High Potential Season 2, Episode 16, “Turn, Up the Heat” Spoilers Ahead
From the moment the teaser was released for “Turn, Up the Heat,” it was obvious it’d give us the same high from “The Faust and the Furious.” The hurt/comfort trope is basically woven into the fabric of procedurals, so every time we get even a glimpse of it, it feels like catnip. Proof that the romance we’re rooting for is well on its way toward becoming endgame. And for a relationship that’s designed to be a slow burn, these small moments are extra delicious.
Beyond everything we get with Morgan and Kardec, “Turn, Up the Heat” is also an excellent follow-up to last week’s “Pie in the Sky,” as some of our theories about Willa Quinn come true. With three more episodes left in the season, the stakes are quickly growing more dire, and it’s making everything twice as thrilling on High Potential.
High Potential Season 2, Episode 16 Is a Reminder That Morgadec Understand Each Other on a Fundamentally Deep Level
The puzzle pieces we get in this episode are leading to the kind of big picture we could all see from the beginning, but the depth that each little image showcases is enormous. The layers are vast, and every word, plus every gesture, means something. One of my favorite microtropes is when one character is injured or wakes up from any sort of sleep, and they call out for the person they should be with. Karadec mistaking Lucia for Morgan is going to give me enough of a high to get through the entirety of the hiatus because no matter how many angles we examine it through, the result is irrefutable. We could say that he might’ve called out for Morgan because she was the last person he’d been with before he lost consciousness from his wound, but we all know that it’s so much more than that. Morgan is so much more than his partner at this point, and while he isn’t aware of his feelings, it’s evident in every substantial change we see in him. When it comes to Karadec, everything will always lead to Morgan. She’s the answer.
In addition, writing Karadec as a character with OCD and actually doing a solid job of establishing how trust is built and fortified is a strength that continues to give us more than what’s on the surface. I mentioned the differences in his body language in “In the Driver’s Seat,” and it’s even more prominent today as we continue to see how seamlessly he touches Morgan. There was no justifiable reason for him to squeeze her shoulder when promising that everything would be okay with Soto, Willa, and the Roman case. His words would’ve been enough, but the fact that he punctuates the words with the shoulder squeeze tells us that things are different with them. It’s almost like he can’t help himself anymore, and he does it without thinking because everything between them is bigger than either of them realizes. He doesn’t just want Morgan to be okay, but he needs her to. It’s the same scenario with the hug, where the thought of her in a state of panic overpowered his anxiety and hesitations.
OCD manifests differently for all of us who have it. It’s extreme in some areas, mild in others, and everyone has their own way of coping. When we meet Karadec, he’s a man who doesn’t hug. Yet, in Season 2 alone, the number of times he’s touched Morgan was never once necessary outside of the hug. Yet, he’s done it anyway.
Not to mention the way he accepted the chocolate chip cookie (sans chocolate chips) from her without hesitation. Because here’s the thing, as someone with contamination OCD, trust me when I say, it’s almost impossible for our brains to accept something specific like this from someone we don’t fully trust, who knows exactly why we are the way that we are. So the fact that Morgan emphasizes washing her hands thoroughly also tells us that she not only sees him, but she knows him. She wouldn’t give it to him without being thoroughly careful. And the two of them essentially speaking at the same exact time about this precise cookie being different than a sugar cookie is further proof of how intimately their partnership has developed. He knows her preferred sandwich. She knows his preferred cookie. Food is a love language that speaks so subtly, and the language they’ve established is precisely what adds to their nuanced intimacy.
This isn’t to say that Lucia doesn’t know Adam as well, but High Potential Season 2, Episode 16, “Turn, Up the Heat,” makes a point about underscoring that everything is a little different with Morgan. It’s effortless. Adam is trying to show Lucia that he’s changed, but with Morgan, he doesn’t have to try to do anything. It’s easy to believe that he loves Lucia, but it’s even easier to see that the way he could love Morgan would be entirely different. There’s even a difference in how they argue. Their comfort level is undefinable.
At the same time, while neither Adam nor Morgan fully gets that they’re developing feelings for each other, their actions speak louder. Their bodies are ahead of their minds. The way Morgan cradles his head and fully freaks out, contrasting the way he held hers during her panic attack while simultaneously holding his breath until she was okay, can’t be accidental. This is how you react when the person in front of you matters deeply. It’s how you react when fear and pain are battling at the mere thought of losing them.
