ABC Shifts 'High Potential' Season 3 to Winter 2027 Midseason Slot

'High Potential' won't be arriving this fall as originally planned. ABC has rescheduled Kaitlin Olson's series to debut in Winter 2027 as part of the network's midseason lineup, disappointing viewers anticipating a Fall 2026 return.

The network has now provided insight into the reasoning behind the shift. Ari Goldman, senior vice president of content strategy and scheduling at ABC, outlined the strategic thinking in an interview.

According to Goldman, the decision reflects lessons learned from recent successes. "The 'High Potential' move to midseason is one that's really born out of the success that we've proven over the last couple of years with 'Will Trent,' 'The Rookie' and the uninterrupted runs that we've enjoyed starting in that January timeframe going through the end of the season," he explained. "We're thinking about the behavior of our linear audience, but also the streaming viewers, who really have shown the importance of week-over-week steadiness in planning and rolling out these shows. We do not take lightly the move of 'High Potential' to midseason, but I think this is a real opportunity to bridge through to the end of the year, to keep an uninterrupted run of episodes."

The network's strategy centers on maintaining consistent weekly viewership across both traditional broadcast and streaming platforms, which has proven effective for other shows launching in January.

When asked whether the midseason timing might result in fewer episodes for season three, Goldman remained noncommittal about specifics. "We haven't gone deep on the episode count for our shows, and we're not going to be ready to comment on that. But I think we're still looking at a really full season for 'High Potential.' That's all I can say."