Steve Howey's fate on High Potential revealed after season two cliffhanger


The Reba alum joined the Kaitlin Olson-led ABC hit series for its second season, which just aired its finale


STEVE HOWEY, KAITLIN OLSON on High Potential Season two© Getty Images
Beatriz Colon
Beatriz ColonNew York Writer - New York
April 8, 2026
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High Potential fans, are you getting used to the cliffhangers?

For the second season in a row, the ABC hit has ended its season by leaving fans hanging, this time around with the fate of Steve Howey's character hanging in the balance.

At the end of season two's final episode, lead star Kaitlin Olson's character Morgan found Captain Nick Wagner gravely injured, and now, we've gotten an idea of what might happen.

Steve Howey at ABC's "End of Summer Soiree" held at Cecconi's on September 05, 2025 in West Hollywood, California© Getty Images
Steve had signed a one-year deal

Deadline has since confirmed that the season two finale marked the last episode as a series regular for Steve, who joined the show at the beginning of season two. HELLO! has reached out to ABC for comment.

Steve had only signed on under a one-year deal, however the fate of his character has not been fully confirmed just yet, as it is reported the door is still open for him to return as a guest star.

High Potential, which first premiered in September 2024, is in flux at the moment, as though it has been renewed for season three, it is still in search of a new showrunner after it was announced last month that its season one and two showrunner Todd Harthan is exiting the series. 

Steve Howey as Nick Wagner on High Potential© Disney
He starred as Captain Nick Wagner

The Rosewood creator is leaving to focus on the live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini's YA book series The Inheritance Cycle, titled Eragon, which he is co-creating with its author and will serve as co-showrunner on with Todd Helbing.

TRAILER: High Potential

When Steve first joined High Potential, his character was described as a savvy political animal who knows how to wear an expensive suit and oozes effortless charm, a character description read.

It added: "Besides a guy who can launch a million fundraisers with his smile, he has disruptor tenacity and likes thinking outside the box just like their all-star consultant Morgan. He has a way of putting himself right in the middle of the action… whether he's wanted there or not."

High Potential stars Matthew Lamb as Elliot Radovic, Amirah Johnson as Ava Gillory, Judy Reyes as Selena Soto, Daniel Sunjata as Adam Karadec, Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory, Javicia Leslie as Daphne Forrester, Deniz Akdeniz as LevOz Ozdill, and Steve Howey as Nick Wagner© Disney
High Potential is returning for a third season

It was announced back in November that he would be joining season two of another hit show, Netflix's Ransom Canyon, which stars Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel

man with arms wrapped around woman on porch © ANNA KOORIS/Netflix
Steve is joining the cast of Ransom Canyon

Steve will be joining the series, which is based on the 2015 Ransom Canyon book series by Jodi Thomas, as Levi, Josh's character Staten Kirkland's half-brother. The new character is described as "a mountain man of sorts who lives off the land."

Moreover, in season two, "the future of Ransom Canyon hangs in the balance as ranching dynasties continue to vie for power, and new faces arrive, threatening the lives and loves of this quaint, western town," per a release at the time.

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