High Potential returns with Season 2, Episode 4, “Behind the Music,” and the case-of-the-week ties a present-day death to a decades-old crime while shaking up Major Crimes leadership. The new hour aired on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and availability on Disney+ internationally on Wednesday, October 8 (8 a.m. GMT). Writers Marqui Jackson and Nicole French and director Todd Biermann steer the episode as the show introduces a key arrival who could change the team dynamic moving forward.
Release date, time, and where to watch
- Episode title: “Behind the Music”
- U.S. air date & time: Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 10/9c on ABC
- Streaming (U.S.): Hulu on Wednesday, October 8, 2025
- Streaming (International): Disney+ on Wednesday, October 8, 202,5 at 8 a.m. GMT
- Season 2 episode count (expected): 18 episodes
- Credits for this episode: Written by Marqui Jackson & Nicole French; Directed by Todd Biermann
Recap: “Behind the Music” ties two murders 25 years apart
The hour opens with Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) hustling into work—“Morgan’s late to work because she got a ticket,” as one recap puts it—and a 9-1-1 call about a shooting draws Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) and Morgan to a nearby home. The caller, Raina Viera, denies dialing 9-1-1 and claims nothing happened. Minutes later, Raina turns up dead at the bottom of her stairs.
Clues start stacking up fast. A forensic re-check reveals the victim’s old photos have mismatched sunlight and a chemical stain; a blacklight scan exposes bright fingerprints; and the coffee maker’s beep pattern pegs a basement timeline. The trail leads to a bloodstained dress made of tinsel fabric, dating no earlier than 1985, and manufacturing breadcrumbs narrow a possible homicide window to 1998–2000. The team lands on the cold case of Greta St. John, an aspiring singer, last seen on New Year’s Eve 2000 at The Black Jewel nightclub. The original report had “powder burns and shrapnel on her right side,” but the case “was neglected and then forgotten.”
Witness interviews spotlight the club’s power players. Eddie, The Black Jewel’s manager, admits he should have come forward years ago and provides recordings. Both he and photographer Lucy say Greta and Raina were rivals managed by Matt “Mac” Epps, whose grip on the local scene mixed legitimate business with intimidation. Raina’s home, it turns out, was paid for decades prior—very likely hush money.
The new year confetti becomes a clue. Foil flecks caused hives on Greta’s skin in the hours after midnight, placing her death inside the club and pointing to Mac. A detail in photos—Greta’s wrist splint, flats, and hair loss—leads Morgan and Lt. Selena Soto (Judy Reyes) to infer recent childbirth, suggesting Greta had Mac’s child and was hiding the baby. When Mac learns the truth, he confronts Greta; the gun jams on a second shot, injuring his hand. Raina witnesses the shooting, blood hits her dress, and a 25-year secret is born.
Karadec chases Mac through the club after a tense hostage standoff. He fires, wounding Mac. It is, as one critic notes, “for only the third time in his career – and the first time with the intention of actually hitting a person.” Internal Affairs immediately steps in, but a behavior-science clearance lets Adam stay on the case while he processes the psychological aftermath. He admits he practices at the range daily for moments like this.
One wrinkle remains: a prison visitor pass places Mac away from Raina’s house at the time of her death. The past and present murders are connected, but different killers pulled each trigger. The final twist: Lucy—Greta’s grown-up daughter—learns that Raina helped cover up her mother’s killing and, in a confrontation, pushes Raina in a burst of rage. Morgan’s timeline reconstruction, photo forensics, and subtle observational beats convert suspicion into probable cause. Lucy is arrested.
View this post on Instagram
Character dynamics: Strong beats for Morgan, Karadec, and Soto
This case turns the procedural gears, but the bonding lands hardest. A reviewer calls the hour “a great reminder of the show’s strength,” adding that it “follows a pretty standard case, but mixes an old one with a new one.” Morgan’s worry for Adam after the shooting, Adam’s stoic professionalism, and Selena’s captaincy limbo all build out the ensemble’s emotional scaffolding.
The episode also seeds ongoing friction around leadership. Selena learns she didn’t get the promotion and hopes the squad treats the incoming captain with respect. That hire arrives with swagger and a mustache: Captain Nick Wagner (Steve Howey). One recap teases “a new character with unclear motives” and hints he “won’t be quite as amenable to Morgan’s eccentricities.”
Cast & creators (complete from this week’s coverage)
- Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory
- Daniel Sunjata as Adam Karadec
- Judy Reyes as Lt. Selena Soto
- Steve Howey as Captain Nick Wagner (new arrival)
- Javicia Leslie as Daphne
- Deniz Akdeniz as Oz
- Zoe Soul (appears in casefile/case scenes)
- Amirah J (listed among the Season 2 cast)
- Matthew Lamb (listed among the Season 2 cast)
- Guest/Case figures: Raina Viera; Greta St. John; Matt “Mac” Epps; Eddie (The Black Jewel); Lucy (photographer)
- Episode writers: Marqui Jackson & Nicole French
- Episode director: Todd Biermann
Themes & takeaways
Two things keep High Potential humming: Morgan’s pattern-spotting and the show’s relationships. One critic found the case “pretty obvious about half way through,” but praised how “the interpersonal character dynamics are incredibly strong.” Another singled out the procedural’s hold pattern, noting that the hour threatens to liven up thanks to Wagner’s arrival. Even as the Game Maker arc simmers, Season 2 is braiding standalone puzzles with character stakes—Morgan’s empathy and lived experience often crack what raw logic can’t.
What’s next for High Potential Season 2
Internal Affairs casts a long shadow over Karadec after the shooting, and Selena must navigate a chain-of-command shift she didn’t ask for. With Captain Nick Wagner taking over, the squad’s tolerance for Morgan’s unconventional methods will be tested. The expected 18-episode runway leaves room for the Roman mystery and the Game Maker threat to reassert themselves while the team adapts to new leadership.
High Potential FAQ (Episode 4)
- When did Episode 4 air? Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
- Where can I stream it? Hulu on Wednesday, October 8 (U.S.); Disney+ on October 8 at 8 a.m. GMT (international).
- How many episodes in Season 2? 18 (expected).
- Who’s the new captain? Steve Howey joins as Captain Nick Wagner.
Verdict
“Behind the Music” lands as a solid midpoint mover with consequences—professionally for Karadec, structurally for the team, and emotionally for Morgan. The case’s time-capsule twist is satisfying, and the leadership shake-up primes the back half of the season for bigger swings. If the show keeps pairing clever deduction with grounded character beats, High Potential Season 2 has room to climb.
With a collective experience in film analysis and entertainment journalism, our team, comprised of avid movie buffs, has always been on the frontline of exploring cinematic universes, from the enchanting realms of Disney to the action-packed scenes of the MCU.
Our passion has led us to exclusive interviews with notable figures, early access, and active participation in the industry.
Recognized by the press, we dive deep into various genres, including drama, cartoons, comedy, and foreign films, always eager to bring fresh insights to our readers.
Connect with us or explore our journey to learn more about our adventures in unraveling the magic of the big screen.
