12 TV Shows Like High Potential You Need To Watch Next

For over 20 years, Kaitlin Olson has been bringing absurd gags to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and other comedy shows. But Olson has stayed busy beyond the conventional sitcom genre, including the crime procedural "High Potential," which "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fans will want to check out on Hulu. A remake of the Belgian crime show "HPI," the show stars Olson as Morgan Gillory, a single mom who works as a cleaner at a Los Angeles Police Department precinct. After the police notice Morgan's genius-level IQ and observational skills, she is recruited as a civilian consultant to work alongside them in solving cases.

Olson, along with co-star Daniel Sunjata, make "High Potential" a lot of fun, with the show connecting with audiences and critics alike. Fortunately, there is no shortage of crime shows involving unlikely pairings, often blurring the lines between crime dramas and overt comedy. Whether it's send-ups of the police procedural formula or shows with characters thrust in criminal environments, there are a lot of shows that continue the blend of laughs and crime-solving thrills.

Here are 12 TV shows like "High Potential" that you need to watch next, keeping the quirky crime stories coming.

Tim Roth headlines the psychology-minded crime procedural "Lie to Me," which premiered in 2005 and ran for three seasons. Roth plays Cal Lightman, an expert in deciphering body language, channeling his expertise into creating his own private company, The Lightman Group. This venture provides independent consulting and assistance to law enforcement agencies through its team of psychologists, including Lightman. Using everything from reading microexpressions to changes in vocal delivery, Lightman and his team solve crimes, often working with the FBI.

The real appeal to "Lie to Me" is Roth's nuanced performance, in a rare television lead role for the fan-favorite movie actor. Seeing Roth's Lightman work his psychological talents while trying to keep his personal life in check helps set the series apart. The applied psychology approach to the procedural formula gives the show added personality and, running for only three seasons, doesn't overstay its welcome. A neat twist on the police procedural genre, "Lie to Me" gives the usual case-solving methodology its own interesting angle.

The usual police procedural formula takes a decidedly quantitative angle in the 2005 series "Numbers." The show stars David Krumholtz as Charlie Eppes, a mathematical prodigy who uses his knowledge to help his older brother Don (Rob Morrow). With Don heading the FBI's violent crimes unit in Los Angeles, Charlie's application of formulas and probabilities to investigations yields surprisingly successful results in solving cases. Charlie's work with the FBI is juxtaposed with his academic career, including changes with his professorship at the fictional CalSci.

In an increasingly crowded genre, "Numbers" found a fresh approach that kept it from feeling overly formulaic. But even beyond the math, the show's familial focus between brothers Charlie and Don, along with their father Alan (Judd Hirsch), helped distinguish it from its contemporaries. Krumholtz does a lot of the show's heavy lifting, not only providing a charismatic lead performance but also making the quantitative exposition easily digestible. Running for six seasons, "Numbers" is one of those procedurals that deserves a revival or, at least, a modern reappraisal.

Even the best detective shows can feel a little self-serious at times, so it's refreshing when shows have fun with the familiar tropes. The 2006 series "Psych" certainly qualifies on that score, poking fun at the idea of a gimmicky consulting detective. The series stars James Roday Rodriguez as Shawn Spencer, a ne'er-do-well who uses his observational skills and powers of deduction to pose as a psychic. Joined by his lifelong best friend Gus Guster (Dulé Hill), Shawn uses his presumed powers to assist the Santa Barbara Police Department solve crimes.

Starting out as an energetic take on crime procedurals and murder mysteries, "Psych" steadily leaned into its clear pop culture influences. The natural chemistry between the show's ensemble cast was highlighted and developed as the series progressed, really emphasizing the interpersonal relationships between its characters. The series has since received three continuation television movies since its initial conclusion, furthering the adventures of Shawn, Gus, and all their friends. A self-aware crime comedy with plenty of stellar episodes, "Psych" is a feel-good detective show.

Premiering two years after "Psych," the 2008 series "The Mentalist" featured a similar core premise. The show follows Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), who operates falsely as a psychic and whose claimed abilities are instead him capitalizing on his powers of observation. Jane becomes a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation, secretly using this connection to search for his wife and daughter's killer. As Jane spends more time working with the CBI, he develops a relationship with his boss, senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney).

