High Potential is officially coming back for a third season. ABC confirmed the renewal on March 4, 2026, giving fans more of the hit crime drama that stars Kaitlin Olson. But the good news comes with a major behind-the-scenes change. Showrunner Todd Harthan is leaving the series to work on another project, and the network is now looking for someone new to lead the show .
The renewal places High Potential among other ABC favorites getting fresh seasons. The network also picked up Abbott Elementary for Season 6, 9-1-1 for Season 10, and 9-1-1: Nashville for Season 2 .
Why Todd Harthan Is Leaving High Potential
Harthan is exiting to focus on a new live-action adaptation of Eragon. The series is based on Christopher Paolini’s young adult book series The Inheritance Cycle. Harthan co-created Eragon with Paolini and will serve as co-showrunner alongside Todd Helbing .
This marks the second time High Potential has lost its showrunner. Before the series even premiered in September 2024, Rob Thomas (known for Veronica Mars) left the project. Harthan stepped in and has been in charge ever since, guiding the show through its successful first season and the current second season .
A new showrunner for Season 3 has not been announced yet .
What to Expect From Season 2 and Beyond
The show is currently airing the back half of its second season on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu . Before his departure, Harthan teased what viewers can expect as the season continues.
“It’s a pretty bumpy ride. We’re going to start unpacking some pretty intense things with Morgan, as it relates to all things Roman,” Harthan told Us Weekly in January. “There are all kinds of trials and tribulations that are going to happen with the kids at home. It’s just going to get messy and complicated — hopefully in all the best ways so that the audience stays on the edge of their seats” .
The major Season 2 storyline revealed that Morgan’s ex-partner Roman is still alive after disappearing over a decade ago. He worked as an FBI informant and does not trust the LAPD, creating tension and mystery going forward .
Harthan also promised exciting guest stars in upcoming episodes. “One of the wonderful things about this particular season is now that the show is doing really well, the choices we’ve had for casting have been incredible. In the back half, you’re going to see some really exciting guest stars,” he said .
Show Performance and Ratings
The renewal comes as no surprise given the show’s strong performance. High Potential ranks as one of ABC’s top dramas with impressive numbers across both linear television and streaming platforms .
The show kicked off 2026 in a new timeslot and drew 12.33 million viewers across ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+, and digital platforms in its first seven days. That number is about 3% higher than the show’s fall season average. It also jumped 7% from the fall finale, which had 11.52 million viewers .
For the first five weeks of 2026, High Potential averaged 13.24 million viewers, making it the second most-watched show during that period. Only Paramount+’s Landman ranked higher .
Cast and Characters
The show centers on Kaitlin Olson as Morgan, a single mother with a 160 IQ who works as a cleaning lady at the Los Angeles Police Department. Her ability to solve crimes leads to an unlikely partnership with the Major Crimes division.
The full cast includes:
- Daniel Sunjata as Detective Karadec
- Javicia Leslie as Daphne
- Deniz Akdeniz as Lev “Oz” Ozdil
- Amirah J as Ava
- Matthew Lamb as Elliot
- Judy Reyes as Selena
- Steve Howey joined in Season 2 as Captain Jesse Wagner
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What Comes Next
The series is based on the popular French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI) and created by Drew Goddard (The Good Place, The Martian). Goddard executive produces alongside Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles, Marc Halsey, and Olson herself .
Upcoming episodes include Season 2, Episode 14 titled “If You Come For the Queen,” where Daphne leads an investigation into the attempted murder of a colleague. Episode 15, “Pie In the Sky,” follows the team investigating the murder of a retired astronaut while Soto hunts for answers about Roman’s disappearance in New York City .
As Season 2 continues airing, ABC will begin its search for a new showrunner to take over for Season 3. Production details and a premiere date for the new season have not been announced yet.
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