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Do we truly tire of the savant sleuth? I suspect not – the thrill of witnessing a fantastically gifted person solve incredibly intricate cases is one of fiction’s most reliable appeals. As always, our screens teem with them: in the past year alone we’ve been introduced to Ludwig, David Mitchell’s riddle-creator turned brilliantly perceptive detective; seen the return of Natasha Lyonne’s truth-divining Charlie Cale in Poker Face; and encountered again with brainiac attorney Elsbeth.

A Different Kind of Genius Detective

Returning for more mental gymnastics is Morgan Gillory, the lead character of breezy procedural High Potential, now back for a second season. With an IQ of 160 – giving her “high intellectual potential” – Morgan’s ability to decode exceptionally convoluted sequences of events is downright astonishing. Yet there’s something distinctive about this particular clever-clogs crime-solver.

Ever since an antisocial drug addict named Sherlock Holmes set the genius detective mold, these types have usually had some flaws. Ludwig is withdrawn, his talents tempered by intense social anxiety. Cale is a chaotic, non-committal outsider 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. When we first meet her, she’s working as a cleaner in the offices of the LAPD. After accidentally knocking over a pile of investigation notes and noticing some critical mistakes, she provides a hint to guide the detectives in the right direction. Soon, she’s recruited to work alongside the police, where she promptly solves a series of highly complex crimes almost single-handedly.

A Multifaceted Lead

Morgan is not only exceptionally intelligent, she’s also a bold, charismatic, elegant, stunning achiever with flawless instincts and exceptional emotional intelligence. She may be somewhat assertive at times, but given her role in the business of protecting people and apprehending criminals, a bit of urgency isn’t exactly inappropriate.

If Morgan is practically perfect in every way, that isn't the case for her life – at first. A solo parent of three, she struggles to cover expenses, and mostly uses her mind palace to get the most out of her discount-driven supermarket shop. Motherhood can, of course, stymie women’s professional lives, but Morgan’s willingness to put up with the demands and pay of a low-paying job doesn’t quite ring true.

Balancing Believability and Drama

Equally difficult to buy is the show’s primary subplot: underpinning all her disparate cases is Morgan’s determination to track down the father of her eldest child, who disappeared without a trace 15 years ago. In spite of her remarkable skills of deduction, she hasn’t the foggiest idea where he is.

But High Potential doesn't focus heavily with realism. Made by ABC in the US, this is polished, easy-watching network TV. It’s crowd-pleasing and easy on the eye, 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 antiheroes, no edge: the atmosphere is comfortable and touching and somewhat simple.

Suspense and Excitement

Naturally, the crimes aren’t cosy or heartwarming or straightforward. The season one finale saw Morgan provoked by a kidnapper who compelled her to solve extremely challenging puzzles to rescue the victims. He returns in the premiere episodes here, abducting 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 agonizingly near to outsmarting this man is nerve-wracking and exciting, but something this out-there requires a flawless ending. The question is: does the show prove as clever as its protagonist?

Final Thoughts

Simply put, no. The show is quite effective at keeping the tension going, but it can’t quite stick the landing, and the storyline wraps up with a far-fetched gotcha. Nevertheless, there’s always next time. In fact, Morgan’s following investigation – although equally bizarre – is more coherently plotted, ending with a satisfying and unexpectedly moving finale. The quality of the plotting may be a tad inconsistent, but similar to other predecessors and peers, this masterful amateur investigator can always be relied upon to save the day.