Finally, High Potential gives us Daphne fans something to work with.
High Potential Season 2 Episode 14 is an hour that delivers on all fronts and shows us exactly what the series can be when it succeeds at balancing everything.
Daphne took center stage after being an underused character; the entire team worked the case well, forward movement was made on the season’s biggest mystery, and there was a strong work/life balance for Morgan.
This is exactly how the series can rectify its tendency to sideline characters or drag out some of its plots.
And it’s also a prime example of how well the team can still function if more than just Morgan solves the cases.
That has often been a complaint about the series: for Morgan’s particular brand of genius to shine, it relegates the others to seeming incapable of solving a case on their own without her.
But “If You Come for the Queen” does subtle things that provide the balance in the bullpen that High Potential often needs.
For starters, we switched up the pairings. While Morgan and Karadec are often the ones people are tapped into, it’s nice to build on Morgan’s dynamics with the other characters.
More often than not, we’ve seen how her relationships with Karadec and Soto have evolved, especially all throughout High Potential Season 2, but we haven’t had that same luck with Daphne and Oz.
In a season that homes in on how close-knit the team has become and sells the familial vibes, the lack of onscreen time between Morgan and the others can sometimes undercut that very idea.
That’s why it works out brilliantly that the series addresses this on two fronts. We had the opportunity to see just how well Daphne and Morgan work as partners in the field, which was lacking during High Potential Season 2 Episode 10.
And we also got to witness the value Daphne has in Morgan’s life as a friend.
The beauty of Morgan working with the others is that she didn’t just find a job; she quietly built her own family. And that’s been proven with their devotion to finding Roman for her and fighting out what really happened.
But it’s smaller, more intimate things like Daphne being able to serve as a friend — as a confidant for Ava that really tug at the heartstrings.
We know how Morgan is with her children. She doesn’t trust just anyone, so it’s meaningful when she tells Daphne she trusts her implicitly with Ava.
And it’s particularly special that she recognizes that Daphne can offer something — be something — to Ava that Morgan simply cannot.
I loved that this hour actually tied both the murder investigation, attack on Dottie, and this element of Ava’s arc together under the umbrella of experiences by Black women, and they did it in a way that didn’t feel gimmicky or hamfisted.
Ava’s identity issues have always been at the core of her desire to find her father. No matter how much her family loves her, it’s difficult for her being the only person of color in her household.
There are just some aspects of her life and the things that she experiences that the rest of her family can’t understand. Yes, they can sympathize and feel hurt or angry on her behalf, but they can’t navigate these things for her.
Similarly, Ava has always struggled with not being HPI like her mother and brother.
It’s just another way she’s felt like the odd woman out, so learning bits and pieces about her father and holding on to the fact that she has some similarities to him has fueled her.
But that’s where the beauty of having a diverse group of friends comes in handy.
I felt her frustration when the excitement of getting into that design program faded, and when a jerk in her class implied she only succeeded because she was filling a quota.
It’s one of the most tired responses to someone’s accomplishments out there. That people still cling to it and suggest it so freely still is ridiculous. But it’s practically a rite of passage experience, especially for a woman of color.
Something about the double minority status really gets people going.
I loved how Daphne phrased it: the quiet disbelief that a Black Woman could be good at something.
You can see it at a micro level in your personal life, all the way up to a macro level, from professional athletes to politicians.
Hell, I lost count of how many similar incidents I had, especially in my academic years.
But I loved that Ava wasn’t so much heartbroken or doubting herself as she was generally annoyed by the whole ordeal. She didn’t doubt her worth or capabilities — she knows she’s good.
She just didn’t want to deal with being around people who would think less of her. After all, it’s exhausting subconsiously having to prove something to people when it’s unnecessary.
I loved that she confided in Morgan, even knowing her mother couldn’t understand fully, and then she felt comfortable enough to speak to Daphne about it.
And Daphne could offer some sound advice, but mostly they could just bond over such frustrations without letting those moments dim their lights.
Finding ways like that to ingratiate the characters into Morgan’s life, both in and beyond the bullpen, works well.
Daphne, still grappling with similar battles to prove herself, also panned out. It just goes to show that you never really stop second-guessing yourself or feeling the need to prove yourself.
That’s what made her presence during this hour so great. We rarely get to see her take the driver’s seat, and allowing her to do so for the sake of solving the near murder of her mentor opened up new avenues for her.
It was great to see Dottie return. She had a strong presence before, and I loved the extra layer of her also being a mother figure to Daphne. The complicated nature of their dynamic felt realistic, too.
Dottie wanted Daphne to truly aspire to be greater, rise high, because she knows Daphne is brilliant and capable. And Daphne resented the pressure. Part of it was not wanting to face the same walls that Dottie and Soto had faced.
Under any other circumstances, Daphne should’ve been the last person to lead this investigation, but it worked out well enough.
We got to see her leadership skills on display and how strong a detective she is in her natural state. She also bounces back from moments of doubt incredibly well.
What we got was a Strangers on a Train sort of situation where two pissed-off people made a murder pact to kill the other person’s nemesis.
The one guy at the gym killed his rival because he stole his following and was making more money. And Phyllis was raging because years ago she had planned to become a lawyer, but after jail time and a sorority hazing scandal, Dottie called out, and Phyllis’ life was ruined.
There was something to be said about the harsh crackdown on Phyllis specifically. It does sound like the system made an example of her. And Dottie’s success triggered her.
What happens to a dream deferred?
In Phyllis’ case, she fell off the deep end, and now she’s going back to prison. It’s actually quite sad. But a prescient case given how well the hour tackled its themes about experiences for women of color, namely Black women.
Daphne, Dottie, and Morgan were all forces to be reckoned with for the entire hour, and it made for an enjoyable segment.
Meanwhile, Soto got to pull a few more threads on the Roman case and made progress. They’ve identified Hayworth as the guy who took Roman all those years ago and who has been following Morgan.
But what’s interesting is that he’s more terrified of this mysterious woman he works for, who arranged all of this. For immunity, he’s willing to talk, but WHO IS THIS WOMAN?
So much of the Roman arc has felt like it stalled, so having this tidbit of valuable information now is satisfying.
But then the entire hour was satisfying. It’s exactly what High Potential could be if it learned how to tweak its minor flaws.
The team felt like a full, functioning unit with everyone having time to shine and working cohesively. There was a strong balance between Morgan’s work and home life.
The hour recognized that pairing characters with Morgan is key to letting them level up and flourish, getting the development they deserve.
It also allowed everyone to contribute in meaningful ways to the case, so it didn’t just feel like Morgan was running the show and that no one else could piece things together.
Morgan’s personal life arcs were as compelling as the case-oriented stuff. And they fed us enough about the overarching mystery to keep us interested. More of this, please!
Over to you, High Potential Fanatics. Did you love this Daphne-centric?!
Let’s discuss everything below, so I’ll see you in the comments. And please, keep supporting indie sites like ours. We appreciate it!
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