Based in Burbank, California, United States, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has officially greenlit a third season of its breakout hit “High Potential”, solidifying the series’s place as a cornerstone of the network’s dramatic lineup. While the renewal was widely anticipated by industry insiders, the upcoming chapter will be marked by a significant transition behind the scenes. The production is currently on the hunt for a new showrunner following the departure of Todd Harthan, who is stepping down to pivot his creative focus toward another high-profile project.
Todd Harthan
The exit of Harthan is driven by his commitment to “Eragon”, the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s beloved YA fantasy series “The Inheritance Cycle”. Developing the project alongside Paolini and co-showrunner Todd Helbing.
Harthan remains within the Disney family, maintaining his overall deal with 20th Television—the same studio responsible for “High Potential”. Despite the leadership change, the series continues to benefit from the executive guidance of creator Drew Goddard and Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles with lead actress Kaitlin Olson serving as a producer.
“High Potential” Season 3
The decision to extend “High Potential” comes as no surprise given its formidable performance across both linear broadcasting and streaming platforms like Hulu and Disney+. Since its inception, the show—based on the French phenomenon “HPI”—has consistently outperformed its peers.
- viewership milestones: Following a move to a 9:00 PM timeslot in early 2026, the series saw a notable uptick in engagement. One recent episode amassed 12.33 million viewers within its first seven days, surpassing the fall season average by 3%.
- market position: According to Nielsen data, “High Potential” ranked as the second most-watched program in the first five weeks of the year, averaging 13.24 million viewers and trailing only “Landman”.
“High Potential” owes much of its success to the comedic and dramatic range of Olson. She portrays Morgan, a single mother with an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 160. Her journey from a cleaning lady in the police department of Los Angeles, California to a high-level consultant for the Major Crimes division provides the light procedural hook that has resonated with audiences.
As the show moves through the latter half of its second season, the narrative continues to balance intricate murder mysteries with the domestic evolution of Morgan’s family. Supported by a robust ensemble including Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie and Judy Reyes, the third season promises to delve deeper into the professional and personal complexities of its genius protagonist.
Born in Augsburg, Germany, Leslie turned 38 on May 30, 2025. Born in Portland, Oregon, USA, Olson turned 50 on August 18, 2025.
Born in New York City, New York, USA, Reyes turned 58 on November 5, 2025. Born in Evanston, Illinois, USA, Sunjata turned 54 on December 30, 2025.
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