Community tv would possibly get a foul rap for being a wasteland of comparable hour-long dramas, however yearly there’s a minimum of one present that comes out that’s a pleasant little gem. Final season, CBS launched Elsbeth, and this season we bought Kaitlin Olson on the primetime TV schedule over at ABC, the place she kicked off slightly procedural referred to as Excessive Potential. Seems the title was apt, but when Olson herself had gotten her manner, she most likely wouldn’t have taken the gig.
Earlier than nabbing the function on the freshman drama, Olson mentioned Drew Goddard –of Buffy and Misplaced fame – wrote the primary episode they usually approached her agent for the function. Her agent principally needed to push her into even assembly with the community, which is wild to consider given how profitable the freshman run of Excessive Potential has been. However she had her causes, as she shared with Conan O’Brien on ‘Wants A Pal.’
I used to be not once they got here to me and needed to have lunch. I used to be like, ‘ABC, hour-long drama? No thanks.’ My agent was like, ‘No, you’re gonna go have lunch with them.’ And I used to be like, ‘What did you simply say to me?’ He was like, ‘It’s good. You’re gonna learn it, and also you’re gonna have lunch. I’m gonna make you, as a result of I believe you’re gonna actually need to do it.’ I simply had little interest in – to start with, working for a community. I’m very spoiled on FX. They allow us to do no matter we would like and say no matter we would like.
The explanations she stored attempting to inform her agent no continued, as she mentioned there’s a number of community involvement on community reveals, versus a few of her different latest roles, which embody tasks like It’s All the time Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) or Hacks (HBO). I might must assume that is based mostly on her earlier community expertise, which incorporates each visitor stints on reveals like New Woman and her personal former collection The Mick, which was unceremoniously canceled after two seasons. However lastly, she picked up the script.
I’ve a tough time with executives, who aren’t creatives, telling me what I can and might’t do… It’s all effective, and it really works and lots of people are effective with that. I’m so blessed that I’m able the place I need to present up and have enjoyable with my life that’s at dwelling and at work. I used to be very gun shy, after which I learn [Drew Goddard’s] script and was like, ‘Oh, I believe I’m in.’
Principally, Kaitlin Olson had all the explanations on this planet to say no to the brand new TV collection, however (fortunately) by means of a confluence of occasions the script bought into her fingers. She is also an individual who firmly feels that if tasks aren’t as much as par, she will “stroll away,” which I assume gave her some peace of thoughts, regardless of reservations about engaged on community TV once more.
There’s fairly a freedom in realizing that I actually would stroll away if it was less than the standard that I needed to place on the market. That’s not like a risk, it’s simply actually like, ‘No thanks. I imply, thanks a lot for considering of me, however I don’t…’ yeah.
Her major concern with the brand new collection was that she “needed individuals to need to come again” for each episode and never simply watch one and instantly neglect about it. Between her oddball detective character, her quirky outfits, her nice supporting forged, and several other Season 1 finale cliffhangers, together with the thriller of what occurred to her first husband all lingering, it’s onerous to pick precisely which cause I’m tuning in every week. It’s actually a seize bag of goodness.
Whereas the primary season has wrapped now (too quickly I would add), Excessive Potential has already been renewed by ABC for Season 2, so we fortunately didn’t want so as to add it to the record of reveals canceled in 2025 to date.