Will There Be a Season 2 of “High Potential?” All About Season 1’s Shocking Ending — and How the Show Plans to ‘Kick It Up a Notch’

The season 1 finale of High Potential provided clues to lingering mysteries — while also leaving viewers with even more unanswered questions.

Based on the French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI), the ABC drama follows Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), a single mother of three with a genius-level IQ who initially works as a cleaner for the Los Angeles Police Department. But when her remarkable crime-solving abilities catch the attention of seasoned detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), she enters an unexpected partnership.

In return for her investigative expertise, major crimes lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes) agrees to reopen the case surrounding Morgan’s estranged ex-husband Roman, who vanished 15 years ago.

Although the finale delivered significant revelations, it also raised the stakes with unsolved crimes and dramatic cliffhangers. It finally addressed Roman’s fate, introduced a mysterious new character and left fans speculating about the show's future.

So, will there be a season 2 of High Potential? Here's everything to know about season 1's twist ending — and what it means for the future of the show.

Warning: High Potential spoilers ahead!

How did High Potential season 1 end?

In the High Potential season 1 finale, the LAPD team receives a tip with an image attached of a man being held hostage, with a note that read, "Spencer Wallace wouldn't play with me, will you?"

The man being held hostage — who they assume is Wallace — also holds a sign that tells them they have two hours to make their "move," pulling them into a twisted game set up by the kidnapper.

Morgan, Karadec, Oz (Deniz Akdeniz) and Daphne (Javicia Leslie) race to solve the riddles and puzzles, hoping to catch the criminal and save the victim.

Initially, the team believed the kidnapper to be a man named David, who had been targeting members of a grief group he attended. But they have the wrong man.

Who is the kidnapper in the High Potential season 1 finale?

As it turns out, the kidnapper has stolen the identity of the real David, who has been in a rehab facility for the last four months.

The major crimes team, except for Morgan, eventually uncovers the truth. Before they can act, though, the real kidnapper (David Giuntoli) alters his appearance, blending into the crowd as an ordinary young man — just in time to cross paths with Morgan.

While loading groceries into her car with her kids, a "stranger" casually picks up a fallen item and places it in her bag. While it appears to be a wholesome moment, Morgan arrives home and discovers a pack of cards that reads, "You're the one, Morgan. We shall play again. Me and you."

Thus, despite the team's best efforts, it becomes Morgan’s first unsolved case of the season — and the mystery kidnapper's true identity remains unknown.

What happened to Roman in the High Potential season 1 finale?

Roman's disappearance remained an underlying mystery throughout all of season 1 — and there was a major update in the final moments of the finale when Morgan received a call from Karadec.

As it turns out, Roman is alive.

Will there be a season 2 of High Potential?

Good news High Potential fans — the story isn't over just yet. The series was renewed by ABC in January 2025, though no release date for season 2 has been announced.

What have the cast and crew said about High Potential season 2?

With the series renewed for season 2, High Potential fans can look forward to those cliffhangers being addressed soon enough. Showrunner Todd Harthan told The Wrap that he has a "pretty healthy plan" for how season 2 will begin.

“I think one of the big mistakes that shows make is [saying] ‘Oh, let’s put a pin in both those cliffhangers, and we’ll get to them later,’ ... you should probably satisfy one or the other so the audience doesn’t get pissed," he said.

But that doesn't mean Harthan isn't planning to complicate it further. "The promise in Season 2 is to answer some other big questions, but also deepen the mystery before we really unpack too much or introduce somebody too soon," he explained.

Plus, now that it has been established that Roman is alive and accounted for, Harthan confirmed to TVLine that his storyline will get more screen time in the future — and be more of a "deeper dive."

“I think it has to kick up a notch,” he said. “If I keep it at the same level, just dipping our toe in the water instead of jumping into the pool, that’s the kind of thing that might frustrate the audience. So I think we have to find meaningful upgrades and give them bigger bites of story, if you will, in Season 2."

As for whether or not Tom (JD Parto) — who shared a dance with Morgan at the police gala — will return to season 2, Harthan admitted that although he hasn't necessarily "mapped it out," he hasn't ruled it out either.

“I love the guy, and I love the character,” he shared. “There’s a lot of affection, and nobody did anything bad to each other. There’s a lovely thing there, so who knows?”

Meanwhile, Amirah J, who plays Morgan and Roman's daughter Ava, told ABC ahead of the finale that she is eager to see how her character's past has shaped her into who she is now in the upcoming season.

"I'm really excited just to kind of see more about her upbringing and kind of what her life was like when it was just her and Morgan for those few years before her siblings came," she said.

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