Kaitlin Olson to lead ABC’s US adaptation of French comedy police procedural HIP

Kaitlin Olson in High Potential

US broadcast network ABC has ordered an English-language adaptation of French comedy police procedural HIP, with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Kaitlin Olson leading the cast.

French distributor Newen Connect struck a deal with Disney Television Studios’ ABC Signature to create a US adaptation in September last year.

It has now been confirmed that a US version, named High Potential, of the TF1 series is in the works for ABC.

Alongside Olson, the series will star Javicia Leslie and Deniz Akdeniz. Drew Goddard and Sarah Esberg are executive producing for prodco Goddard Textiles.

Rob Thomas serves as showrunner and exec produces alongside Dan Etheridge of Spondoolie Productions, as well as Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret of UGC’s Itinéraire Productions and Jean Nainchrik and Bérengère Legrand of Mediawan-owned Septembre Productions. The latter two companies produce the original French version of HIP.

The series focuses on a single mum with three kids and an exceptional mind, who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department.

The original series was created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Stéphane Carrié and Nicolas Jean. Starring Audrey Fleurot and Mehdi Nebbou, it has been sold to more than 105 territories and has garnered more than 280 million views globally to date. It has also been adapted locally in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.