TV Recap: 'High Potential' — Morgan Takes on Internal Affairs and a Military Cover-Up

Season 2 of High Potential has been tightening the screws on Morgan Gillory, but “Grounded” flips the pressure into overdrive. What starts as a baffling mid-air murder quickly becomes the case that jeopardizes Morgan’s entire future with LAPD. Between a HALO instructor dropping dead mid-jump, a defense contractor covering its tracks, and Internal Affairs gunning for her badge, Morgan suddenly finds herself fighting two battles at once — solve a murder no one else can crack, and stop Solomon from ending her career before she can prove why the team needs her.

Season 2, Episode 10: “Grounded” - Written by Nicole French & Marqui Jackson

A routine HALO jump turns deadly when instructor Captain Alonso Padilla (Tristyn J. Rowlan) fails to regain consciousness after a limp landing.

Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) and Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) arrive at the drop zone, where the medical examiner confirms the death is no accident: Padilla was murdered. A note found in his jumpsuit — “I know what you’re doing. Stop or die.” — draws Morgan’s eye. She quickly determines the paper is older than it looks, thanks to the halo of faded ink, meaning the threat was written days earlier.

The students are interviewed. Ethan (Konstantin Melikhov), who has only known Padilla a few weeks, reports nothing unusual and suggests they speak with Tina (Shellie Sterling), owner of the jump company. Tina confirms Padilla’s military past was a sensitive topic, and breaks down before she can finish her thought. In Padilla’s locker, Morgan finds a blank white magnetic keycard, even though the facility only uses metal keys.

Back at LAPD, the Medical Examiner’s report arrives unusually quickly, listing the cause of death as hypoxia. Internal Affairs lieutenant Solomon (Jesse Bradford) storms in, furious that Morgan “pressured” the ME into a $12,000 rush job. Morgan is blindsided; Soto (Judy Reyes) insists it won’t happen again. Solomon declares this is part of a larger pattern — and informs Morgan she’s being sent to the Detective Training Academy (DTA). If she doesn’t pass, she’s out. Morgan laughs… until she realizes he’s serious.

Karadec escorts her to the DTA, reminding her to keep an open mind. Instructor Dottie Reynolds (Michael Hyatt) introduces herself, already well-briefed on Morgan’s “memos.” When Morgan asks if she can just jump to the exam, Dottie shuts it down.

Meanwhile, Captain Nick Wagner (Steve Howey) visits Soto for answers about Morgan’s sudden reassignment. Soto doesn’t appreciate that he went above her head to keep JAG away from Padilla’s case. Down a detective, Wagner insists on joining Karadec at the victim’s house.

At Padilla’s immaculately clean home, Wagner wants to seize his laptop while lecturing Karadec on how military discipline can make someone “good at bending rules.” Their argument is interrupted by a noise upstairs — followed by a figure jumping out the window. After a chase through the neighborhood, Wagner corners the runner: Ethan.

In interrogation, Ethan reveals his brother Silas was an Air Force test pilot who died by suicide last week. Padilla was his therapist. Ethan angrily blames Padilla for “failing him.” After Silas’ funeral, Ethan confronted Padilla — and now wants to know how he died mid-air. He won’t say why he broke into the house.

Wagner overrides Soto and orders Oz (Dennis Akdeniz) and Daphne (Javicia Leslie) to search Ethan’s home.

Soto receives a call from an unknown number — Arthur Ellis (Mekhi Phifer). He says he’s been “off the grid,” evading the man hunting him. Soto urges protective custody, but Arthur refuses. This pursuer likely knows where Roman is, he says. He hangs up.

Karadec brings lunch to Morgan at DTA and reminds her — again — not to contact the team. He’s interrupted with a text: Dr. Maeve Sloan (Sarah Jane Morris), flight surgeon where Padilla worked, can meet immediately.

At the Air Force base, Dr. Sloan gives Wagner and Karadec a tour. After Silas Wolf died, Padilla became alarmed about his patients, requesting medical workups and grounding several pilots. Sloan can’t share names, but she opens Padilla’s office using a magnetic keycard — matching the one found in his locker, adding that they’re used for everything in the building, even the printers. Inside, Karadec spots a picture frame far thicker than necessary. Behind it is a hidden corkboard covered in cryptic images and symbols.

The board is taken to LAPD, where Oz and Daphne attempt to decode it. “If only we had someone good at puzzles,” Wagner smirks — then orders Karadec to text a photo of the board to Morgan.

