Kaitlin Olsen has never starred in a project that didn’t leave me wheezing with laughter. Between “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” and “The Mick,” Olsen’s comedic timing is unique, quirky and hilarious.
She’s back at it again with the show “High Potential,” which recently ended its first season (and season 2 is in the works). Olsen’s character Morgan has a 160 IQ, but even still, the single mom has mostly found herself in dead-end jobs that don’t utilize her genius — until she helps solve a murder during a janitor stint at the police station. Morgan is brought on as a consultant, noticing patterns that the detectives don’t often see.
Procedurals may be a dime a dozen, but it’s always refreshing when a series manages to revamp the genre and create something new. “High Potential” manages to do that, and the viewership ratings speak for themselves. Now that season 1 has ended, fans are likely itching for more shows like “High Potential” to stream. Here are our picks.
'The Mick'
People really slept on “The Mick” when it came out, but Olsen’s comedy series is brilliant. Trainwreck character Mackenzie is tasked with looking after her niece and nephews when their parents get arrested for fraud and tax evasion. The two oldest kids are spoiled brats while the youngest is a sweet-as-pie kid who slowly becomes a bit of an arsonist. Oops.
Like Morgan, Mackenzie is highly intelligent but doesn’t have much going for her in the career department at the start of the show. Though Morgan is a genuinely good mom, Mackenzie kind of tries but her chaotic life choices throw the family into turmoil more often than not — resulting in Ben’s (Jack Stanton) spiral from a cute kid to demonstrating borderline sociopathic tendencies. I love a good unhinged show, so naturally, I’m drawn to “The Mick.” It’s fairly similar in vibes to “High Potential” while remaining entirely different.
►Watch on Hulu
'Suits'
The beloved nine-season series “Suits” may not be as comedic as “High Potential,” but the leads have a lot in common. Mike (Patrick J. Adams) begins the series with an ill-fated drug run to supplement his underpaid jobs like a bike messenger gig and taking the bar exam for lawyer hopefuls. Unfortunately for Mike, none of them pay well enough to fund his grandmother’s $25K nursing home bill. Given that Mike’s friend Trevor is the worst, he constantly brings down Mike, who’s a certified genius with an eidetic memory. Of course, this prevents Mike from living up to his high potential — emphasis on the high. Mike nearly gets caught with a suitcase of pot before stumbling into a job interview for an associate position at the esteemed law firm Pearson Hardman.
Despite Mike not having a law degree or passing the bar under his own name, the very bored firm partner Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) commits fraud with Mike, who moonlights as a lawyer. Hijinks ensue as the dynamic duo tries to prevent anyone from discovering Mike’s deception in the midst of court cases and feuds with lawyers, judges and prosecutors alike.
Like Morgan, Mike’s high intellect allows him to excel at many aspects of the job, while his lack of training and know-how often gets him into trouble at the beginning of the series (as well as his compassion causing him to go rogue in the world of corporate law). Yet despite his genius, there are some things you can only learn from law school (unless you have Harvey Specter in your corner). I can’t pinpoint precisely why this is one of my favorite shows, as it’s not necessarily the genre I’m most drawn to, but I’m a sucker for found family and dynamics like Harvey and Mike’s.
►Watch on Netflix
'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'
When it comes to kooky procedurals, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is one of the best. Lead Jake Peralta is a combo of immaturity, intelligence and street smarts, which is a similar vibe to “High Potential.” Between orchestrating a Backstreet Boys medley during a murder suspect lineup and helming a Halloween Heist, Jake (Andy Samberg) gets the job done via his own chaotic process accompanied by a slew of “Die Hard” quotes.
Jake isn’t the only quirky NYPD character in the show, either. The entire group of misfits are highly effective if not unconventional and a little weird — but we love to see it. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is certainly one of the most original and goofy procedurals, but it still manages to tackle important subjects like racism and homophobia. There’s a brand of humor for just about every personality, yet they all manage to meld together to create a cohesive show.
►Watch on Peacock
'Psych'
We love a good quirky consultant procedural. Here we have yet another borderline genius who finds himself in the throes of police work when Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) moonlights his keen observational skills as psychic abilities. As you can probably tell by the premise, “Psych” doesn’t take itself too seriously. Shawn solves crimes in the most outrageous way possible alongside his sidekick Gus (aka Magic Eight-Ball Head, Ghee Buttersnaps and Felicia Fancybottom), played by Dulé Hill.
Shawn and Gus, or T.T. Showbiz, start their own psych agency where they help solve murders for the Santa Barbara police department as well as take on their own clients. Between a musical episode, nonstop shenanigans and flashbacks of Shawn’s dad honing his ridiculously intuitive observational skills, it’s a fun, delightful show that “High Potential” fans will no doubt love.
►Watch on Peacock
'White Collar'
There’s nothing like enlisting a criminal to help take down other criminals. In “White Collar,” conman Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) gets sprung from prison by the FBI agent (Tim DeKay) who landed him in jail. The catch? Neal has to use his street smarts and forgery expertise to help Agent Burke catch fellow white-collar criminals — all with the help of beloved weirdo, current criminal, and conspiracy theorist Mozzie (Willie Garson).
Once again, Neal is highly intelligent, but uses his gifts to forge and steal art instead of pursuing a job like the FBI or even creating his own art (which he would definitely succeed at — the guy is gifted enough to forge the best artists in history). Like many other misfit shows, the series has a strong found family angle and Mozzie gives audiences plenty to laugh about.
►Watch on Netflix
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