie Cale in Poker Face; and crossed paths once again with legal genius Elsbeth.
A Different Kind of Genius Detective
Returning for further intellectual feats is Morgan Gillory, the lead character of lighthearted crime series High Potential, which returns for a second season. With an IQ of 160 – earning her “exceptional mental ability” – Morgan’s ability to unravel mind-bendingly complicated sequences of events is truly remarkable. But there’s something a little different about this particular clever-clogs crime-solver.
Since an reclusive drug addict by the name of Sherlock Holmes established the genius detective mold, these types have usually had a few issues. Ludwig is withdrawn, his talents paired with intense social anxiety. Cale is a unpredictable, non-committal loner fond of a drink or two, while Elsbeth is a no-filter weirdo who gives people the creeps.
Morgan – played by Kaitlin Olson – has no such weaknesses. Initially, she’s working as a cleaner in the offices of the LAPD. After accidentally knocking over a pile of investigation notes and spotting some serious errors, she leaves a clue to guide the detectives in the right direction. Before long, she’s brought on to work with the police, where she duly solves a series of highly complex crimes almost single-handedly.
A Multifaceted Heroine
Morgan is not only exceptionally intelligent, she’s also a fearless, charming, elegant, gorgeous go-getter with perfect intuition and exceptional emotional intelligence. She may be a little pushy at times, but given her role in the business of protecting people and catching killers, a bit of urgency isn’t entirely inappropriate.
While Morgan may be practically perfect in every way, the same can’t be said for her life – at first. A single mother of three, she struggles to make ends meet, and often uses her mind palace to get the most out of her coupon-assisted supermarket shop. Motherhood can, naturally, hinder women’s professional lives, but Morgan’s willingness to accept the demands and pay of a minimum-wage job seems unrealistic.
Juggling Believability and Entertainment
Similarly hard to buy is the show’s longest narrative thread: underpinning all her disparate cases is Morgan’s resolve to track down the father of her eldest child, who vanished without a trace 15 years ago. Despite her remarkable skills of deduction, she hasn’t the foggiest idea where he is.
But High Potential isn’t overly concerned with realism. Produced by ABC in the US, this is polished, easy-watching network TV. It’s popular and visually appealing, the sort of thing typically found more with ITV than BBC Two. Morgan’s new colleagues are uniformly nice, two-dimensional guys: smooth detective Karadec, investigators Daphne and Oz, plus Lt Selena Soto, perhaps the most fair and most approachable police chief in cop drama history. No dark protagonists, little grit: the atmosphere is cosy and heartwarming and somewhat simple.
Tension and Thrills
Naturally, the crimes are far from cosy or heartwarming or straightforward. The first season's conclusion saw Morgan taunted by a kidnapper who compelled her to solve ludicrously difficult puzzles to save the lives. He returns in the opening double bill here, kidnapping a young mother on her way home from a night out – but his true objective is obviously Morgan, whom he sees as a formidable rival in his actual match of chess.
Watching her get tantalisingly close to outwitting this man is tense and exciting, but something this extreme requires a flawless ending. The question is: does the show prove as clever as its protagonist?
Conclusion
In a word, no. The show is quite effective at keeping the suspense going, but it fails to deliver the landing, and the storyline concludes with a far-fetched gotcha. Nevertheless, there’s always next time. Actually, Morgan’s subsequent case – while equally bizarre – is better thought through, ending with a neat and unexpectedly moving climax. The quality of the plotting may be a tad inconsistent, but similar to other predecessors and peers, this virtuoso citizen detective can always be counted on to save the day.
