Sumith Prasad
In the eleventh episode of ABC’s crime drama series ‘High Potential,’ Morgan Gillory investigates a murder that took place at 1955 Bucket Lane in Los Angeles, California, more than a decade ago. She enters the mansion for the first time with the original investigator and her superior, Selena Soto, to unravel the puzzling mysteries behind the crime. Over the years, this particular case has gained notoriety as the “Bucket Lane Murder,” leaving Selena sleepless and disappointed. Since the City of Angels has been the backdrop for several unignorable homicides, the crime may appear rooted in reality. However, that’s not really the case! SPOILERS AHEAD.
1955 Bucket Lane is a Fictional Address in Los Angeles
The ardent admirers of ‘High Potential’ and the extraordinary sleuth Morgan Gillory cannot drop by 1955 Bucket Lane in real life since it does not exist. It is a fictional address created for the episode, even though the name reminds us of multiple actual locations, including the South Old Bucket Lane in the Greater Los Angeles area. However, this particular lane is located in Anaheim, over 33 miles away from the City of Angels, rather than in Los Angeles. The LAPD has no jurisdiction over the lane, which is under the watchful eyes of the Anaheim Police Department. In other words, Morgan and Selena won’t be investigating a crime here.
Even though there is another Bucket Lane in the country, it is in Levittown, New York, nearly 3000 miles away from Los Angeles. The old mansion at 1955 Bucket Lane can be seen as an homage to the murder mystery novels of the 20th century, especially the ones that are set inside similar properties. Over the years, these limited-setting mysteries have gained worldwide acclaim and popularity, only to be recognized as a subgenre. Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None,’ which takes place in an isolated mansion, is a prominent example of this trope. Since similar novels must have inspired the creation of Morgan and her storylines, the Donovan mansion can be seen as a homage to several fictional ones.
The production department of ‘High Potential’ seemingly found a mansion within Los Angeles, the main location of the show, to transform it into the Donovan mansion. The nostalgic architectural style of the house also reminds us of the establishments in the popular murder mysteries of the 20th century.
The Bucket Lane Murder is Similar to Several Real Crimes
Similarly, the Bucket Lane Murder is also a fictional killing conceived for ‘High Potential.’ Having said that, there are multiple real-life cases concerning the murders of abusive fathers, stepfathers, or even father figures. In October 2018, like Cody in the episode, a teenager from California killed his father, Javier Vera, to allegedly protect his mother from physical abuse. Similar to the real-life case, the protégé kills his father, Barry, after witnessing the latter severely hurting his mother, Heather. Ohio-based Bresha Meadows, at the age of 14, killed her allegedly abusive father in 2016.
Even the notorious murders committed by Lyle and Erik Menendez can be paralleled with the death of Barry in the crime drama series. The two brothers, who killed their parents in their Beverly Hills home, have alleged that their father, José Menendez, was abusive. These real-life occurrences must have inspired the writers of ‘High Potential’ to create the fictional murder, murderer, and the latter’s motive. They seemingly integrated the same into the popular setting of a humongous mansion to create the narrative of ‘The Sauna at the End of the Stairs.’ Otherwise, the murder in the episode does not have any connection with reality.
Read More: High Potential: Is Surviving 101: Anywhere, Anytime a Real Book?
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