ABC's Replacement Series Dissuades High Potential’s Original Timeslot Return

Published Sep 30, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT

Antonella Gugliersi (she/them) has been a feature writer for Screen Rant since 2021. While studying for her bachelor’s in Economics & Management, they started writing about movies and TV shows for Turin-based The Unconventional Mag. After a brief internship at TPI, she decided she wanted to pursue journalism and graduated with a degree in International Journalism from Brunel University.

Warning! SPOILERS ahead for R.J. Decker season 2, episode 3.High Potential might not return to its original timeslot due to one detail in its ABC replacement’s story. Despite always having a fall premiere in its first two seasons, ABC moved High Potential season 3’s premiere to 2027, making the possibility of a winter premiere extremely likely for the successful crime drama. ABC employed such a strategy with The Rookie and Will Trent in the past, having discreet success to the point of repeating it with the two shows and trying it out for High Potential as well in the 2026-2027 TV cycle.

The move to midseason of High Potential season 3’s premiere nevertheless meant that another TV show would get its 10 pm slot on Tuesday evenings. RJ Decker was the perfect substitute, working also as a procedural following an atypical individual, as R.J.’s cases as a P.I. often involve the police without him being part of the force, just like Morgan’s services as a police consultant make High Potential a more interesting crime drama.

The events in season 1’s ending set up an explosive RJ Decker season 2. By finding proof of Victor Ochoa’s shady dealings through the actions of his closest associate, R.J. and Emi managed to block his threats to send R.J. back to prison. However, RJ Decker season 1 finale unpredictably killed off the Ochoa patriarch, setting up the resolution of the mystery of his killing for season 2. RJ Decker season 2, episode 3 revealing who killed Victor and framed Emi nevertheless poses a problem to High Potential indirectly because of what solving that mystery entails for RJ Decker’s story.

RJ Decker Needs A Brand New Overarching Narrative

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Victor Ochoa’s death in season 1’s ending was unexpected because his threats had been neutralized and he had all the qualities to be the perfect villain for RJ Decker in the long run. His importance in R.J.’s life and how he died made solving the mystery of Victor’s murder a massive story to pursue, making that case one that could have easily been at the heart of RJ Decker season 2’s overarching narrative. However, Emi being arrested in RJ Decker season 2 forced the solution of Victor’s murder to happen as early as RJ Decker season 2, episode 3.

DA Janis Lake being behind the murder also made it personal, in the sense that finding who murdered Victor revealed very little information about his illegal business. RJ Decker season 1 had hinted multiple times at organized crime possibly having him in their pockets, but learning the truth about his murder in RJ Decker season 2, episode 3 brings us no closer to the full extent of his corruption. This potentially ends that storyline even before discovering something damning, with his death making further investigation into his shady business pointless, as the Ochoa patriarch isn’t there to vex R.J. anymore.

Such a quick resolution to Victor’s murder mystery thus deprives RJ Decker season 2 of an overarching narrative. As a result, the ABC crime drama will have to introduce a new one that is just as impactful as Victor’s murder was to R.J., Emi, Wish, Mel, and Catherine. However, RJ Decker season 2 will need time to set it up, develop it, and conclude it, raising questions about whether the ABC crime drama will continue into 2027.

RJ Decker Continuing In 2027 Makes It Difficult For High Potential To Reclaim The 10 PM Tuesday Timeslot

RJ Decker season 2’s episode count hasn’t been officially confirmed, but season 1 had nine episodes during the 2025-2026 TV season. If RJ Decker season 2’s episodes remain in the same range as season 1, it would be easy for ABC to wrap up RJ Decker without having to worry about High Potential, as it could easily regain its timeslot without having to compete with RJ Decker for it. Had RJ Decker season 2’s big mystery remained about Victor’s murder, the ABC crime drama could have easily solved it in nine episodes.

RJ Decker season 2 developing a new overarching narrative from start to finish lightly points to the crime drama continuing into 2027. If that were the case, High Potential season 3 would find itself without its usual timeslot available once RJ Decker season 2 returned after the winter break. RJ Decker season 2 having already started and being a new show enjoying a modicum of success makes its move unlikely, meaning High Potential would have to move to the 9 pm slot on Tuesdays or even change days altogether.

With RJ Decker season 2 or High Potential season 3 not having a confirmed episode count, it’s impossible to predict whether there will be another timeslot move or not. However, it’s worth noting that High Potential season 1 had only 13 episodes, which were expanded to 18 in season 2. RJ Decker season 2 could repeat such a feat, and that would necessarily entail some changes for High Potential season 3.

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