So there's a new show on ABC, based on a French show (that also inspired a Greek show) that is called HSI: Haut Potentiel Intellectuel.
The ABC version of the show is called High Potential. I love this show so much, it's doomed.
It's another "outsider gets a job as a consultant helping the police" show. Castle, The Irrational, Monk, Elementary and on and on. It's a well used trope. Well used tropes are well used for a reason.
To work, a show like this requires two key things. A great McGuffin and a great lead to make it work.
1. Morgan is a single mom with authority issues and an IQ of 160. Her high functioning brain can't sleep if she sees mistakes, so she winds up fixing a mistake in a murder file she knocks over while working as a night cleaner at the police station. The technical term (according to the show, I'm not 100% on it) is "High Potential Intellectual" which means you have advanced cognitive, creative and memory skills.
2. Kaitlin Olson, who I've never heard of or seen in a single thing absolutely KILLS it. Super charming, yet perfectly believable as someone barely able to manage her life thanks to her obsessive brain, while simultaneously always being the smartest person in the room.
Writing will be key. It's not enough that they showcase her brain full of facts, they have to keep finding ways for her to tie things only she notices to the things rattling around in her head. The gruff detective she works with...I'm not sold on yet but he's very "opposites attract" and these shows usually go down the "will they/won't they" road. So far...don't see it and hope that's the way it stays.
Nothing I like this much usually makes it past the first season, but hey...it's got high potential.
2 comments:
I like it, too. And yes, it is probably doomed. Not doomed because it's good necessarily, but because broadcast tv/cable is doomed. Enjoy it while it lasts.
The good news is that the original French show is currently in it's fourth season. I've watched a few of them (subtitled -- my French isn't up to it) and they're REALLY good. With any luck, there's enough material to let Hollywood leech at least a couple of seasons.
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