High Potential and RJ Decker Prove ABC Is Cracking the Procedural Code

Love them or hate them, procedurals are still broadcast TV‘s bread and butter.

They’re easy to jump into, easy to follow, and more often than not, you’re getting a complete story in under an hour.

Even when they flirt with bigger arcs, they’re not asking for the same level of commitment as prestige TV, and honestly, that’s part of the appeal.

(Disney/Bahareh Ritter)

But yeah, I’ve heard the argument for years. Procedurals are dated, predictable, and painfully by-the-numbers.

And look, that’s not entirely wrong. But it’s also a lazy take.

ABC has spent the last couple of years proving the format isn’t broken. It’s just been stagnant for years.

High Potential broke out in a big way last season, and RJ Decker has followed right behind it. The reason they’ve clicked feels pretty obvious once you actually sit down and watch them.

(ABC/Screenshot)

They’re fun.

Not trying too hard. Not quirky for the sake of it. Just genuinely fun to watch, which shouldn’t feel revolutionary for a procedural, but here we are.

The Procedural Drama Needed a Revamp

For years, CBS has owned this space with shows like NCIS and FBI. And to be fair, those shows still pull in huge numbers.

But let’s not pretend they’re not interchangeable at this point.

(Disney/Dana Hawley)

You can drop into almost any episode, hit the same beats, and walk away without feeling like anything surprised you. It’s a formula that works, but it hasn’t evolved in a long time.

High Potential and RJ Decker aren’t reinventing the wheel. They’re just loosening the grip on it.

Yes, the cases matter. Of course they do. But for once, they don’t feel like the only thing that matters.

The characters actually get to breathe.

(Disney/Raymond Liu)

Kaitlin Olson leans all the way into the chaos on High Potential, bringing an energy that makes the show feel unpredictable in the best way.

Meanwhile, Scott Speedman does that low-key charismatic thing on RJ Decker that keeps you locked in even when the case itself is just fine.

And that’s kind of the point.

It’s not always about the case being groundbreaking. It’s about wanting to spend time with these people.

(Disney/Raymond Liu)

That’s where so many procedurals have lost their edge.

The dialogue has personality. The pacing doesn’t feel like it’s ticking boxes. Even the cases, while still familiar, feel a little less copy-and-paste.

They’re not blowing up the formula. They’re just giving it some room to breathe.

And it works.

Because as much as prestige TV has dominated the conversation, it’s also gotten exhausting.

(Disney/John Merrick)

Not every show needs to be a ten-hour emotional marathon. Not every storyline needs to stretch across an entire season.

Sometimes, after a long day, you want to throw something on that actually feels good to watch.

High Potential and RJ Decker Are Fresh and Exciting

That’s where these ABC shows hit the sweet spot.

They land somewhere between old school broadcast comfort and modern storytelling, and that balance is something the genre has been missing for a while.

(Disney/Christine Bartolucci)

Now, that doesn’t mean they’re flawless.

High Potential Season 2 showed signs of strain, especially as the episode count stretched things too thin. The spark is still there, but the show felt like it was spinning its wheels at times.

Honestly, this series would thrive with a tighter 10 to 13-episode run. Keep the pacing sharp, keep the cases fresh, and don’t let it drift.

Meanwhile, CBS doesn’t seem in any rush to shake things up. With more NCIS on the way and familiar formulas still dominating the lineup, the network is clearly sticking to what it knows.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

And sure, that’s worked for decades.

But it’s also starting to feel a little stuck.

There are small signs of movement. Sheriff Country looks like it might lean more into longer-form storytelling, letting cases stretch beyond a single episode. That’s something, at least.

Still, right now, ABC feels like the network actually trying to push the genre forward.

(Disney/John Merrick)

You could argue CBS perfected the procedural. But at this point, ABC is the one figuring out how to keep it alive.

And if High Potential and RJ Decker are anything to go by, the answer isn’t some massive overhaul.

It’s just giving the format a bit more personality and trusting that viewers will notice the difference.

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
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• High Potential and RJ Decker prove ABC is refreshing the procedural format with more personality, fun, and a smarter balance than CBS.

• Wesley Evers may have lost the DA race on The Rookie. But he found his best storyline — right across the courtroom from his wife.

• Jaina Lee Ortiz breaks down RJ Decker’s shocking season finale, that deadly cliffhanger, and what’s next for RJ and Emi!

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