There are a lot of television shows that have absolutely amazing first seasons, but then seem to fall off a cliff when it comes to Season 2. Shows such as Squid Game, Heroes, and Westworld have all been criticized for suffering from that dreaded sophomore slump. While some series seem destined to experience blowback after knocking it out of the park the first go-around, it seems like ABC’s hit dramedy, High Potential, is working hard to avoid losing any fans with Season 2. With one stealth casting choice, High Potential is making sure to shake things up enough to keep viewers tuning in.

Kaitlin Olson’s ‘High Potential’ Puts a Fun Twist on a Detective Show

High Potential follows Morgan Guillory (Kaitlin Olson), a single mother of three who has been diagnosed with High Intellectual Potential. This means that she’s extremely intelligent, and has a vast amount of knowledge about pretty much every topic out there. She has hyper-observant powers and a steel-trap memory. Although these traits are impressive, they have made life difficult for Morgan in the past (her gifts make it challenging to hold down certain jobs and to maintain relationships). At the beginning of the series, Morgan is working as a cleaner at a police precinct in Los Angeles when she inadvertently helps them solve a murder case by utilizing her amazing powers of deduction.

Selena Soto (Judy Reyes) is the head of the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division, and instantly sees what an asset Morgan could be to the department. She looks past her current job status, and hires her to work as a consultant. Morgan gets partnered up with Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), who is initially frustrated with working with someone who isn’t even a police officer. As Season 1 unfolds, Karadec falls under Morgan’s spell, and a will-they-won’t-they romance brews between the two of them. No matter what happens between the two, it’s clear that Morgan is a boss when it comes to solving crimes.

The series isn’t just another traditional network police procedural. Morgan’s quirky behavior (and her offbeat fashion choices) give a typically serious genre a fun and humorous framework. High Potential also thrives by including an intriguing, overarching storyline for the whole season that involves Morgan’s first husband’s disappearance. By not just focusing on the crime of the week, the series remains completely compelling throughout its first 13 episodes and avoids any tendencies to be formulaic. High Potential has received positive reviews, including Collider’s, which calls out Olson’s “quirky, standout performance…and an entertaining premise that doesn’t overstay its welcome.” The show also holds a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. All of these factors help to prove that High Potential is one of the most exciting shows to debut in the 2024-2025 season. The series has already been renewed for Season 2, but High Potential, like any other show, does run the risk of experiencing a sophomore slump.

‘Shameless’ Steve Howey Is Playing a New Character in ‘High Potential’ Season 2

The High Potential writers seem to understand that any show going into its second season could potentially end up becoming repetitive or stale. That’s why they’ve decided to introduce a brand-new character to the series that is sure to shake things up. Steve Howey (Reba, Shameless) will be playing Captain Jesse Wagner in Season 2. Wagner is a charming man (complete with expensive suits and the ability to schmooze), who definitely seems to know how to work the system. He’s been described as someone who likes thinking outside the box, which would actually make him simpatico with Morgan (and probably a pretty effective police officer). But even if he does match Morgan’s sensibilities, it also seems like his ego/confidence might mean he inserts himself into the action (even when he’s not really wanted there).

First off, adding any new characters to later seasons gives a show a chance to change up the dynamics. This strategy can be helpful in creating fresh storylines and providing character development. We don’t know yet whether Wagner will be an adversary or a friend of Morgan’s, but either way, she’ll need to get used to him, and Morgan doesn’t trust people very easily. She’s also used to winning people over fairly quickly with her lovable, kind personality. What would happen to Morgan’s stability in Season 2 if she suddenly has a new enemy? Morgan is obviously super smart, and can find solutions to any problem, but there’s no way that a new person in her inner circle won’t create challenges for her. Because this type of new character will shake up Morgan’s world, the series is promising that there will be plenty of new conflicts that will result in compelling plot points for Season 2.

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It’s not like Wagner will be the team’s only problem when the new season kicks off. There was already plenty of drama that unfolded in the High Potential Season 1 finale (including Morgan finding out that her first husband might actually be alive, and that there’s a serial killer toying with her). Wagner could do more than just upend Morgan’s world; there’s also the chance that the introduction of this character could create chaos in this little LAPD family. Karadec, Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), and Lev “Oz” Ozdil (Deniz Akdeniz) will all need to learn how to adjust to Wagner’s games while still working to solve as many crimes as they can.

Writer Eric Lu recently told Collider that “we’re also gonna dig into the people around [Morgan]…We’re gonna get to learn a little bit more about them, which is really exciting.” By digging deeper into the supporting characters’ lives, High Potential can avoid the trap of running out of storylines because they’re mainly focused on Morgan. The crime series is set to return to ABC in the fall, and we’re already encouraged that the writers have so many elements in store that will prevent any chance of boredom with Season 2. Although we don’t know exactly what to expect with this new character, chances are that he will only add to the show’s majorly entertaining vibes