In all fairness to "The Mentalist," the CBS series leans more into its faux psychic gimmick than "Psych," with Jane utilizing more magician techniques than Shawn Spencer. The show recognizes Baker's inherent charm immediately, along with his rapport with Tunney, wisely focusing on both. Jane's private motivations give the show a more emotional edge, though only employed sparingly to occasionally remind audiences of the stakes. After seven seasons, CBS cancelled "The Mentalist," but gave Jane and Lisbon the happy ending that they deserved.

For over 20 years, actor Nathan Fillion has been a fan-favorite icon bringing his wry charm to numerous beloved roles. One of Fillion's longest-running projects has been starring as Richard Castle, the titular protagonist of the police procedural "Castle." Running for eight seasons, the show introduces Castle, a best-selling mystery author, who assists the New York Police Department in apprehending a copycat killer inspired by his novels. Castle's crime-solving insight proves so valuable that the police recruit him as a civilian consultant, pairing him with detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic).

More than just relying on Fillion's usual appeal, "Castle" really develops the dynamic between his character and Stana Katic's Beckett. This romantic relationship elevates the show beyond the typical case-of-the-week formula and forms its emotional core. The thrills are still there, with Castle and Beckett frequently put directly in harm's way, but the interpersonal rapport is what makes the series stand out. One of the best Nathan Fillion projects, "Castle" consistently brought the crime-solving and romantic charm during its entire run.

Adding to its library of relatively lighthearted capers, the USA Network launched the crime dramedy "White Collar" in 2009. The series stars Matthew Bomer as master con artist Neal Caffrey, who is apprehended by FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) after an exhaustive manhunt. In exchange for an early release, Caffrey offers to provide his knowledge of white collar crime to the FBI to identify and arrest other criminals on the loose. Though initially wary of working with the crook that he pursued for three years, Burke learns to work with Caffrey, forming a strong partnership.

"White Collar" is a buddy cop show that's actually fun and funny, with electric chemistry between Bomer and DeKay. The banter between Caffrey and Burke flies fast and furiously while the mysteries they tackle move at a brisk pace. Recognizing that appeal, the show focuses more on this dynamic as it progresses to great effect while building out the ensemble cast. A "White Collar" reboot is currently in the works, hopefully able to recapture the bottled lightning of Bomer and DeKay's initial pairing.

Years before headlining "High Potential," Kaitlin Olson starred in and executive produced the Fox sitcom "The Mick." Olson plays Mickey Molng, a New England con artist who suddenly finds herself raising her sister's children after her sibling goes on the run for her own criminal activities. This new dynamic revolves around clashes between Mickey and the oldest child, Sabrina Pemberton (Sofia Black-D'Elia), while trying to look after her two younger brothers. Despite her best efforts, Mickey actually grows to care about the three children, albeit in her usual conniving way.

While "High Potential" offers a fuller showcase for Olson's acting talents, "The Mick" focuses on her comedic sensibilities. Most of the characters are similarly reprehensible like Mickey, making Olson's performance all the more charming. Though "The Mick" might be tamer in comparison to the raunchiness of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," this is still a sitcom with plenty of gleefully eyebrow-raising humor. Running for two seasons, "High Potential" fans should check out "The Mick" if they're looking for more prominent Kaitlin Olson work.

The comic book series "Stumptown" by Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth, and Justin Greenwood was adapted into a crime drama show in 2019. The adaptation was produced by Cobie Smulders, who also starred as its protagonist Dex Parios, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan suffering from severe PTSD. Unable to keep a steady job and facing sizable gambling debts, Dex becomes a private investigator in her native Portland, Oregon. Picking up work often ignored by the police, Dex gets tips from her best friend and bartender Grey McConnell (Jake Johnson) and police detective Miles Hoffman (Michael Ealy).

"Stumptown" is a fantastic, no-frills neo-noir backed by a strong ensemble cast led by Smulders as the troubled Dex. Though the trauma and emotional elements remain raw, there is a wisecracking sense of humor to the main characters to keep the show from feeling too tonally heavy. Well-received by critics and audiences, "Stumptown" was cancelled due to COVID-19 complications, despite being renewed for a second season by ABC. Still, the single season of "Stumptown" that we did get is modern crime television gold and one that we hope gets revisited someday.

