The more viewers wanted Morgan and Karadec to get together on High Potential, the more the writers decided to put other people in their way. Kaitlin Olson, who plays Morgan and also works as an executive producer, recently explained that the team behind the ABC show used fan excitement as a reason to delay the pairing.
Olson told Variety that the second season’s romantic storylines came directly from viewers jumping on the Morgan-Karadec bandwagon. She said the team found it funny how much people wanted to see the two characters become a couple. Instead of giving fans what they asked for, the writers went in the opposite direction.
“I just thought that was so funny. We talked about it, and I was like, ‘You can’t just jump right into that, because where do you go from there?’” – Kaitlin Olson to Variety
The solution was simple. Give both characters separate love interests. Morgan got involved with Nick Wagner, the new captain played by Steve Howey. Karadec reconnected with his former fiancee Lucia, played by Susan Kelechi Watson.
Fan Excitement Changed The Writing Direction
The show’s team paid close attention to online conversations. Viewers noticed the chemistry between Morgan and Karadec early in the series. Social media lit up with comments about the pair. Reddit threads discussed every small look and shared moment between the two characters.
One fan wrote on Reddit after watching Season 2 Episode 11: “OK, I know it’s literally just the first scene of Karadec and Lucia in S2EP11… but are we seriously not going to talk about this? On one hand, we’ve got Morgan and Karadec with all the slow-burn buildup, emotional trust, and very intentional moments between them. On the other hand… Lucia is suddenly back in the picture.”
Another viewer pointed out that even with new love interests appearing, the Morgan-Karadec connection was never going to happen quickly. “Even if Morgan and Karadec eventually do get together, the show is so clearly setting this up as the slowest of slow burns – it was never going to happen this season or probably even next,” the fan wrote.
Both Season 2 Relationships Ended Badly
The show did not hold back on destroying both new romances by the end of Season 2. Wagner got stabbed multiple times and was left bleeding in a park. Steve Howey is not returning as a series regular for Season 3. His character may appear briefly to wrap things up, but the relationship with Morgan is finished.
Lucia’s fate turned out even worse. In the season finale, viewers learned she helped an ex-boyfriend commit a serious crime that led to a woman’s death. Karadec, who is a detective through and through, had no choice but to arrest her. There is no coming back from that.
Showrunner Todd Harthan explained the thinking behind ending the Karadec-Lucia relationship so harshly. He told reporters that Karadec is a cop at his core. The character turned in his own father for being connected to a crime family. Of course he would arrest an ex-girlfriend who helped cover up a murder.
The season finale left both relationships dead. Wagner may or may not survive his injuries. Lucia is going to prison. The path is now clear for Morgan and Karadec to explore their connection in Season 3.
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ABC Renewed The Show For Season 3
High Potential will return for a third season. ABC announced the renewal in March 2026, weeks before the Season 2 finale aired. Most of the main cast is expected to come back, including Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata, Judy Reyes, and Javicia Leslie.
The big question for Season 3 is whether the show will finally bring Morgan and Karadec together. Fans have waited through two seasons of near misses, separate love interests, and plenty of meaningful looks. With both Wagner and Lucia out of the picture, the writers have nowhere left to hide.
One fan summed up the situation perfectly on social media: “They gave us everything we didn’t ask for in Season 2 because we asked for what we actually wanted. Now in Season 3, they have no excuse.”
The show airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC. Season 2 episodes are available for streaming on Hulu.
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