High Potential Season 2, Episode 17, “Second Sunday” Spoilers Ahead
For a penultimate episode, “Second Sunday” holds nothing back as it delivers an absolute doozy from start to finish. But as a procedural, High Potential knows exactly what it’s doing, pulling from every trope in the book to fill every gap in the slow burn romance it’s setting up. It’s an episode that’s going to frustrate a lot of people, but I have no doubt that the end result is going to be delicious.
Further insight into Wagner’s past continues after last week’s “Turn, Up the Heat,” and the captain is all over the place as he drowns in his grief while simultaneously making the kind of decisions that could bite him later.
Mother’s Day Celebrations For Morgan
Morgan Gillory deserves the world, and the fact that we get a brief moment to see just how loved she is in an episode that’s this agonizing is perfect. Morgan’s kids are such a huge part of her, each in their own way, and the quiet moments when we get to see all that she’s given for them make every moment in High Potential worth it.
It’s especially lovely that she gets to spend the day after this case remembering just how much they value her. The montage that starts and ends the episode also does an interesting job of reminding us exactly what matters most to her, and why she’s doing all of this. It’s all for kids, and the love she has for each of them has undoubtedly helped her become the person she is. There are very few words in how it all pans out, but the performance Kaitlin Olson gives us is so touching that it results in an immediate tear-jerker.
Wagner Kisses Morgan in High Potential Season 2, Episode 17 – Wait ’til Karadec Finds Out
I knew this was coming, but at the same time, I was convinced the show wouldn’t go there at this point, and so, here we are. Does the kiss make sense for the chaotic state of mind Wagner is currently in? Absolutely. Do I still think he has ulterior motives? Sort of. Is Morgan into it? Nope. But there’s something so human about how this kiss happens, and her reaction makes me even more certain of the fact that everything will be different with Karadec. It’s worth noting that she’s also in a vulnerable state when it all happens, given the intensity of the case and the momentary panic of having a gun pointed at her. None of that is easy to get through, and it’s going to take some time for her to really come out of it. If it weren’t Mother’s Day, the episode could’ve ended in an even darker place, so it’s riveting to see the turn of events in this episode and how it’s all going to lead us to the finale.
There’s a lot to appreciate about the fact that High Potential lets her feel her feelings and cry about them because it’s a huge part of her strength as a character. And in an episode where she’s essentially carrying the men on an emotional level, the fact that we see her let it all out when she should also be taken care of wrecked me a little. Because really, and again, while I don’t think she or Karadec has actually sat with their feelings, the flashes they burst out in are especially compelling for Morgan.
Because Kaitlin Olson does such a brilliant job of usually showing us when something’s off with Morgan, it ensures that the bathroom scene hits even harder. The way she lets herself feel, then instantly masks it and turns things around, is so telling because it’s exactly what she’s used to. She’s used to picking up the pieces and moving forward, and we get a singular reminder of that in this same episode when she tells Wagner that she had to get up every morning after Roman’s disappearance because Ava was a baby.
The way Olson says those exact words floored me because how she follows up with “Sometimes I wish Roman died,” also showcases the intensity of how this hunt for him is affecting her. Because then, she would’ve had answers for her daughter instead of the questions that led her to where she is today. It’s a loaded, heartbreaking thought, and the fact that it comes on Mother’s Day is even more saddening.
All that’s to say, I’m not shocked Wagner kisses Morgan, nor am I shocked that she lets it happen, especially while they’re both sober. The confusing cluster of emotions whirling inside of her at the exact moment it happens is exactly what makes it organic. In every way, it feels like a fleeting moment. It feels like nothing even if it’s something. And it’s riveting that it also comes right as Selena questions whether their captain’s involvement in the case is altruistic or not. While I don’t think Wagner is purely evil because we’ve seen glimpses of his goodness, he’s still not someone to trust fully.
More importantly, there’s a lot more to deconstruct with the way Karadec checks in on Morgan despite the fact that their screen time is limited in High Potential Season 2, Episode 17, “Second Sunday.”
“You did amazing down there” – Morgan and Karadec Continue to Be the Strongest Partners
Genuinely, what would’ve happened if Lucia didn’t walk in at that moment, because absolutely none of this was normal, necessary, or platonic. Were they just going to continue holding onto each other until they eventually somehow said bye to each other? Karadec’s been touching Morgan so frequently throughout Season 2, and it’s been fascinating to notice how effortless it all is. He isn’t thinking about any of these movements, but instead, it’s obvious that they’re deliberate decisions from the directing to showcase their closeness and the undeniable comfort they feel around each other.
It’s entirely why the kiss with Wagner doesn’t bother me one bit because the intimacy in Adam checking on Morgan is far deeper. He doesn’t just give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, but the choice to hold onto her as they talk is far more meaningful. Since joining their team, Morgan’s been through plenty, but having a gun pointed at her head is thus far the most traumatic. Karadec holding onto her is not only his way of fully reassuring himself that she’s safe and okay, but the conversation they’re having in silence also gives us a lot to think about.
I keep saying it, but Kaitlin Olson’s performance this season is everything. The way she immediately drops her shoulders as Karadec’s touch soothes her not only reveals how comfortable she is with him, but it also shows us that she’s fully aware of how safe she is when he’s around. (The difference in her body language here versus the kiss is also so obvious, because her walls are fully back up in the elevator.) For a split second, she can let go in the same way he can, and his reassurance that she did amazing is everything she needed to hear. It’s also so telling that she lets herself breakdown at the end of this episode again because it’s all too much. As tough as Morgan is, she isn’t a superhuman, and we see this so poignantly in this episode as she briefly unravels before she goes home to her kids.
Still, the way that Morgan and Karadec continue to look out for each other after every awful event is a big deal. The decisions she made in last week’s “Turn, Up the Heat” versus the metaphorical ones he’s making now are incredible. The fact that they’re the ones talking about his mom versus he and Lucia is also pointing out where the endgame relationship is, because otherwise, what are we even doing here if not planning for a future?
Based on where the finale takes us, I can’t imagine the two of them hiding this any longer. They might not be able to notice what’s right in front of them, but there’s no way Lucia wouldn’t start questioning everything she’s seeing. She’s too smart for that, and I have a feeling she’s going to be the one to ask the important questions that’ll force Adam to look inward. Or… he’ll find out about the kiss, and that’ll be his catalyst. Either way, while Season 3 feels like it’s too soon for them to get together, the domino pieces have to start falling.
Stray Thoughts
- You know an episode’s gonna be good when it opens with “Under Pressure.”
- Daphne’s fit once again slays.
- “You have a friend in dispatch?” “I have friends everywhere. Why is that weird?” I love her 😂
- Am I feeling bad for Wagner???
- I know you. We know, Karadec. We know. You don’t have to remind us in every episode, my guy. (Never stop.)
- “I had a baby.” Ava 😭
- Oof!! Wagner is actually making me feel?
- “You need me down there.”
- Should’ve been Karadec to defend Morgan but you know what.
- WHAT IS TBIS RNDINGvbbnnvvv there’s nothing platonic about this moment??!! – hey, so actual reaction to them holding onto each other and the way I fully started malfunctioning.
- “Don’t forget to call your mom.”
- Eric Hayworth is dead???!!
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on the High Potential Season 2, Episode 17, “Second Sunday?” Let us know in the comments below.
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