HIGH POTENTIAL SEASON 2 CONFIRMED: Kaitlin Olson Returns as Morgan Gillory and Fans Say It’s About to Get Even Wilder Than Before

It’s darker, riskier, and full of twists no one saw coming. Something about Morgan feels… different this time. What exactly is she planning — and who’s in her way?

ABC’s hit comedy procedural High Potential has shown another side of comic actor Kaitlin Olson, and now the series has scored a season 2 renewal. Based on the French series HPI, the show follows Olson’s Morgan, a woman with an IQ of 160 who works as a janitor for the Los Angeles Police Department to support her three children. After using her superior intellect to crack a case, Morgan is brought on as a consultant to help the detectives solve other crimes. Mixing the usual police procedural elements with a healthy dose of comedy, High Potential shakes up the formula while remaining grounded.

One of the big reasons the show succeeds is the performance of Olson, who transitions well from her years on the over-the-top comedy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Despite being a more grounded and conventional series, High Potential scored rave reviews from critics (via Rotten Tomatoes) in its debut outing, and there’s no reason to think it shows any signs of stopping. High ratings were the first indication that Morgan’s gig with the LAPD isn’t up yet, and ABC was quick to order a second season of the popular new comedy.

High Potential Season 2 Latest News

Season 2 Began Filming In May 2025

The latest High Potential season 2 news is that production is underway. The cast went back to work in May 2025 with Javicia Leslie and Daniel Sunjata sharing the news on High Potential’s official TikTok. Their videos only featured the actors in costume and did not offer up much for fans of the show to theorize about concerning the upcoming season.

While not much information has been revealed from the cast members on set, it is known that they’re back to work so early because the series will not be a midseason replacement show for ABC like the first season was. Instead, High Potential season 2 will be part of ABC’s fall 2025 lineup, airing on Tuesday nights.

High Potential Season 2 Is Confirmed

ABC Quickly Renewed High Potential Season 2

High Potential scored big when it first debuted on ABC, and though those numbers seemed unsustainable at the time, the freshman program somehow increased viewership. Bumping up to an average same-day audience of over 5.7 million people, ABC had no choice but to renew High Potential for a sophomore outing. The renewal was only the second that ABC gave out in early 2025 and speaks to the overwhelming popularity of the quirky procedural.

High Potential season 1 debuted on September 17, 2024, and concluded on February 11, 2025.

High Potential Season 2 Cast Details

Will Kaitlin Olson Return As Morgan?

Filling the void left behind by shows like Psych, High Potential‘s strongest aspect is the performance of star Katilin Olson as the brilliant single mom, Morgan. With the show renewed for a second season, Olson’s return is all but guaranteed, and she’s the glue that could help turn the series into a long-running hit. Joining her, Daniel Sunjata is back as Detective Karadec, and Morgan still has a long way to go to convince the skeptical cop of her fitness for the LAPD. Likewise, Javicia Leslie is back as Daphne one of the detectives in Karadec’s unit, as well as Deniz Akdeniz as Oz, Daphne’s partner on the job.

Another likely return is that of David Giuntoli’s mystery character, who was introduced in the season 1 finale. The mastermind behind the evil plot in season 1’s conclusion was revealed to Morgan in the grocery store, where he left a message that they will meet again.

The cast of High Potential season 2 will likely include:

Actor
High Potential Role

Katilin Olson
Morgan

Daniel Sunjata
Karadec

Javicia Leslie
Daphne

Deniz Akdeniz
“Oz” Ozdil

Amirah J
Ava

Matthew Lamb
Elliot

Judy Reyes
Selena

David Giuntoli
Unknown Villain

One return that is a bit more up in the air for the High Potential season 2 cast is Taran K!llam as supporting character Ludo. Ludo is the father of two of Morgan’s children and is her “manny” while she consults with the police. K!llam, however, booked a role in an NBC comedy pilot as one of the lead characters. If the show is picked up to series, the audience could see less of Ludo in High Potential going forward.

High Potential Season 2 Story Details

A New Big Bad Could Torment The LAPD In Season 2

Throughout the triumphant debut season, High Potential saw Morgan crack case after case with relative ease and a little help from her colleagues. However, the finale pulled a bit of a twist and introduced a potential ongoing villain who could return to challenge Morgan’s crime-busting brain. David Giuntoli’s mystery villain is being set up as the big bad for season 2, and he could present an ongoing challenge for Morgan and the LAPD. Season 2 could explain a bit more about who this Moriarty-like character really is.

On another front, Morgan got the shock of her life when Karadec revealed that Roman is not only alive, but that his whereabouts are known. This puts her in a tough spot because she must choose between chasing him, or accepting what she’s already faced for years. Judy Reyes revealed to ScreenRant that the mystery behind Roman will create tension between Morgan and Selena going forward:

She said, “You work with me, I’ll find your husband.” So she has to live up to that promise. That’s all I can say. And that will have an impact on their relationship. It’ll bring them closer. It’ll create some drama, but we are a drama.

With so much mystery to cover, fans should not expect romance to be a major focus of the procedural in season 2. Akdeniz and Leslie joked with ScreenRant about not being able to stand one another when asked if their partnership on the force could become romantic. Likewise, Olson has said Morgan currently views Karadec as more like a brother than a romantic interest. If there is romance coming between any of the main characters, it is likely to be much more of a slow burn.

As anticipation builds for the return of 2024’s biggest new series, more High Potential news comes in the form of an episode count tease from star Kaitlin Olson. Though the actor/producer couldn’t give away any specifics, she did make it clear that season 2 will have “a little more” episodes than its predecessor. As network TV episode counts continue to dip, Olson’s update is a heartening one, and proves that ABC is truly invested in the show’s future. Since season 1 had only 13 episodes, season 2 will likely have anywhere between 15 and 18.

That means the overarching mysteries will have more room to breathe in the new season as well, allowing the series to continue to build those mysteries alongside its cases of the week. Whatever happens in High Potential season 2, it could top its predecessor.