On High Potential, Morgan Gillory isn’t just a brilliant crime-solving investigator with a quirky fashion sense and an IQ of 160. She is first and foremost a mother. It is a key aspect of the character that actress Kaitlin Olson hopes fans will keep in mind as the show heads into Season 2.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Olson shared that one of Morgan’s most relatable traits is her effort to do her best as a mom, and it’s that constant striving that helped her connect with the character. But it also created one of the show’s most riveting mysteries.
Morgan’s parenting struggles have become a key element of the drama on High Potential, with the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Ava’s (Amirah J) father, Roman, taking on a more central role. According to Morgan, Roman went out for diapers 15 years ago and never came back. But by the end of Season 1, it is revealed that Roman may not be as dead as everyone believed, as evidence strongly suggests he was working as an FBI informant. The season ends on a cliffhanger, as it appears Roman has been successfully located.
With fans on the edge of their seat, audiences can expect to come back to the mystery of Roman’s whereabouts in Season 2. Even Olson is entangled in the unanswered questions surrounding Morgan’s first husband.
“I want to know what’s going on with Ava’s dad. There’s a lot of stuff, I want to do it all,” said Olson.
Olson explains that the mystery surrounding Roman gives the show an opportunity to delve deeper into the lives of other characters, exploring how his disappearance (and possible return) might impact those he left behind, including new dynamics like the budding relationship between Morgan and Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). She noted that Season 1 didn’t offer as much time to explore the characters as she would have liked.
“I think it’s important to dive deeper into the other characters on the show. We didn’t have the opportunity to do that as much as I think we should, and so we’re going to definitely be digging in there, too,” said Olson.
Olson has also stated that as part of Season 2, she also wants to explore how Morgan’s “gifts” are not necessarily blessings. While her high IQ is handy, it has a way of isolating her from making friends and connections, and in Season 2, a lot of Morgan’s growth will be about failing and learning, and not just about her successes.
“In the pilot, she’s got that wonderful speech with [Selena] Soto [Judy Reyes] where Soto says she has a gift and she’s like, it’s not a gift, and names all the reasons why. As in any first season of television, you’re trying to figure everything out, and looking back, I got a lot of feedback from people just loving that part of it,” said Olson.
“I definitely want to do more of that, and I also want her to make mistakes, like I said before. It’s not fun to watch somebody just hit it out of the park every single time, it’s going to get boring,” she added.
High Potential, Season 2 Premiere, Fall 2025, ABC