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Do we ever grow bored of the genius detective? Probably not – the satisfaction of seeing a remarkably talented person crack absurdly complex cases is one of fiction’s most reliable draws. As always, our screens teem with such characters: in the past year alone we’ve met Ludwig, David Mitchell’s puzzle-setter turned brilliantly perceptive investigator; seen the return of Natasha Lyonne’s human lie-detector Charlie Cale in Poker Face; and crossed paths once again with legal genius Elsbeth.

A Different Kind of Brilliant Investigator

Returning for further intellectual feats is Morgan Gillory, the protagonist of lighthearted crime series High Potential, now back for a second season. With an IQ of 160 – giving her “exceptional mental ability” – Morgan’s talent to unravel exceptionally convoluted sequences of events is downright astonishing. Yet there’s something distinctive about this particular brilliant crimestopper.

Ever since an reclusive drug addict named Sherlock Holmes established the genius detective mold, such characters have usually had some flaws. Ludwig is withdrawn, his talents tempered by intense awkwardness. Cale is a unpredictable, non-committal loner fond of a drink or two, while Elsbeth is a no-filter eccentric who unnerves others.

Morgan – portrayed by Kaitlin Olson – has no such weaknesses. When we first meet her, she’s working as a cleaner in the offices of the LAPD. Upon knocking over a pile of investigation notes and noticing some critical mistakes, she provides a hint to point the officers in the right direction. Soon, she’s brought on to work alongside the police, where she promptly solves a series of extraordinarily labyrinthine crimes almost single-handedly.

A Well-Rounded Heroine

Morgan is not only inordinately smart, she’s also a fearless, charming, glamorous, stunning achiever with flawless instincts and off-the-charts emotional intelligence. She may be a little pushy at times, but now she’s in the business of saving lives and catching killers, a bit of urgency isn’t exactly inappropriate.

While Morgan may be practically perfect in every way, the same can’t be said for her life – initially. A single mother of three, she struggles to make ends meet, and mostly uses her mental acuity to get the most out of her coupon-assisted 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 longest narrative thread: running through all her disparate cases is Morgan’s determination to track down the father of her eldest child, who vanished without a trace 15 years ago. In spite of her incredible powers of deduction, she hasn’t the foggiest idea where he is.

But High Potential doesn't focus heavily with realism. Produced by ABC in the US, this is polished, easy-watching network TV. It’s crowd-pleasing and visually appealing, the sort of thing typically found more with ITV than BBC Two. Morgan’s new colleagues are consistently pleasant, 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 dark protagonists, no edge: the vibe is cosy and heartwarming and somewhat simple.

Suspense and Excitement

Obviously, the crimes are far from comforting or sentimental or straightforward. The first season's conclusion saw Morgan taunted by a kidnapper who forced 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 real target is obviously Morgan, whom he sees as a formidable rival in his real-life game of chess.

Watching her get tantalisingly close to outwitting this man is tense and exciting, but something this out-there requires a watertight ending. The question is: is High Potential as clever as its protagonist?

Conclusion

In a word, 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 twist. Still, there’s always next time. In fact, Morgan’s following investigation – while equally bananas – is more coherently plotted, ending with a satisfying and unexpectedly moving finale. The consistency of the plotting may be a tad inconsistent, but like her many predecessors and peers, this masterful citizen detective can always be relied upon to save the day.