A recent episode ofHigh Potentialset another impressive viewership record for the ABC series. Created by Drew Goddard, the drama follows Morgan Gillory (portrayed by Kaitlin Olson), a single mother who, using her remarkable perception and intellect, advises the Los Angeles Police Department on numerous cases. Along with Olson,the cast includes Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie, Deniz Akdeniz, Taran Killam, and Judy Reyes. After premiering in September,High Potentialquickly gained popularity and becameone of the most-watched shows on broadcast television, as evidenced by its growing weekly ratings.
According toThe Hollywood Reporter,High Potentialseason 1, episode 9, which released on January 14, registered the highest audience yet,amassing 13.19 million viewers for the week, across various platforms, and a demo rating of 2.44 among adults 18-49. On Nielsen, the episode, “The RAMs,” also reached 9.14 million, something an ABC drama had not done sinceGrey’s Anatomyin 2020, and streaming accounted for more than 30% overall.
What This Means For High Potential
The ABC Drama Continues To Charm Audiences
This update comes shortly afterHigh Potentialseason 1, episode 8 recorded 12.9 million viewers in the span of a week. By surpassing that milestone, the crime show proves that it can maintain balanced numbers, a hopeful sign for any remaining episodes and the already-confirmedHigh Potentialseason 2. Presently, the series could benefit from airing behindWill Trenton ABC’s Tuesday night lineup, and competing primarily against CBS’FBI: Internationaland Fox’sDoc, both of which draw lower ratings. At the same time,streaming gives it a notable boostand has likely helped to further expand the audience.
High Potential’s Huge Success As The Good Doctor’s Replacement Is Great News For The Kaitlin Olson’s Show’s Future
High Potential’s latest win bodes well for the future of ABC’s hit police procedural compared to its medical drama timeslot predecessor.
Part of what makesHigh Potentialso charming, and may separate it from similar procedural-type shows, is its ability to incorporate comedy. The likable cast, led by Olson (It’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaandHacks)make the humorous elements feel naturalas Morgan continues to navigate being a LAPD consultant, because it wasn’t long ago that she was merely cleaning their offices. The potential romance between her and Adam Karadec (Sunjata), after previously budding heads, and ongoing questions surroundingRoman’s disappearancehave kept viewers engaged as well.
Our Take On High Potential’s Viewership Record
The Series Could Have Long Legs
If these steadily growing viewership totals are any indication,High Potentialmay outperform itself again before the season 1 finale. Poised to become an even bigger hit for ABC in the future, especially as the popularity on streaming continues,the series could eventually last a long time, potentially maintaining the same release schedule for season 2. Now that multiple records have been set, and so close together too, it will be interesting to see what the ratings for episode 10 and beyond look like.
High Potential
Cast
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.
