ABC’s 2-Part Crime Thriller Is Officially Taking Over Streaming
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
ABC's procedural drama "High Potential" has become a breakout streaming success as the network heads into the 2026–2027 broadcast season, with no scripted shows cancelled and returning favourites due back this month or in 2027. The show, led by Kaitlin Olson, has emerged as ABC's most-streamed title and the third most-watched broadcast programme overall, a notable feat given that broadcast series rarely chart on streaming platforms during the off-season.
The crime drama follows a fashionable single mother whose photographic memory lands her a job assisting police, and it has drawn strong critical praise, with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score for its first season and a perfect rating for its second. It regularly ranks in the top ten on both Hulu and Disney+, recently climbing to number six on Disney+'s global chart, according to FlixPatrol data, reflecting its broad appeal to both US and international audiences.
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In short
- "High Potential" is ABC's most popular streaming and third most-watched broadcast show
- It recently hit number six on Disney+'s global chart
- Both seasons have earned high Rotten Tomatoes scores, one a perfect 100%
How this story developed
- 2 months ago ABC's procedural drama "High Potential" has become a breakout streaming success as the network heads into the 2026–2027 broadcast season, with no scripted shows cancelled and returning favourites due back this month or in 2027.
Full account
As the 2026–2027 broadcast season approaches, ABC finds itself with an unusual off-season success story: its procedural drama High Potential has been performing strongly on streaming platforms months before new episodes are due to air. The network has confirmed no scripted series have been cancelled ahead of the new season, meaning established favourites will all return, though several are being held back for the middle of the season rather than launching immediately in September.
High Potential, led by Kaitlin Olson, has emerged as one of ABC's standout performers since its 2024 debut, reportedly ranking as the network's most-watched show on streaming and the third most-watched programme across broadcast television overall. According to viewership tracking data, the series has recently climbed as high as sixth place on a major streaming platform's global chart, a notable feat for a broadcast show that is not launching new episodes or arriving on a platform for the first time. The show follows a resourceful single mother with an exceptional memory who is recruited to assist a police department, and it has been well received by critics, with its first season and second season both scoring highly on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
Separately, attention has also turned to The Whisper Man, a crime thriller released on Netflix and produced by the Russo brothers' AGBO, directed by James Ashcroft. The film centres on a true-crime author who relocates with his son following his wife's death, only to discover the town's history with a notorious serial killer. When his son goes missing in circumstances echoing that earlier case, he turns to his estranged father, a retired detective who originally caught the killer, to help investigate a apparent copycat. The cast includes Robert De Niro as the ailing former detective, alongside Adam Scott, Michael Keaton as the imprisoned original killer, Michelle Monaghan and Hamish Linklater, with reviewers particularly praising De Niro's and Keaton's performances.
Taken together, the two reports describe distinct projects rather than a single unified story: one concerns a returning ABC procedural's unexpected streaming resurgence, the other a newly released Netflix thriller featuring a high-profile film cast. Neither source directly supports the framing of a '2-part' ABC crime thriller dominating streaming, suggesting the headline may conflate or misattribute details from separate pieces of coverage.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 focuses on ABC's overall 2026–2027 scheduling strategy and High Potential's streaming chart performance, citing FlixPatrol viewership data and Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Source 2 focuses entirely on a different production, Netflix's The Whisper Man, discussing its cast, plot and critical reception, with no mention of ABC or streaming chart rankings.
Neither source substantiates the headline's specific claim of an 'ABC 2-part crime thriller' — this framing does not clearly match the content of either report.
Both source texts contained an identical block of unrelated quiz/promotional content (referencing 'Yellowstone' and the Dutton family) that appears to be scraping artefacts and was excluded as irrelevant.
Explained simply
ABC is a US television network that makes scripted dramas and other programmes for broadcast. High Potential is a police procedural, a crime drama in which cases are investigated over the course of episodes, starring Kaitlin Olson as a single mother whose exceptional memory helps her work with the police.
The series is also available through Hulu and Disney+, which has helped it reach viewers beyond its original broadcast audience. Its streaming performance is notable because broadcast programmes often attract less attention on streaming services between seasons.