At DTA, Dottie presents a staged crime scene. Morgan instantly concludes it wasn’t a robbery but a hasty jump, picking up a clue the rest of the class missed. While Dottie lectures, Morgan’s phone buzzes with the photo of Padilla’s board. She visualizes the puzzle and calls Karadec… before Dottie catches her and forces her off the phone.

Her interpretation: the colors and symbols are coded PTSD symptoms — but synchronized in a way that suggests something else is causing them.

One symbol remains unidentified: Cadmus, associated with Flagstone Defense Systems.

Karadec and Wagner return to Ethan’s cell. Ethan explains Padilla suspected the Air Force’s new Cadmus aircraft wasn’t delivering enough oxygen to the cockpit. Silas didn’t have PTSD — he had hypoxia. Padilla asked Ethan, an aerospace engineer at Flagstone, for help diagnosing the problem. After Padilla’s death, Ethan broke into his home to search for the evidence that could prove what happened to his brother.

Wagner and Karadec confront Ramsay Pike (Joe Chriest), Flagstone’s lead engineer. He stonewalls them, denying any mechanical link and insisting they return with a warrant if they want to see records.

Wagner secretly texts Morgan asking her to speed up Padilla’s laptop decryption. She’s in DTA and raises her hand in class, asking Dottie about TID — digital protection. Dottie loves the enthusiasm and takes the class to TID on a field trip.

Morgan uses the moment to slip under a desk, calling Karadec. She’s discovered Padilla’s password and sees that there’s something stuck in the printer queue. They test a theory — using Padilla’s keycard to trigger the print — and it works. The printer spits out documents proving Pike knew about the fatal oxygen flaw on Cadmus aircraft and planned to fix it only after product launch. Dottie catches Morgan under the desk.

Morgan is summoned to Solomon. Dottie’s evaluation is glowing: Morgan is unconventional, but her insight is invaluable. Solomon rejects the recommendation. Morgan will be fired as of tomorrow.

Wagner steps into Soto’s office, saying he heard about Morgan’s firing and claiming he “had to use a valuable asset who knew the risks.” That’s the final straw. Soto unleashes everything she’s been holding back: that he took over her office, hijacked her case, undercut her in front of her team, and constantly lorded his rank over her. She tells him, point-blank, that from now on he will treat her and her detectives with respect — and dares him to fire her if he has a problem with that. Wagner, taken aback, quietly replies, “Understood,” before leaving her office.

The team mourns the loss of their secret weapon. But Morgan strolls in anyway. Soto tries to send her home. Morgan reminds them: if Solomon doesn’t file the paperwork before 6 p.m., she’s still technically employed. They have until tomorrow.

Soto pulls Morgan aside, updating her on Arthur’s situation. Morgan is grateful — and then notices a janitor using a weak cleaning spray. Suddenly, everything clicks: the chemical signature, the oxygen valve flaw, the color-coded symptoms. “I figured it out.”

At Flagstone, Morgan, Karadec, and Wagner face Pike. Silas Wolf’s death alerted Padilla to a systemic problem. When Pike realized Padilla was grounding pilots, he followed him to the HALO jump. The oxygen valve in Padilla’s mask couldn’t withstand extreme temperature changes, leading to hypercapnia — a fatal buildup of CO₂. Satellite footage shows Pike breaking into Padilla’s locker before the murder. He’s arrested on the spot.

Wagner is called to Soto’s office. She hands him a manila envelope. Inside is ammunition against Solomon — photos of him with the chief’s wife. Wagner is stunned. Soto simply says, “Solomon went after one of our own.”

Later, she waits for Solomon in the hallway. She reminds him that Morgan just saved the lives of decorated service members. He says it isn't enough. She hands him the envelope. He asks, “Is this really how you want to play this?” Solomon backs down.

That night, Morgan is at home making banana splits for one when Soto knocks. She shares the good news: “Solomon’s had a change of heart.” Morgan doesn’t buy that it “just worked out.” Soto only replies, “Take the win. Let it go.” Morgan asks what she did. Soto smiles: “Nothing you wouldn’t do for me.”

Next Episode: “NPC” - Airing Tuesday, January 27th, at 9/8c on ABC.

When a former esports champion is mysteriously murdered, both his gaming rival and a sushi chef are under suspicion. Time spent with Elliot unexpectedly provides Morgan with insights on the case. Karadec reconnects with a woman from his past.

Songs Featured in This Episode:

• “New Kind of Light” by Izzy Harlow & Viv Parker