ABC's High Potential pays respect to the original co-creator, Nicolas Jean, in the new episode

ABC’s High Potential recently honored the memory of Nicolas Jean, the brilliant French screenwriter who co-created the original series that inspired the U.S. adaptation. High Potential season 2 episode 7 aired on October 28, 2025.

Jean was memorialized with a title card reading "In Memory of Nicolas Jean" during Season 2, Episode 7's closing credits. His death on September 29, 2025, and his profound impact on the series are highlighted by this touching gesture.

The tribute follows HPI co-creator Nicolas Jean's sudden death on September 29, 2025. Jean, a self-taught screenwriter, helped create HPI: Haut Potential Intellectuel (High Intellectual Potential), the French version of High Potential, a European hit.

The obituary written by Screenwriter and SACD administrator Florence Philipponnat read,

"Nicolas Jean entered the industry thirteen years ago and had a meteoric rise. Self-taught, with an atypical background that enriched his fictional stories, he quickly established himself as a talented and essential screenwriter on television."

The post continuted,

“He had a gift for freely inventing original concepts, freeing himself from imposed constraints. And he knew how to intelligently surround himself with creative writers to develop them with him, because he was passionate about sharing and generosity.”

High Potential and the Legacy of Nicolas Jean

Nicolas Jean was an actor and writer. He is best known for the movies HPI Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (2021), Prométhée (2022), and Impatients (2018). On September 29, 2025, he died in France.

Nicolas Jean co-created HPI, the French series that inspired Kaitlin Olson's High Potential. The French original series premiered in 2021 and was a hit across Europe, airing 38 episodes over five seasons. The ABC adaptation premiered in September 2024 and became one of the network's most-watched new shows.

Nicolas Jean was honored in the closing credits of High Potential Season 2, Episode 7, for his contributions to the series. Jean's creativity and vision helped HPI and its U.S. adaptation succeed, so his death earlier this year saddened colleagues and fans. The cast and crew remembered him and his contributions to television storytelling in the episode.

Stéphane Carrié, Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, and Nicolas Jean, a talented and innovative screenwriter, shaped HPI. His originality and storytelling style influenced more than French television. Jean was a remarkable storyteller and television pioneer, and his legacy will inspire writers and creators worldwide.

High Potential season 2 episode 7 recap

In High Potential Season 2, Episode 7, “The One That Got Away,” LAPD civilian consultant Morgan Gillroy faces a complex art theft case. A thief steals a $20 million Rembrandt painting from an art museum to start the episode. Morgan, Karadec, and Soto investigate the crime. The investigation twists to reveal a personal connection to the stolen art. The Foster family, who loaned the painting to the museum, considers it priceless despite its high auction value.

Ari Wiseman claims ownership of the painting as the investigation continues. His Holocaust-survivor grandmother claims the painting was hers. This raises questions about whether they can prove the theft. Morgan discovers that Jean Baptiste, a mysterious thief with a history of thefts, may be the thief. The team finds a painting ransom demand as tensions rise. Morgan defies orders and follows a lead to the Harbach Museum, where the stolen art is sought.

The episode ends with a shocking revelation about Rhys, an art-recovery expert, who may be connected to Jean Baptiste.

High Potential Season 2 episodes are available to stream on ABC.