ABC is doubling down on some of its biggest drama performers. The network has officially renewed Ryan Murphy’s flagship procedural 9-1-1 for a tenth season and greenlit a second season of its spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville for the 2026–2027 broadcast season. ABC also confirmed that High Potential will return for a third season, though the series will move forward with a new showrunner.
The renewals reflect the strong performance of the 9-1-1 franchise across both traditional broadcast and streaming platforms. In multi-platform viewing over seven days, both 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville currently rank among the Top 10 broadcast dramas among adults 18–49. The spinoff, in particular, has emerged as the No. 1 new drama on television in the key demo.
‘9-1-1’ Continues Its Run as One of ABC’s Biggest Dramas
The renewal of 9-1-1 for Season 10 keeps the long-running emergency procedural firmly positioned as one of ABC’s most-watched scripted series. The show, which stars Angela Bassett as LAPD Sergeant Athena Grant-Nash, has remained a consistent ratings performer even as it approaches a decade on the air.
Originally launched on Fox in 2018, the series moved to ABC in 2024 after the Disney-owned network and producing studio 20th Television aligned the show under the same corporate umbrella. Since then, 9-1-1 has continued delivering strong multi-platform audiences.
The show’s large scale — known for elaborate disasters and stunt-heavy episodes — makes it one of the more expensive dramas on broadcast television. Cost adjustments were made last season after the departure of co-lead Peter Krause, who starred alongside Bassett from the beginning of the series.
Despite the high production costs, the series continues to perform strongly enough to justify its place on ABC’s lineup.
‘9-1-1: Nashville’ Finds Its Footing After Early Ratings Fluctuations
While the flagship series has remained steady, 9-1-1: Nashville experienced a more uneven path during its first season.
The spinoff debuted with solid numbers but saw its ratings dip later in the fall and during its winter return. At one point, the show was retaining just over half of the audience from its 9-1-1 lead-in.
However, recent episodes have shown clear improvement. After undergoing creative adjustments and some retooling, the series has started gaining momentum. The January 29 episode marked a series high in both total viewers and adults 18–49, strengthening the show’s case for renewal.
ABC and 20th Television are also said to be confident in the leadership behind the series. 9-1-1 veteran Rashad Raisani, who co-created Nashville and serves as executive producer and showrunner, recently renewed his overall deal with the studio.
‘High Potential’ Secures Season 3 With a Leadership Change
Alongside the 9-1-1 franchise renewals, ABC also confirmed a third season for the procedural drama High Potential.
The series stars Kaitlin Olson as Morgan, a single mother with a genius-level IQ who works as a cleaning employee for the Los Angeles Police Department before becoming an unexpected consultant for the LAPD’s Major Crimes division.
Since its debut, the show has proven to be one of ABC’s strongest new procedural entries, delivering solid numbers both on the network and across Disney’s streaming platforms.
An early 2026 episode drew 12.33 million viewers across ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+, and digital platforms within seven days, marking a slight increase from the show’s fall average. According to Nielsen data, the series averaged 13.24 million viewers across its first five weeks of the year, making it one of the most-watched shows during that period.
Despite its success, the series will undergo a leadership change. Showrunner Todd Harthan is stepping away to focus on the upcoming live-action adaptation of Eragon, based on Christopher Paolini’s The Inheritance Cycle. Harthan is co-creating the project with Paolini and will serve as co-showrunner alongside Todd Helbing.
Created by Drew Goddard and based on the French series HPI, High Potential also stars Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie, Deniz Akdeniz, Amirah J, Matthew Lamb, and Judy Reyes.
ABC Strengthens Its Procedural Lineup
The renewals arrive during a busy week for ABC, which has been locking in returning hits across its schedule. The network recently renewed Abbott Elementary for a sixth season and continues evaluating the futures of several other dramas including Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie, and Will Trent.
By extending the 9-1-1 franchise and securing another season of High Potential, ABC is reinforcing a strategy centered around high-performing procedurals that deliver strong ratings across both broadcast and streaming.