High Potential parents guide: This quirky crime drama is something for the teens

High Potential is one of the new broadcast shows on ABC this fall. It’s based on the French series HPI, and it’s a must-watch for those who love quirky shows. The question is whether it’s suitable for kids or not.

High Potential stars Kaitlin Olson as Morgan, a single mom of three who works as a cleaning lady for the local police department. When she spots an issue with the detectives’ work, she fixes it for them and aids them in solving the case. That leads to her being offered an opportunity to consult.

After all, she has a high IQ that allows her to see things that others don’t. When she’s given a puzzle, she has to solve it, which means she will see a case through to the end.

This is a fun series to check out, and it’s something that could work for older teens. There are a few life lessons built into the story as well.

High Potential is a soft TV-14 show

The official age rating for the series is TV-14, which is the same as a PG-13 movie. While it is aimed more towards adults, it can work for teenagers. Here’s a breakdown to see why this is a softer TV-14 show (at least, two episodes in).

Sex & nudity: The series focuses on the crime scenes and on the family drama in Morgan’s life. There has been no sex or nudity in the series so far. The third episode will focus on a man in the bathtub, but nothing will be shown on screen. This is a broadcast series, and ABC has strict rules about sex and nudity on the screen. The most we’ll expect is some implied sex.

Language: The worst that has been shown is someone flipping the finger on the series. There has been no use of the S-word or the F-bomb. The worst word used in terms of profanity has been “Jesus” so far. There may be uses of “hell” and “damn” in future episodes, which is pretty normal for a show like this. Sometimes, the B-word is dropped in these types of shows, usually with the line “son of a B.”

Violence & gore: While this is a crime drama, there isn’t a heavy amount of gore within the series. The bodies aren’t on show for too long, usually with a focus on the crime scene photos rather than the actual showing of the crime scene. We do sometimes see the crimes acted out, but this is Morgan usually trying to work out how it could have happened in her head, and there is nothing visibly gory shown on the screen.

The promo for episode 3 does show a chase through a hotel kitchen, with the man being chased holding a knife. It’s not sure what he’ll do there, but we are expecting a little bit of violence. It’s likely on the level of NCIS and FBI.

Alcohol & drugs: There is some casual drinking here and there. For example, the trailer for the third episode shows Morgan and Karadec drinking at a bar. However, there is no glorified drug use or drinking.

Overall verdict: Who is High Potential appropriate for?

The series is TV-14, and it certainly earns that. This is something that you can watch with older teens if they’re interested in it. It’s quirky and fun, and it gives a different look at life. This is a single mom trying to make things work, and she has the chance to do that. I also love that we see a dad who wants to be there for his kids and co-parents with his ex, which is a positive look at how parenting should be.

High Potential airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on ABC. Catch up on Hulu.