High Potential Season 2 Adds Game-Changing New Character
Season 2 is usually where promising network shows go to die. Think Heroes. Think Westworld. Think anything that wasn't built to last but got renewed anyway.
So it's no surprise that High Potential, one of ABC's surprise hits from the 2024–2025 season, is trying to outmaneuver the dreaded sophomore slump by adding a new character specifically designed to rattle the status quo.
Enter: Steve Howey.
The Shameless and Reba actor has been cast as Captain Jesse Wagner, a flashy LAPD higher-up with nice suits, smooth charm, and what sounds like a severe case of main-character energy.
He's described as someone who "thinks outside the box," which is probably code for: he's going to get in everyone's way.
Whether he'll be an ally, an obstacle, or just an ego with a badge remains unclear—but the point is obvious: High Potential is shaking up the formula before it has a chance to rot.
The show's setup remains the same. Kaitlin Olson plays Morgan Guillory, a hyper-intelligent single mom with freakish memory and deduction skills who went from janitor to consultant at LAPD's Major Crimes Division. She was reluctantly paired with straight-laced detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), and by the end of Season 1, the two had settled into a will-they-won't-they groove that network executives hope lasts until syndication.
Season 1 ended with enough cliffhangers to fuel a season of Grey's Anatomy: a missing (possibly not-dead) ex-husband, a serial killer playing games with Morgan, and growing tension within the precinct. Now, toss Captain Wagner into that mix and you've got a ready-made powder keg.
Series writer Eric Lu told Collider:
"We're also gonna dig into the people around [Morgan]... We're gonna get to learn a little bit more about them, which is really exciting."
Translation: expect more screen time for supporting cast members like Javicia Leslie's Daphne Forrester, Deniz Akdeniz's Oz Ozdil, and maybe even Karadec—assuming Wagner doesn't steal his screen time (and maybe his partner).
And then there's the real reason ABC probably greenlit the Wagner twist: High Potential actually performed well in Season 1.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
- Season 1 Episode Count: 13 episodes
- Network: ABC, with Season 2 returning Fall 2025
Critics praised Olson's performance and the show's refusal to become just another case-of-the-week slog. Adding a big personality like Steve Howey's Wagner could keep the vibe unpredictable and—hopefully—keep audiences tuning in past Episode 3.
Whether it works or not, at least the writers are trying. Which is more than you can say for most second seasons.