Regardless of how good reviews are, the success or failure of any television show hinges on its ratings. That’s doubly true for linear network television in the modern day, with channels fighting for dwindling audiences who have moved to streaming. So when a series does big numbers, it’s always news. ABC recently announced that the crime drama “High Potential” has hit a ratings milestone not seen in decades, becoming the first show to hit the #1 spot in autumn with a 10 p.m. time slot.
Per Variety, ABC’s research found that “High Potential” Season 2 is the first show to hit that ratings mark since “ER” in 1999. The series, created by Drew Goddard (who is also the writer-director of the next “Matrix” entry), is an American remake of the Franco-Belgian crime-comedy “HPI,” and follows Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson), a single mother and dizzying intellect recruited to help the LAPD Major Squad division under the supervision of a doubtful Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata).
There’s debate regarding the accuracy of these stats, as Variety notes that while the ratings include total watches in live+7-day viewing, the network didn’t launch any additional series until Oct. 12, so official viewing numbers aren’t available yet. Still, it’s enough to prove that, at the very least, “High Potential” is one of the most successful in the unique sub genre of genius detective shows like “The Mentalist,” “Numb3rs,” or “Psych.”
Goddard was reluctant to return to network TV for High Potential
While Drew Goddard has penned many big screen hits such as “The Martian,” “World War Z,” and even wrote “The Cabin in the Woods” in just a few days, he’s always been more at home on TV. He got his start writing for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” and “Alias” before graduating to streaming with Netflix’s “Daredevil.” But the filmmaker wasn’t so keen to return to prime-time network television when he was first offered “High Potential.”
“The last thing I wanted to do at that time was go back to network television,” Goddard told Variety in early 2025. “Not because I have any disdain for network television. It’s just, I know what a grind and how hard network television is.” Amongst learning about the series and its compelling premise, Goddard’s initial skepticism waned. “I thought, ‘Oh, that’s pretty special. That approach feels very unique.’ Putting the single mom in the center of the police procedural felt necessary to right now, and more importantly, I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
The payoff for ABC and Goddard was instant — the show’s inaugural season in 2024 quickly earned itself the title of No. 1 entertainment series of the season among the coveted demo of adults 18-49. Additionally, it became the most-streamed network show in after-air viewing. It’s safe to say that Goddard made the right decision.