“Because life is funny and absurd and terrifying. In the world of crime, I think that we have to walk that fine line between solving a murder while also infusing it with levity,” says Todd Harthan as he talks about the new series High Potential.
Based on a popular French series, the narrative follows a struggling single mom, Morgan Gillory, who has an exceptional mind and discovers an unconventional knack for solving crimes. This leads to an unusual partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective.
High Potential is from Oscar-nominated writer Drew Goddard and stars Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata and Jeudy Reyes. Harthan is the showrunner on the series.
Goddard, who serves as an executive producer, explains the guiding principle of the series, saying, “I’m not that interested in plot in a traditional sense. I’m interested in character and soul and so, I always start from a place of character. And I think that’s true of [series such as] Alias [and] Lost. These are big and operatic shows, but at their core, they’re about people. And the joy for me is these characters looking at their lives and dissecting them and then the rest of it is sort of the pageantry of the show.”
Olson says of her character, “I love an underdog. I love a character who is so deeply insecure that they act out.”
She looks back at her own life, saying, ”I just was a very insecure kid, and I’ve known from consciousness that I wanted to act, but I was so shy that I never even attempted it. I mean, I didn’t audition for a play at school until high school and so there was this inner weird balance between, ‘I know I have this thing that I can do, but I’m way too insecure to be vulnerable enough to open up for other people to shoot me down.’” So maybe that’s a little bit why I’m drawn to characters like that. I just also find a more layered character so much more interesting, with those complete opposites smashed into one person.”
While she enjoys playing the role, Olson says that it’s taking a bit out of her.
“It’s very high-energy, and it’s a lot of very specific dialogue that I cannot improvise my way through, so I’m mentally exhausted, in a good way — I feel like I put it all out there at the end of the day.”
Harthan says that there’s a ‘couple of secret ingredients’ that separates the series ‘from the pack.’
“[With Morgan], I haven’t seen this kind of character take us through an investigative case on TV. It sort of reminds me of what I loved so much about House, I’d never seen a doctor like that before, it was such a tour de force character that you had to watch. And then, [there’s] the family aspect of this show. It is on a different level. Like, the authenticity and the grounded nature and the intoxicating relationship of Morgan with her children is [such that] you almost forget that you’re watching [a TV show].”
“High Potential” premieres Tuesday, September 17th on ABC. Episodes streaming next day on Hulu.
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