Weather 
High Potential is returning for a third season — but not everyone is coming back after that surprise cast exit.
The hit ABC series, which premiered in September 2024, follows Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), a high-potential intellectual who teams up with the LAPD to assist the department in solving murders. Morgan gets paired up with Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), who is initially skeptical about her ability to assist the Major Crimes unit but ultimately starts to rely on her.
Before season 2 came to an end in April 2026, news broke that showrunner Todd Harthan exited the show, originally created by Drew Goddard. The pilot was written by Goddard, who was expected to executive produce alongside Sarah Esberg, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, Pierre Laugier, Anthony Lancret, Jean Nainchrik and Alethea Jones.
Thomas, meanwhile, was expected to serve as the showrunner before exiting in June 2024 — months before the series’ premiere. Harthan was ultimately announced as the new showrunner, who also served as an executive producer.
Harthan teased the vision for the series while speaking to Us Weekly in January 2026.
“It’s a pretty bumpy ride. We’re going to start unpacking some pretty intense things with Morgan, as it relates to all things Roman,” he said at the time. “There are all kinds of trials and tribulations that are going to happen with the kids at home. It’s just going to get messy and complicated — hopefully in all the best ways so that the audience stays on the edge of their seats.”
He concluded, “Our job now as we get to the back half of the second season is to fill in some of the big blanks and progress some of the relationships. You’re going to see some intense things happen between Steve Howey’s character and Captain Wagner really starts to bloom in the back half. That causes some good soapy messes on multiple fronts. It’s just our normal MO of just trying to mix things up and keep the audience engaged and keep them guessing.”
The biggest cliffhanger, however, was whether Wagner (Steve Howey) was dead or alive amid the actor’s exit from the show.
Keep scrolling to see which High Potential stars are — and aren’t — returningfor season 3:
Kaitlin Olson
There wouldn’t be High Potential without Morgan, so it’s safe to say Kaitlin Olson will be back in season 3.
Daniel Sunjata
Karadec’s love life took a hit in season 2, so expect to see how that is addressed on screen.
Javicia Leslie
Javicia Leslie’s character Daphne is returning for more episodes of the hit ABC procedural.
Deniz Akdeniz
As Daphne solves more cases, she is expected to have her partner Oz by her side.
Judy Reyes
Judy Reyes pulled double duty with Scrubs and season 2 of High Potential, so there is no doubt she is returning too.
It is never easy to unexpectedly say goodbye to your favorite characters — and 2026 has featured an influx of shocking departures on our TV screens from Grey’s Anatomy to Virgin River. Virgin River fans were surprised when showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed multiple characters were written off the show after season 7. Marco Grazzini addressed […]
Amirah J
Ava received more of a role to play on the show as her missing dad, Roman, seemed to make an appearance in the season 2 finale.
Matthew Lamb
Same as Ava, Morgan’s son, Elliot, will play a big role in season 3.
Steve Howey
Howey joined the crime drama in June 2025 as a series regular for a one-year deal. His character was ultimately shot in the season 2 finale. That – combined with the actor being cast on other shows during the same time period — hinted at a permanent exit, but it remains unclear what will happen to Wagner.
Taran Killam
Taran Killam is expected to return as Morgan’s ex (and coparent) in season 3.
Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Phifer joined season 2 as a friend of Roman’s, but it isn’t clear if he will be coming back.
