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Fox's British Remake Series Beats High Potential At Its Own Game

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Laura Hurley has been writing about the entertainment industry for more than twelve years, after a decade as a content producer and editor at CinemaBlend after writing for WhatCulture and Examiner. Attending events like SCAD TVfest and San Diego Comic-Con over the course of her career, she has been immersed in the world of network, streaming, and cable TV. 

ABC's High Potential is easily one of the highest-profile shows on network television today, and a lot of that goes down to the casting of Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata as the crime-solving leads. Since their series won't be back in primetime until midseason, a totally different show can deliver some of what High Potential does best now.

Fox's Best Medicine is different from the ABC crime drama in most ways, but the American remake of a beloved British TV show matches and even beats High Potential in one popular category. Even though High Potential tackles crimes and Best Medicine delivers medical mysteries, both shows have one thing in common: an evolving relationship between the two leads. Sparks have been flying between Morgan (Olson) and Karadec (Sunjata) on ABC since the beginning, and they grew closer than ever in season 2. In comparison, Best Medicine has only just started its second season, and Dr. Martin Best (Josh Charles) and Louisa Gavin (Abigail Spencer) already have one of primetime's sweetest relationships.

Now, with Best Medicine going strong in Fox's complete fall 2026 schedule as an American version of ITV's Doc Martin, and since High Potential won't be back until 2027, the time couldn't be better to check out Martin and Louisa.

Best Medicine's Slow-Burn Romance Is Better Than High Potential's

Louisa and Martin in Fox's Best Medicine Danielle Mathias / ©Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Network television is the source of some of the most iconic slow-burn romances in the history of fiction, but many shows don't last long enough nowadays for a proper burn across more than a hundred episodes. Best Medicine is taking a smart approach to Martin and Louisa. It was clear from the start that their fuse had been lit, and the pair shared a first kiss in the first season, but they've been cautious enough about each other that nothing is official just yet.

B​​​​est Medicine has the advantage of comedy when it comes to building a romance. High Potential is technically a dramedy as well, but the zany shenanigans of Port Wenn open the world up to more whimsy than Morgan and Karadec investigating murders in Los Angeles. Abigail Spencer even addressed the appeal of building that Martin/Louisa relationship with Josh Charles. She told TV Insider:

I wanted to work with him, and then I read it, and I was just totally and utterly delighted by it. I love the ‘90s rom-com. And so if there’s a way to bring a ‘90s romantic comedy and also the British humor, like of Love Actually and Notting Hill, to a series in America… That’s what I was longing for.

If both shows are dramedies with a touch of romance, then it's safe to say that Best Medicine veers closer to comedy and High Potential veers closer to drama. While that worked to make High Potential one of the biggest hits on network TV in recent years, the heavier emphasis on drama draws away from the fun of a slow-burn romance.

There's also the sticky issue for Morgan and Karadec that they work together at the LAPD, whereas Martin and Louisa are free to pursue a relationship if they ever decide to make the jump into romance together. It's easy to be optimistic about Best Medicine's slow burn actually leading to a love story, whereas nothing feels certain for High Potential.

Why High Potential Can't Reveal Yet Morgan & Karadec's True Feelings

Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata star as crime-solving partners Morgan and Karadec in High Potential Season 3. ABC

While Best Medicine has created the perfect atmosphere for a slow-burn romance, Morgan and Karadec are complicated characters in a complex world. The stakes are already high with their partnership; moving into an actual romance would be a huge risk for both of them. Morgan certainly needs some stability in her professional life for the sake of her kids.

High Potential has also delivered major obstacles for them, in the form of third parties. There are too many variables for either of them to fully acknowledge any romantic feelings just yet. For now, the complications are even part of the fun of watching Morgan and Karadec. A lot depends on how long the crime drama can skirt the line between fun and frustration for viewers.

It's worth noting that even the most famous network TV crime shows don't have the best reputation for delivering on romances. The X-Files creator Chris Carter famously dodged a love story for FBI Agents Mulder and Scully for as long as possible, and long-suffering Law & Order fans are still hoping for Benson and Stabler to hook up on SVU after nearly three decades. Bones may be the best example of a slow-burn that heated up before it dragged out for too long, and even that took six whole seasons.

Crime dramas just aren't as conducive to romance as other shows, even though High Potential has some comedy as well. The good news is that High Potential has hooked plenty of viewers into investing in Morgan and Karadec's relationship moving forward. The threats to their dynamic are certainly more significant than anything Martin and Louisa are facing on Best Medicine. The third legs of their love triangles aren't taken seriously, whereas the potential love triangles on High Potential can change everything.

Unfortunately, the wait for how High Potential will tell the next chapter of Morgan and Karadec's story isn't over yet. Season 3 is scheduled to premiere in 2027 on ABC, so fans will have to content themselves with streaming the first two seasons on Hulu in the meantime. New episodes of Best Medicine, on the other hand, air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

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high-potential-poster.jpg

Release Date
September 17, 2024

Network
ABC

Showrunner
Todd Harthan, Rob Thomas, Lilla Zuckerman, Nora Zuckerman

Directors
James Roday Rodriguez, Viet Nguyen, Alethea Jones, Nancy Hower

Writers
Drew Goddard, Marc Halsey, Todd Harthan

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