High Potential, the new detective drama starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia vet Kaitlin Olson, continues to break records and surpasses a notable revival. Debuting on ABC in September, the three-time Emmy-nominated Olson plays Morgan Gillory, a cleaner who solves a particularly difficult case, steering the police away from the wrong suspect, and is then asked to work as a consultant with a seasoned detective. The procedural, which is based on the French series HPI, has quickly built up an audience since its debut.
Deadline reveals that the detective drama has averaged 10.42 million viewers to become ABC's most-watched new show since the debut of the Roseanne revival, The Conners,six years earlier. Looking specifically at High Potential's fifth episode, which aired on October 22, that installment garnered 6.83M viewers across seven days of linear viewing, which helped ABC win Tuesday's 10 PM timeslot for the first time in four years. When taking into account viewership on Hulu, which streams the series and other platforms, that number for episode 5 leaps to 10.49 million viewers.
What The Ratings Success Means For High Potential
A Classic Formula Can Still Bring Magic
With a main cast that also includes Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie, Deniz Akdeniz, Amirah J, Matthew Lamb, and Judy Reyes, High Potential very intentionally fits into the mold of a special detective. It echoes Monk, in addition to other currently airing series like Elsbeth and Matlock, which both air on CBS. However, what has helped the English-language remake of the French show to break out is a mix of the on-screen talent and the creative names involved in the production.
Surprisingly, Kaitlin Olson's hit new police show works as a great replacement for Pysch ten years after it ended its eight-season run on USA.
Olson, recently an Emmy nominee for her recurring role on Hacks , is a strong lead that brings aspects of her popular portrayal of Dee Reynolds from It's Always Sunnyto High Potential. The adaptation is also the product of seasoned creative voices, namely with Drew Goddard, known for his work on such shows as Lost, Alias, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, serving as creator.
Diane Ruggiero-Wright, another
Veronica Mars
vet, is also an executive producer.
Rob Thomas was initially the showrunner, known for creating Veronica Mars and iZombie, though he stepped down from the role. Todd Harthan, the executive producer and showrunner of The Resident, has since taken over. All three are veterans in the television space and bring that to the French adaptation, lifting what might otherwise be a repetitive formula. High Potential is also skilled in its tone, breezy but knowing when to tap into its emotionality, with all of these strengths and ratings success all but confirming season 2 will be on the way.
Our Take On High Potential's Success
The Show Is Already Mixing It Up
It's Always Sunny season 17 will be happening, but High Potential is already proving to be more than just a weekly unsolved case. It has welcomed Mayans M.C. alum JD Pardo as a potential love interest for Morgan, with his casual introduction in episode 6 fleshing out the show's world and already complicating the established dynamic. It may be familiar, but it's well-crafted and there's a comfort in that.
Morgan, a single mother of three with a brilliant but unconventional mind, partners with a methodical detective after solving a crime during her job as a cleaner. Together, they form an unlikely but effective duo, blending her unique problem-solving skills with his by-the-book approach to tackle challenging cases.
CastJavicia Leslie , Kaitlin Olson , Deniz Akdeniz , Amirah J , Matthew Lamb , Judy Reyes , Daniel Sunjata , Garret Dillahunt , TJ Lee , Kayvon Esmaili , Ariella Amar , Michelle C. Bonilla , Kerry O'Malley , Graham Rogers , Maia Jae Bastidas , Pamela Roylance , Rosslyn Luke , Sebastien Roberts
Character(s) Daphne , Morgan , Lev Oz Osman , Ava , Elliot , Selena , Karadec , Lieutenant Melon , Lin , Darius Farzan , CSI Tech , Regina , Anne Davis , Kyle , Letty Acosta , Lenore Donovan , Monica Davis , Brian Dimon
English (US) ·