ABC taps 'High Potential' for post-Super Bowl LXI slot on Feb. 14, 2027

ABC is handing its most valuable programming real estate to 'High Potential': the Kaitlin Olson drama will air immediately following Super Bowl LXI on ABC and Disney+ on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, the network announced Monday — its first post-Super Bowl lead-out in two decades.

The move is a calculated bet on a show that has already proven itself. 'High Potential' finished the 2025–2026 broadcast season as the No. 1 series among adults 18-49 with a 3.35 rating, and the No. 3 show in total viewers at 16.01 million over 35 days of viewing across ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+, and digital platforms, according to Nielsen data cited by ABC.

Season 3 of 'High Potential' returns in early 2027, with new episodes on Tuesdays on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

ABC confirmed the post-Super Bowl slot on Monday.

The last time ABC carried the Super Bowl — February 2006 — it used the post-game slot to air a bomb-themed two-episode arc of 'Grey's Anatomy' that drew 38.1 million viewers, one of the most-watched lead-out programs in Super Bowl history, according to Deadline. The network is now returning to that playbook with its current ratings leader.

The series follows Morgan, a single mother with an exceptional mind whose unconventional approach to solving crimes forges an unlikely partnership with a by-the-book detective. It stars Olson alongside Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie, Deniz Akdeniz, Amirah J, Matthew Lamb, and Judy Reyes. The show is produced by 20th Television, based on the French series 'Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI),' and was created for U.S. television by Drew Goddard.

Disney has indicated 'High Potential' is not the only property it hopes to benefit from the Super Bowl audience, though no additional titles have been confirmed.

Why it matters — The post-Super Bowl slot is the single largest captive TV audience of the year, and ABC's decision to place its top-rated drama there — for the first time since 2006 — signals both the network's confidence in the show and the scale of the promotional opportunity Disney is building around its streaming and broadcast platforms.

Reported by variety.com, deadline.com, abc.com