Warning: This story contains spoilers from the premiere of “High Potential.”

After making a name for herself as one of the four deadbeats on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (and more recently “Hacks”), Kaitlin Olson enters the world of network procedurals on ABC’s “High Potential” in a move that surprised even herself.

“My agent came to me with this idea and gave me a synopsis, and I was like, ‘Wow, that doesn’t sound like what I thought I would do next,’” Olson told TheWrap, adding that her opinion quickly changed after reading series creator Drew Goddard’s script. “It’s so hard to balance character and heart and soul with a dramatic procedural — it just takes a certain intelligence and talent and creativity to be able to do that, and I just thought he did it so seamlessly.”

In “High Potential,” based on the French series “Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI),” Olson plays Morgan, a single mother whose exceptional mind and unconventional talent for solving crimes leads to a partnership with the local police.

For Olson, “High Potential” checked a number of boxes for her as a fan of procedurals, true crime and character-driven projects. But what’s most striking is how much the ABC drama differs from her previous comedic roles.

“I always want to do something different — I’ve got the sweet D’s down,” Olson said, referring to Dee in “Always Sunny” and DJ in “Hacks,” for which she was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 76th Emmys. “I wanted to do a completely different character, and this was just so versatile, I couldn’t say no.”

“High Potential” underwent a showrunner change earlier this summer, with “The Resident” showrunner Todd Harthan taking over the reins from former boss Rob Thomas. While Harthan and Olson solidified their vision of “High Potential” as a “very grounded, very intense crime procedural,” Olson said the shift helped refine the tone of the freshman show as it walked the line between comedy and drama.

“My character comes in and she’s weird and interesting and fun and funny, but also a down-to-earth, real person. There are plenty of people in the world who are in serious situations and they deal with it with humor,” Olson said. “You can combine those two things, but the world itself has to be believable.”

While a high IQ and special cognitive abilities may seem like a dream to outsiders, for Morgan it’s actually quite exhausting and sometimes “painful,” with Olson saying, “There’s a lot going on in her head — everyone else is wrong. It’s exhausting being right all the time and having to explain yourself.”

“I like the humanity of it — I didn’t want to lean into, like, ‘She’s so smart and that’s so cool.’ She doesn’t broadcast it at all,” Olson said. “She’s just a person and a mother, and she’s a fighter, and she’s had a lot of jobs and a lot of failed relationships, but she keeps going for her kids. I imagine she’s had a pretty challenging life, and I find that much more interesting.”

Despite moving on to a very different project than her previous comedies, Olson admits she brought some of the sass of her previous characters to “High Potential,” especially when Morgan talks to someone who doubts her. “It’s hard not to show that; there’s very little of it,” Olson said. “I like a character who stands up for herself and is loud.”

By the time viewers meet Morgan in “High Potential,” the protagonist has three children from two different fathers, one of whom Morgan believes is missing, leading to a somewhat busy life that leaves her feeling alone. “I think she feels very alone and she has to figure everything out on her own because people either can’t do it or don’t believe her,” Olson said. “She may not know the details, but she knows she’s right because she’s probably always right in some way.”

After Morgan steps outside the boundaries of her janitorial job to correct an evidence board that she thinks points to the wrong victim, she draws the attention of the local police, led by seasoned detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) and Selena Soto (Judy Reyes). While the rules of law enforcement don’t exactly mesh with Morgan’s pick-and-choose mentality, Olson sees Morgan’s partnership with the police as “the first time she’s been able to use her brain in a productive way that challenges her.”

In the first episode, Morgan is offered a job as a police consultant. She initially declines the offer, but eventually accepts it, but under a few conditions: a pay raise, childcare, and an investigation into her missing ex and the father of her daughter, Roman.

Olson attributes Morgan’s desire to move on to her trust in Soto, who Morgan describes as “authentic and honest,” and to her bond with her daughter Ava (Amirah J).

“A big reason Morgan wants to find Roman is because she doesn’t want Ava to feel like she’s not worthy of having a parent stay with her,” Olson said. “It’s all about her connection with her daughter and making sure Ava feels … valued and loved and perfect just the way she is, and not someone a father would walk away from.”

While Ava encourages Morgan to make peace with the fact that Roman left their family, Morgan trusts her own instincts that he was happy.

“There was nothing wrong. They had a great relationship. They had a baby together, and to her he was gone, he didn’t leave,” Olson said. “She just holds on to that. I don’t think she’s lying to herself at this point. I think she really believes he wouldn’t have left.”

“High Potential” airs Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

The post ‘High Potential’ Star Kaitlin Olson Talks Balancing ‘Heart and Soul’ With Procedural Antics in New ABC Drama appeared first on TheWrap.