Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for High Potential Season 2, Episode 7.After seven episodes, High Potential has officially wrapped up the first half of its second season, and I already can’t wait for it to return in the spring. The mid-Season 2 finale, “The One That Got Away,” introduces a new case that will continue into the back half of the season. Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) and the rest of the Major Crimes team investigate the case of a stolen painting, which – as Morgan points out – is a change of pace for them.
As it turns out, though, this stolen painting is only the tip of the iceberg, and there’s a much larger conspiracy at play that they have yet to uncover. The episode is a suspenseful and thrilling one that sets up some intense and dangerous storylines alongside some compelling emotional conflict. It moves the Roman Sinquerra mystery along as well, and although I would’ve preferred that Roman be introduced by now, I think the payoff is going to be worth it.
In ‘High Potential’s Mid-Season 2 Finale, Major Crimes Investigates a Stolen Rembrandt
When a Rembrandt worth 22 million dollars is stolen from a local museum, Morgan and Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) are brought in to investigate. As it turns out, the painting was lent to the museum by a couple named the Fosters, Linda (Tricia O’Kelley) and Greg (Joel de la Fuente), who are concerned about its whereabouts. Morgan realizes that there were way more expensive paintings at the museum, so it was stolen for personal reasons, not for money. An art recovery specialist, Rhys Eastman (Aiden Turner), is brought in on behalf of the Fosters’ insurance company to help Major Crimes recover the painting. Morgan, Karadec, and Rhys go to see the Fosters together, and Rhys tells them that he believes the thief will end up calling him to sell the painting, where he can then get it back.
Aluminum oxide was found at the crime scene and another years before, so Major Crimes realizes that this could be a serial thief known by a potentially fake name, Jean Baptiste. Daphne (Javicia Leslie) learns that someone named Ari Weisman (Jon Abrahams) had sued for the Rembrandt, claiming to be the rightful owner. Ari’s grandmother, Miriam (Rita Zohar), had grown up in Kraków, and her father bought that painting for her family. Miriam’s family was killed in the Holocaust, and the painting was stolen from them. When Karadec tells Morgan that they can’t solve the theft of the original painting for Miriam, she follows Rhys to the roof of the museum, where he’s supposed to meet someone who has the painting.
There is nobody there to meet Rhys when he and Morgan arrive, but the museum director gives Rhys an envelope that was left for him with a location, a time, and a request for $500,000. When Morgan returns to the station, though, Wagner (Steve Howey) unfairly berates her in front of the entire station. She absolutely should’ve checked in with Karadec before going, but Wagner is unnecessarily harsh, proving once again why we can’t like or trust him. He wants to be Morgan’s friend and love interest, yet he also wants to be able to play the boss by getting way too involved with Major Crimes and yelling at Morgan in front of everyone. He then takes Karadec with him to go to the ransom location (which is definitely not his job as Captain), leaving Morgan behind to go cool down with Rhys over drinks.
While waiting at the ransom location, Karadec warns Wagner not to speak to Morgan like that again, and then Wagner tries to manipulate Karadec into telling him the details of Roman’s case (which definitely makes him look even guiltier). Karadec and Wagner’s trip to the ransom location is a bust, mostly due to Wagner going rogue and letting his ego ruin everything. At the bar, Rhys opens up to Morgan about being bullied growing up and how art made him feel like everyone else. They later go up to his hotel room and make out, until Morgan realizes that Rhys is the art thief. At that exact moment, Karadec calls to tell her that a dead body was found at the museum, so Rhys very well may be more dangerous than he lets on… and he’s probably not working alone.
‘High Potential’s Mid-Season 2 Finale Makes It Clear That Roman’s Backpack Is Very Important
At the start of the episode, Arthur (Mekhi Phifer) calls Morgan to tell her that he’s been being followed since giving her Roman’s backpack. He warns her to be careful, but she gives the backpack to Selena (Judy Reyes) and asks her to figure out the meaning of the things inside. Morgan decides to keep the investigation to just the four people at Major Crimes she can trust, so Selena gets Daphne and Oz (Deniz Akdeniz) to help her. Most of the contents of the backpack are a dead end, but they do find a match with a photo of a man. Ava (Amirah J) finds Arthur’s business card in Morgan’s room and calls to ask him about Roman. He says that they should have a sit-down at the diner at some point with Morgan about Roman after Ava has her permission, but he also tells Ava what a great person Roman is.
Later, Arthur finds a man waiting for him in his car who threatens him about the backpack, and it’s the very same man from the photos (John Pyper-Ferguson). Like the Season 1 finale, the mid-Season 2 finale ends with a twist related to the Roman case, and the first part of what will be a continuing case. Rhys doesn’t seem nearly as evil as the Game Maker (David Giuntoli), but he’s clearly willing to do a lot to get what he wants, and his motives have yet to be revealed. It’s an intense and shocking end to the first half of the season, and I look forward to getting some answers and finally meeting Roman when High Potential returns in 2026.
High Potential will return to ABC in 2026.
