US Network, ABC, has confirmed that it has placed a series order for the English-language adaption TF1’s hugely successful comedy police procedural HIP. The news comes after it was announced in September 2022 that European Distributor Newen Connect had struck a deal with Disney Television Studios’ ABC Signature to create a US adaptation. The news was confirmed at the Television Critics Association in the US yesterday and follows a pilot which was deemed one of the most successful of ABC’s 2023 crop.
The US version has been renamed High Potential and stars Kaitlin Olsen as Morgan, Javicia Leslie as Daphne, Deniz Akdeniz as Lev “Oz” Osman, Amirah J as Ava, Matthew Lamb as Elliot and Judy Reyes as Selena.
Drew Goddard and Sarah Esberg executive produce the US version for Goddard Textiles. Rob Thomas serves as showrunner and executive produces alongside Dan Etheridge of Spondoolie Productions, as well as Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret of Itinéraire Productions, a UGC company; Jean Nainchrik and Bérengère Legrand of Septembre Productions, a Mediawan Company. Alethea Jones is director and executive producer. Kaitlin Olson serves as producer. ABC Signature is the studio.
The series follows Morgan (Olson), 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. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential, she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), and together they form an unusual and unstoppable team.
HIP has become a cultural phenomenon in France, where it airs on TF1. The series returned for a third season last week to stellar ratings, generating 8.4m viewers and performing 47% above the slot average amongst the key target audience of women under 50, and 41% amongst 25–49-year-olds. The figures delivered TF1’s best audience of the year and the best audience ratings for a French series of the last 10 years.
Ara Aprikian, Executive Vice President of Content, TF1 Group said: ”We are immensely proud to see our show – which has become iconic since its launch in France – adapted by a Disney Studio for a major network like ABC in the US. It is a first for a TF1 series and a brilliant testament to the quality of the French production, and of the ability of the TF1 Group to provide an international dimension to its original creations. Whether it is through its original version or its American remake, HPI will be seen by many millions more viewers throughout the world. Congratulations to all the teams behind this success and our very best wishes for success of the American adaptation.”
Rodolphe Buet, Managing Director, Newen Connect said: “The confirmation of a US series order for HIP is wonderful news for our partners at Itinéraire Productions and Septembre Productions, although given the show’s reception and performance around the world, perhaps we should not be surprised. Newen Connect (Newen Studios) is very proud to have played a part in making this happen and are delighted to have found a collaborative partner in ABC Signature. Given the pilot show’s reception in the US, I have every confidence that High Potential will be as much of a hit for US audiences as it has been for TF1 viewers here in France, as well as those who have enjoyed the series wherever it has aired around the world.”
The US adaptation of HIP is the next step in the evolution of the series which is produced in France by Itinéraire Productions, (Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret), a UGC company and by Septembre Productions (Jean Nainchrik and Bérengère Legrand), a Mediawan company. The original series, created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Stéphane Carrié and Nicolas Jean, and starring Audrey Fleurot and Mehdi Nebbou, has received both critical and commercial acclaim and has been the most successful French-language show on French TV for more than 10 years. Internationally, HIP has been sold to more than 105 territories and has garnered more than 280 million views globally to date, while there are also local versions of the series in Czechia, and Slovakia.