There’s even a tonal difference in how Lucia says she knows Adam. Because again, she does, but everything that’s cracked wide open inside of him is because of Morgan. (Hey Siri, play “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift.) We’re smack dab in the middle of the woods right now, and yet, we have all the signs necessary to see that these two would do anything for each other. Because the sheer fact that Karadec forced Morgan to leave the room before the explosion also speaks volumes. He has someone at home, and he shouldn’t be making any sacrifices. And yet, as Morgan’s partner, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to ensure her safety, and the result is him lying in a hospital bed. We can also resolve that this isn’t a one-time thing because protecting her continues to be a priority of his, and it’s beautiful to watch every time.
Wagner Makes His Stance More Clear
We all rightfully go back and forth on Wagner, but his stance has never been more clear, and it’s frankly a bit surprising. At the same time, it’s compelling that the show isn’t making him outright evil, but rather flawed in a way that makes his inclusion add interesting challenges to the season. It’s particularly obvious this week as Karadec’s absence shows us that Wagner’s actually learned from him and knows how to communicate with Morgan better.
When his dad summons him for a meeting and voices that he wants to start an investigation into corruption, he expresses interest in hiring Morgan. The fact that Wagner is openly frustrated by this gives us enough context clues to believe that what he said about his family last week was the truth. Wagner’s trust issues aren’t an excuse to win people over. They run deep, and by the time we get to the end of the episode and realize that his father has ties to Willa, everything makes total sense.
It’s also admirable that he was honest with Morgan about the job offer coming from his father, even though he waited until she outright asked. He’s trying, I suppose, so it’ll be interesting how the next two episodes play out for him.
Morgan Being a Girl’s Girl Is Everything
It’s so easy to continue loving Morgan Gillory when she continues to be a girl’s girl. It’s also easy to appreciate that the women in the writer’s room aren’t pitting two women against each other, but rather they’re allowing them to get to know each other. They’re allowing them to bond, away from the man who’s essentially in an unofficial love triangle between both of them.
There’s something to be said about how healthy it is that both women acknowledge the other’s role in Karadec’s life, showcasing that there’s no unnecessary animosity. We know that something’s going to come between Karadec and Lucia’s endgame, and whether it’s Morgan or not, I have confidence in the fact that the show will handle it with grace. There’s no need for either of them to be at odds with each other because their common denominator in protecting Karadec doesn’t have to lead to something rocky.
The way that High Potential Season 2, Episode 16, “Turn, Up the Heat,” touches on found families and how these characters will continue looking out for each other is no small feat. The challenges that are ahead are bound to be hard to swallow, but it’s easy to believe this group can look out for each other. Things with the Roman case are heating up, and as we continue meeting people he knew, it’s going to make actually meeting him that much more interesting. And the Morgadec of it all? I’m not even remotely prepared.
Stray Thoughts
- I bet even Daphne’s PJs are cute. Girly never misses with her fits.
- “Oh, I forgot. You weren’t a kid when you were a kid.” Morgan gets such a seratobin boost making fun of Karadec, it’s glorious.
- Willa, babe, if you’re into Selena, just say something.
- Karadec jumping in front of her so she doesn’t commit murder. Ah, yes, a husband. Again, and dare I ask, was it necessary? No. No, it wasn’t.
- Absolutely no need to touch her shoulder to say everything will be okay, buddy. But like you do you, and never stop.
- Morgan asking about his relationship and questioning if it’s too soon, and him saying that she’d be the first to know if things change!?!?! “I don’t need to be the first to know.” But like you should be, though.
- I mean, for once Wagner does know Morgan. Karadec must be robbing off on him.
- Oz, show Daphne the pictures!
- Morgan not being able to hide how ugly she thinks this building is? Icon behavior.
- Karadec is manspreading so hard in this meeting? Actually amazing how much he’s loosened up around Morgan.
- Bud, you keep touching her in this episode. What’s happening???!!!
- I’m! Right! Behind! You!
- But actually how is Morgan driving in these heels?
- THE WAY SHE’S CRADLING HIS HEAD.
- Hehehehehhe he didn’t mean. But you did. You did. The fact that he outright says he didn’t mean it. What didn’t you mean, Karadec?
- BABY GIRL KNOWS HER MAN.
- And complimenting another woman? My queen.
- He’s going to keep that gallbladder plushie forever.
- They’re so embarrassing, finishing each other’s sentences in front of his girlfriend 🤣
- “You’re a really good friend.” Sure, yes. A friend.
- This is the most I’ve ever liked Wagner.
- “He gets crabby when he doesn’t get enough exercise.” You would know.
- A book from Roman 😭😭😭
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on the High Potential Season 2, Episode 16, “Turn, Up the Heat?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: (Disney/Mitchell Haaseth)