So Help Me Todd canceled.

I am a little sorry to learn that CBS has canceled So Help Me Todd after two seasons. Marcia Gay Harden, who plays the character of “Margaret” on the show, adds depth and complexity to the storyline per usual.

She first caught my attention in the masterpiece “Meet Joe Black,” opposite Brad Pitt, where she portrayed the character of “Allison Parrish”; the daughter of “William Parrish” (Anthony Hopkins) and sister of “Susan Parrish” (Claire Forlani).

As a review regarding other productions where Harden has starred noted:

“Actress Marcia Gay Harden is a Texan, non-Jewish and the daughter of a U.S. Navy captain who regularly moved his family around the world. So she has had to do her homework, she says, to portray the tough-yet-vulnerable Jewish characters that have won her wide acclaim.

Harden studied 1920s anti-Semitism to play Verna, the two-timing Jewish moll to Irish mobsters in the Coen brothers’ stylized gangster film “Miller’s Crossing.” She read up on the laws of shiva to portray Norma Berman, the eccentric daughter of a Jewish widow in Beeban Kidron’s “Used People.” She learned a thing or two about psychology to become the Jewish shrink Susan Silverman in A&E’s “Small Vices.” And she perused biographies to prepare for the role that just gleaned her a supporting actress nomination: the Jewish American painter Lee Krasner, the long-suffering wife of Abstract Expressionist giant Jackson Pollock (Ed Harris) in the biopic “Pollock”.”

Per tradition, Marcia Gay Harden brought her undeniable talents to So Help Me Todd, and enriched the overall narrative with her portrayal of “Margaret”, a pivotal character who is the mother of the titular character “Todd”.

The television world shocked?

Some were, it seems, surprised.

“It was surprising because the series, while not the network’s most-watched, was doing well in the ratings, and considering the state of broadcast television, a series averaging six million viewers in +7 ratings should be a lock for renewal,” wrote Whitney Evans at TV Fanatic.

Not entirely surprising

I, for one, am not entirely surprised that despite many fantastic scenes and moments, So Help Me Todd is canceled.

Nor am I shocked that it (according to Deadline) had been in grave danger of cancelation for some time.

I often skip chunks of each episode due to the transitive nature of Todd’s antics.

“Todd” (portrayed by Skylar Astin) is annoying to just about everyone around him, including his loving family. He consistently upsets his mom, irritates his sister, bullies his brother, and annoys strangers — often for no good reason. It’s just Todd being Tood. But he annoys me too, as an audience member.

The CBS Studios-produced series, stars Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin, along with Madeline Wise, Tristen J. Winger, Inga Schlingmann and Rosa Arredondo. It’s a top-notch cast and crew, well-produced. And at its best moments, the writing is magical.

But Todd is too annoying too often.

Maybe that’s just me, while the hardcore viewers loved it about the show.

If most viewers didn’t appreciate it, I am not surprised.

The show’s premise

“So Help Me Todd” is a dramedy that blends poignant moments with laugh-out-loud humor. The series unfolds against the backdrop of Portland, Oregon, and explores themes of family dynamics, moral ambiguity, and the perpetual quest for self-discovery.

At its core is Todd Wright, a private investigator whose knack for unraveling mysteries is matched only by his knack for finding himself in sticky situations. He has excellent instincts as a private investigator, but lacks direction and a sense of social decorum, hence is the disappointment of his family.

Todd’s fiercely determined mother, Margaret, is a formidable attorney with a penchant for both legal prowess and familial drama. Todd’s sister Allison is a surgeon, and Todd’s brother Lawrence works as the Chief of Staff for the Governor of Oregon.

Margaret believes in strictly adhering to the law and in decorum. Decorum refers to behavior that is in keeping with good taste, propriety, and social etiquette. It involves conforming to accepted norms of behavior or etiquette in a particular social setting or context. While Allison and Lawrence are impressively well-adjusted, this is at complete odds with Todd’s tendency to frivolously bend both the law and decorum at almost every turn. After his strong-willed mother negotiated to drop criminal charges against Todd two years previously, he reluctantly agrees to work at her law firm as an in-house investigator.

Through mainly Todd’s, Margaret’s, and Allison’s lenses, viewers are invited to confront the complexities of human nature and the enduring power of familial bonds. Both Margaret and Allison add layers of complexity to the family dynamic, bringing their own sets of challenges and skills to the storyline.

Amidst the various tensions, each episode unveils a new case, mystery, and other challenges, to unravel. Margaret’s sharp legal mind and keen investigative skills, along with her penchant for adventure, compels her to become an indispensable ally to Todd, providing invaluable insights and strategies and actively getting involved in fieldwork as an amateur detective, to solve cases. Margaret’s mix of vulnerability and toughness along with her ability to apply legal principles to investigative work adds depth to the show’s narrative and makes her a central figure in both Todd’s personal and professional life.

Despite individual differences, the family’s love for each other is strong, and, united, they’re formidable.

Casting

• Marcia Gay Harden as Margaret Wright, a defense attorney who completed her Juris Doctor degree after the death of her first husband
• Skylar Astin as Todd, Margaret’s youngest child, a former private detective hired by Margaret’s firm
• Madeline Wise as Allison, Todd’s sister, an ER doctor
• Matthew Wilkas as Lawrence, Margaret’s eldest child
• Tristen J. Winger as Lyle, a fastidious in-house investigator at Margaret’s firm
• Inga Schlingmann as Susan, Todd’s engaged ex-girlfriend, a lawyer at Margaret’s firm
• Rosa Evangelina Arredondo as Francey, Margaret’s executive assistant

The kid’s are alright

At the end of the day, with the current state of the world and the planet (in too many parts) literally burning, I have more pressing things to worry about and be upset over than the cancelation of a US TV show.

Citations

Andreeva, N. (2024, April 21). ‘CSI: Vegas’ & ‘So Help Me Todd’ Canceled By CBS. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2024/04/csi-vegas-so-help-me-todd-canceled-cbs-1235890517/

Pfefferman, N. (2001, February 15). Strange attraction. Jewish Journal. https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/3890/

Evans, W. (2024, April 22). Is it a mistake to cancel So help me Todd? TV Fanatic. https://www.tvfanatic.com/2024/04/is-it-a-mistake-to-cancel-so-help-me-todd/

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, April 26). So help me Todd. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_Help_Me_Todd