Kaitlin Olson's New ABC Drama Just Landed Another Comedy Veteran, And This Role Sounds Perfect
Kaitlin Olson is widely known for her work within the comedy space, though the actress is set to make a more dramatic turn in her upcoming ABC show. Olson's new series, High Potential, is set to air this fall as part of the 2024 TV schedule, and the details that have been revealed about the show so far seem intriguing. As of right now, the cast is being filled out, and it would seem that Olson will be joined by another comedy veteran. The star in question is character actor Garret Dillahunt, and the role he’ll be playing sounds too perfect for him.
The Fear the Walking Dead alum is set to join the cast of High Potential in a recurring capacity. Deadline reports that he’ll play the role of Lieutenant Melon on the Drew Goddard-created drama series. Per the trade’s description of the character, Melon isn’t exactly the nicest guy – at least, that’s the case when it comes to Kaitlin Olson’s character. After news of his casting broke Garret Dillahunt posted about it on Instagram, sharing the following message:
Been sitting on this one a while. Very excited about this show and to finally, after many failed attempts, work with the uber-talented [Kaitlin Olson].
While Garret Dillahunt’s name may not register in your memory banks immediately, chances are that you’ve definitely seen his work at some point or another. He began amassing major acting credits during the ‘90s, appearing in movies and TV shows like ER, No Country for Old Men, Winter’s Bone and Criminal Minds. When it comes to TV, he’s also had starring roles on The Mindy Project, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the aforementioned Fear the Walking Dead. But fans may know him best from his work on the Fox sitcom Raising Hope, which ran for four seasons from 2010 to 2014. Needless to say, he should make a fine addition to this ABC series.
The show sees Kaitlin Olson play Morgan, a single mother of three kids with a brilliant mind who’s recruited by the police as a consultant to help solve complex crimes. In doing so, Morgan is paired up with veteran detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). As for how Lt. Melon figures into the story, he serves as the head of the LAPD precinct’s Robbery Division. However, what he really wants is to handle True Crimes and, because of that, he has no qualms when it comes to griping about his position.
A major reason why this role feels so perfect for Garret Dillahunt is that it’ll mark yet another instance in which he’s playing a law enforcement role. He previously did so in FTWD, having played the role of police officer John Dorie. Dillahunt was absolutely the best in that role, and his performance garnered acclaim from fans. Even CinemaBlend’s own Nick Venable even called for a Dorie murder-mystery spinoff. While John is a lot friendlier than Melon is described as being, I have no doubt that Dillahunt will crush the role and can add some layers to the smug-sounding Melon.
Joining Garret Dillahunt and Kaitlin Olson on the show are Javicia Leslie, Matthew Lamb, Amirah J, Deniz Akdeniz and Judy Reyes. Considering the talent of the cast and its lead actress, one would hope that the show will prove to be entertaining. Olson, who’s received love from It’s Always Sunny vets ahead of the premiere, is sure to bring her A-game alongside Dillahunt and co.
As part of ABC’s fall schedule, High Potential will premiere on Tuesday, September 17 at 10 p.m. ET. And, while you wait for it, do yourself a favor and tune in to some of the other great summer offerings that are currently airing.
