ABC has confirmed the renewal of three of its top-performing drama series, '911,' '911: Nashville,' and 'High Potential,' for the forthcoming 2026-27 television season. This announcement follows the network's recent decision to continue 'Abbott Elementary,' solidifying its scripted programming lineup. These three dramas have consistently demonstrated strong viewership, positioning them as some of the most watched shows on the network during the current season.
The procedural drama '911' is set to enter its tenth season overall, marking its fourth on the ABC network after its initial six seasons aired on Fox. Its spin-off, '911: Nashville,' will return for its second season, while the popular series 'High Potential' will move into its third season. This strategic move highlights ABC's commitment to maintaining a robust schedule of engaging and highly-rated content for its audience.
'High Potential' has particularly stood out, achieving the highest viewership among all ABC shows for the second year in a row. The series, featuring Kaitlin Olson, garners an average of 12.67 million viewers when factoring in a week of streaming and other delayed viewing. This impressive performance places it second among all network series, excluding sports and news, for the 2025-26 season. Furthermore, it leads all broadcast shows in the crucial demographic of adults aged 18-49, boasting a 2.36 rating. The two '911' series also perform strongly within this demographic, with '911' ranking eighth with a 1.38 rating and '911: Nashville' securing the twelfth spot with a 1.13 rating. The original '911' also remains a top 20 series in total viewership, attracting 7.82 million viewers.
Changes are also in store for 'High Potential,' as Todd Harthan will be stepping down as showrunner. Harthan's departure is driven by his commitment to developing an 'Eragon' series for Disney+, based on Christopher Paolini's popular books. He will share co-creator credit with Paolini and will co-run the series alongside Todd Helbing. Harthan maintains an overall deal with 20th Television, the production company behind both 'Eragon' and 'High Potential.'
The success of the '911' franchise is attributed to the executive production team, which includes Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear, and Brad Buecker for both series. Angela Bassett, the lead actress, also serves as an executive producer on '911,' alongside John J. Gray, Lyndsey Beaulieu, Ted Griffen, and Robert M. Williams. For '911: Nashville,' Rashad Raisani, star Chris O’Donnell, and Angela Bassett are among the executive producers. Drew Goddard, the creator of 'High Potential,' and Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles, along with Harthan, Marc Halsey, and star Kaitlin Olson, are the executive producers for 'High Potential.'
ABC's decision to renew these prominent dramas underscores their consistent appeal and strong performance in a competitive television landscape. The network continues to prioritize content that resonates with a broad audience while also making strategic adjustments to its creative teams to foster new projects and maintain existing successes.