Recap: High Potential "The One That Got Away" Fall Finale

 

When a piece of art is stolen, will Morgan, Kardec, and Co. catch the suspect? Here's a recap and review of the fall finale of High Potential "The One That Got Away."

When a priceless work of art is stolen, Morgan realizes this isn't just about money; if it were, the thief would have stolen a much more expensive painting. Instead, this stolen artwork seemed personal, and this episode clearly shows that after interviewing the owners. The original owners, back in 1939, were a family who would love to have it back as a cherished memory of their childhood with their father.  

While working with an art consultant to find the missing painting, Morgan notices the consultant takes a suspicious phone call. Later, at the crime scene—this time on the roof—an envelope is dropped off containing a photo of the painting, a ransom note, and a time for a meeting.

This development infuriates the new Wanger, who benches both Morgan and Karadec and heads to the meeting spot himself. However, as Wanger and Karadec wait, a distraction is made, and the suspect drives off—only to be found dead later.

Meanwhile, a frustrated Morgan goes for drinks with the art consultant, which eventually leads back to her place. When things get frisky, she makes a shocking discovery: a scar on his back that perfectly matches the description of the art thief. Could he be the one?

Morgan takes the risk of giving Soto Roman's backpack to look into, keeping Wanger out of the loop, although Wanger is clearly aware that something is happening. Soto only finds one clue: a photo of a mysterious man. The mystery explodes in the final moments when the very man in question meets Arthur, aggressively demanding the backpack. Uh oh!

"The One That Got Away" truly delivered as a fall finale, successfully escalating the dramatic events for a major cliffhanger. The sudden turn with the art consultant being the potential thief, coupled with the mysterious man confronting Arthur, left the audience hanging. Arthur, who had been followed earlier in the episode, is clearly now linked to the dangerous individual seeking Roman's contents. Is this mysterious man Roman? Someone tied to Roman's past? Or perhaps someone working with Wanger? (Wanger, for his part, definitely seemed to know what Soto was up to.)

Amidst the high tension, the episode had a profoundly moving moment between Ava and Arthur. Ava’s continuous questions about what her dad, Roman, was like—as she clearly wants to know more and more about her father—was heartwarming and felt like the emotional core of the episode.

This was a well-written, dramatic hour that sets up an explosive return. I can't wait until the season resumes in January to see where these mysteries will lead. Overall, I give this episode an 8.6/10.

What did you think of the fall finale of High Potential? Who do you think is the mysterious man who's looking for Roman's backpack? Leave your comments! 

You can catch High Potential when it returns Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 9/8c on ABC and with all episodes available on Hulu.