How ‘High Potential,’ ‘Will Trent,’ and ‘The Rookie’ Evolve in the Midseason as Cop Dramas Change Nights
ABC Sees Strong Viewership Gains with Midseason Premieres
ABC has kicked off the midseason with a successful Tuesday night lineup, as the debut episodes of High Potential, The Rookie, and Will Trent all posted significant viewer increases. This promising start comes just as The Rookie prepares to shift to Monday nights to accommodate the new drama RJ Decker.
High Potential made its midseason return in a new time slot at 9 p.m., one hour earlier than its previous airing. In its first week, the episode attracted 12.33 million viewers across ABC, Hulu, and other digital platforms, surpassing the show’s fall season average by 3%, according to Nielsen and internal streaming data. This debut marks a 7% increase from the fall finale, which garnered 11.52 million viewers.
The episode also scored a season-high of 8.68 million viewers on linear television, indicating that approximately one-third of its audience engaged through streaming services.
Earlier in the evening, Will Trent premiered its fourth season, drawing 8.91 million viewers within seven days, a 12% increase from the previous season finale’s 7.99 million. The strong performance marks the best numbers for the series since February of the previous year. Will Trent‘s debut is also up 5% compared to its Season 3 average, attracting 7.21 million viewers via linear programming, with about 1.5 million streaming viewers.
The Rookie concluded the night at 10 p.m. with a season opener filmed in Prague, captivating an audience of around 9.35 million viewers in the first seven days. This represents a 6% rise over the Season 7 premiere, and is also the best season opener for the show in six years. In terms of streaming metrics, it achieved the largest streaming premiere in the series’ history, ranking among the top five ABC premieres ever on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
As The Rookie transitions to Monday nights, following the popular American Idol, the question arises regarding how this change will impact its audience. Although Disney has not provided specifics on how viewership is split between linear and streaming, the company’s focus on streaming successes suggests that this platform may significantly influence audience numbers.
Additionally, the series was recognized as the most socially engaged program for the week across both broadcast and cable, experiencing a 93% increase in social interactions compared to its last premiere, indicating a strong commitment from its viewers.
RJ Decker, starring Scott Speedman as a former newspaper photographer turned private investigator, is set to premiere on March 3. ABC appears to be leveraging the momentum of its established Tuesday night shows to cultivate an audience for the newcomers, with High Potential serving as a reliable lead-in.
New episodes of Will Trent and High Potential will continue to air on Tuesdays.
