One of ABC’s newest shows this season, High potentialgot off to a very promising start. High potential follows Kaitlin Olson’s Morgan Guillory, a former cleaning lady who joins the LAPD’s Major Crimes Unit as a consultant. Morgan, a single mother of three, is considered High Intellectual Potential (HIP) with an IQ of 160, which makes her the ideal helper for solving crimes.
Morgan’s partner in crime, Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), balances the “act first, think later“nature with its”by the book“unwavering attitude and moral code. As Karadec and Morgan’s professional relationship continues to develop, their dynamic leaves room for sparks to fly further. However, Tom (JD Pardo), an LAPD janitor who has undeniable chemistry with Morgan, was recently introduced. Tom connects with Morgan over their shared courage, similar occupations, and flirtatious nature.
How Karadec and Tom differ in high potential
Karadec is awkward while Tom is outgoing, but they both care about Morgan and others
At first glance, Karadec and Tom have very little in common, the only characteristic they share is the need to help people. Karadec has what it takes to be a solid detective: he’s observant, intelligent, and stands his ground. His strict moral code and need for things to be done the right way cause him to frequently conflict with Morgan. However, while these traits make Karadec one of the LAPD’s top detectives, his romantic life needs help. Most of Karadec’s personal life remains a mystery, but one episode shows his shortcomings in the dating world.
At a dinner party, Karadec appears exhausted and bored until Morgan and his children crash the date, and then he comes to life, demonstrating the influence Morgan has when it comes to bringing his partner out of his shell. Meanwhile, Tom is the new daytime janitor at the police station and at night he studies nursing. Tom is confident and, unlike Karadec, very charismatic. Tom arrests Morgan for leaving dust on the glass doors, and at the end of the episode, Morgan writes down his phone number with his fancy fingerprints for Tom to find.
This entire interaction with Morgan shows that Tom is the kind of guy who will go after whatever he wants.
Additionally, during the mid-season finale, when Lieutenant Melon (Garret Dillahunt) is fighting for a weapon against one of the bad guys, Tom jumps into action to help without a second thought. This instinct speaks volumes to Tom’s deep desire to help others. His lack of fear in this moment shows that he will protect Morgan and his children no matter what.
Karadec is better for Morgan because of how he fits into her life
Karadec has an easy dynamic with Morgan and gets along well with their children
Over the course of the first season, Karadec’s opinion of Morgan quickly evolves from general dislike to fully accepting her as his work partner. One special aspect of their relationship is the way they already feel comfortable fighting with each other. When Morgan argues with her ex-husband Ludo (Taran Killam), he is more concerned with making a scene and giving Morgan what she wants than with maintaining his position. However, Karadec and Morgan will yell and argue with each other about what they believe in, without worrying about how it could impact their relationship.
Another way Karadec fits naturally into Morgan’s family is through his children. In the pilot episode, Karadec accepts being thrown into Morgan’s hectic and confusing morning routine. Even Morgan’s youngest, baby Chloe, trusts Karadec enough to allow him to feed her just moments after their encounter. Karadec ends up taking some of Morgan’s children to school and, in later episodes, allows them to eat his fries while he is eating dinner. Karadec’s quick assimilation into Morgan’s life undoubtedly paves the way for a smooth transition from co-workers to romantic partners.
What Morgan’s New Love Triangle Means for High Potential’s Future
The love triangle means more personal drama will be introduced into the High Potential story
Morgan’s love triangle between Karadec and Tom means one thing for sure: things are going to get complicated. It’s even more difficult because all three of them work at the same police station. Whether Morgan chooses Karadec or Tom, the left-out party will have a front-row seat in Morgan’s relationship whether he wants to or not. This love triangle also allows Morgan’s children to play a role in influencing Morgan’s relationships. Morgan’s children already bond with and trust Karadec, while Tom only met one during the hostage situation.
Morgan’s children could further complicate the typical love triangle dynamic by withholding their seal of approval. However, Morgan and Karadec already have a relationship between them and are not going to. One of the reasons Morgan and Karadec work so well as partners is because they support and trust each other. However, this love triangle has the potential to negatively impact Morgan and Karadec’s working relationship in the future. High potential.