The 2017 Argentine crime series "The Cleaning Lady" was adapted for American television in 2022 under the same title. This iteration stars Élodie Yung as Thony De La Rosa, a former surgeon and an immigrant from the Philippines working as a cleaning lady in Las Vegas. Left with few options after her visa expires, Thony becomes desperate when her son is in need of expensive medical treatment when he's diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening condition. Noticing her talents, Thony is recruited by mobster Arman Morales (Adan Canto) to work as a crime scene cleaner and physician for his outfit, getting Thony the support she needs.

The real standout in the American version of "The Cleaning Lady" is a magnetic starring performance from Yung. Watching her play Thony as she carries out a double life with her friends and family, juxtaposed with her illicit occupation, forms the entire crux of the show. The series doesn't shy away from the darker nature of Thony's new line of work, deftly weaving thriller elements into the drama. Cancelled after four seasons, "The Cleaning Lady" may be more deadly serious than "High Potential" but features another cleaner in a surprising crime position.

A spin-off from "The Good Wife" and its continuation series "The Good Fight," 2024's "Elsbeth" turns its attention to returning character Elsbeth Tascioni. Carrie Preston reprises her fan-favorite role as Elsbeth, an attorney who relocates from Chicago to New York to help the police. While her methods are unorthodox, Elsbeth's observational skills and conversational techniques effectively helps her solve crimes alongside her NYPD partners. Secretly, Elsbeth is working with the NYPD to investigate local police chief C.W. Wagner (Wendell Pierce), who is under suspicion of corruption.

"Elsbeth" was inspired by "Columbo," and that concept of a cozy, affable detective certainly carries over to the 2024 series. No longer prosecuting criminals in the courtroom, Preston finds new dimensions to bring to Elsbeth as a consulting crime-solver. While there is an overarching case to be had, the show finds its joy in the mystery-of-the-week formula, buoyed by Preston's consistently captivating performance. A fresh take on the detective genre that gives this generation its Frank Columbo archetype, "Elsbeth" is an absolute treat.

Andy Griffith's last great television role was playing criminal defense attorney Ben Matlock on the '80s show "Matlock." Then, 32 years after its conclusion, the property was dramatically reimagined with 2024's "Matlock," starring Kathy Bates as Matty Matlock, who emerges from retirement to join a law firm. In reality, Matty is an alias for Madeline Kingston, who is using her assumed name to infiltrate the firm and gather evidence surrounding her daughter's death in an opioid case. To gain the firm's trust, Matty proves her legal acumen in the courtroom, growing closer to the partners and the data she's searching for.

In this reimagining, the classic "Matlock" television series exists within this universe, giving Kingston the inspiration behind her alias. Shows bandy about the term "reimage" over "reboot" all the time, but the 2024 "Matlock" actually feels like it deserves the former term with its creative approach. Inventive ways to use classic properties aside, "Matlock" gives Bates a record-breaking role that puts her immense talents to good use. Surrounding her is a strong ensemble cast that breathes new life into the familiar courtroom legal drama genre.

Matlock isn't the only beloved crime property to get reinvigorated on television, with Sherlock Holmes getting a fresh twist in "Watson." The 2025 series shifts the focus from Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth to John Watson (Morris Chestnut), after Holmes (Robert Carlyle) presumably died battling his nemesis James Moriarty (Randall Park). In the aftermath of losing his friend, Watson relocates to Pittsburgh where he opens his own private medical clinic. As Watson treats patients with strange and unusual ailments, he contends with the growing evidence that Moriarty is very much still alive.

What "Watson" does, apart from its protagonist shift, is take the mystery genre-driven show and transpose it to a medical procedural context. Though that genre blend can feel a bit forced, it's the steady presence of Morris Chestnut that makes the change work. Like "High Potential," the show delves into the messy personal lives of its main characters, specifically between Watson and his estranged wife Mary (Rochelle Aytes). Adding more mystery elements as it progresses, "Watson" is a fun modern mix-up of literature's most famous detective sidekick, giving its titular character the spotlight.