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Media for So Help Me Todd: Not Private Investigations

Meredith Quill

By Meredith Quill
in So Help Me Todd

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AnimeMania

AnimeMania

So Help Me Todd           THURSDAY, September 29          CBS     9 pm

So Help Me Todd will be filming in Vancouver between July 27, 2022 and December 16, 2022.

Despite their opposing personalities, a talented but directionless P.I. who is the black sheep of his family begrudgingly agrees to work as the in-house investigator for his overbearing mother, a successful attorney at the Crest, Folding & Song Law Firm, who is currently reeling from the recent dissolution of her marriage.

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Marcia Gay Harden stars as Margaret Wright. She is a razor-sharp attorney and a self-made success who put herself through law school to support her three kids when her first husband died. Very controlling and always aware of appearances, Margaret must rely on Todd, her least reliable child, when her 2nd marriage mysteriously unravels. And while she can’t condone Todd’s less than legal tactics, she’s impressed by his ability to sleuth out information. Is hiring Todd to work in her office a serious gamble?

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Skylar Astin is Todd. Todd’s life is currently in shambles. He is the “problem child” of his family and a disappointment to his super-achieving mom. A former private detective, he lost his license after some messy misunderstandings. Quick on his feet – and a little too quick to resort to lying in order to get what he needs – Todd may be unorthodox, but he is impressively good at what he does. He’s also a master of tech, scrappy surveillance and social media.

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Madeline Wise will play Allison, smart and high achieving, she is an ER trauma surgeon and Todd’s diplomatic sister, eager to keep the peace between Todd and their demanding mother, Margaret. Allison shoulders many family obligations that her two brothers shirk. Often busy, and a bit scattered, she is married to the very good-looking but doltish Chuck, whom she knows is her intellectual inferior. She is dissatisfied with the picture-perfect life Joan designed for her and is teetering on the brink of taking it all apart.

Inga Schlingmann portrays Susan, a “stylish legal bombshell in Clark Kent glasses” who works with Joan. A former girlfriend of Todd’s, she clearly has moved on, is engaged and has just bought her first home. When she broke Todd’s heart years ago, it was because she ultimately found him to be too much of a child.

Rosa Arredondo will play Francey, Margaret’s “Girl Friday.” An efficient assistant who can make anything happen in any amount of time, Francey tends to both Margaret and Todd in equal measure. She is often more affectionate with Todd than his own mother. Instinct tells her that Margaret and Todd working together is good for them, even if it is a bit explosive and chaotic. Margaret and Francey have a secret that has bound them together for years.
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Tristen J. Winger portrays Lyle, very high maintenance, difficult and always by-the-book, he is one of the two in-house licensed investigators working in Margaret’s law firm.

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j5cochran

j5cochran

As there is no "cast in other roles" topic (or have I missed it?), I'll put this here. Both Marcia Gay Harden ("we allowed to say 'gay'") and Skylar Astin were presenters on the Tony Awards show this evening.

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

(edited)

I'm not sure about the bonafides of the "new" ParamountPressExpress.com website, but on most pages it shows the next episode, 2.5, "End on a High Note" airs on April 11, but on one page it is shown airing on April 21 — (maybe a backup plan in case the sky is falling?). 
So maybe wait a week before starting an episode thread, just in case?

Regardless: “Margaret and Todd defend international opera star, supreme diva and Lyle’s mother, Jaqueline (Jenifer Lewis)” [paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/so-help-me-todd/releases…april-11]
— who also starred as matriarch Ruby Johnson on Black-ish.

Looks good to me.

Edited by shapeshifter
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AnimeMania

AnimeMania

(edited)
4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

airs on April 11, but on one page it is shown airing on April 21 

April 11 is a Thursday (the day the show comes on) and April 21 is a Sunday. April 21 is probably a Repeat Showing of the episode or a misprint.

Edited by AnimeMania
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DanaK

DanaK

On 3/25/2024 at 6:36 PM, shapeshifter said:

I'm not sure about the bonafides of the "new" ParamountPressExpress.com website, but on most pages it shows the next episode, 2.5, "End on a High Note" airs on April 11, but on one page it is shown airing on April 21 — (maybe a backup plan in case the sky is falling?). 
So maybe wait a week before starting an episode thread, just in case?

Regardless: “Margaret and Todd defend international opera star, supreme diva and Lyle’s mother, Jaqueline (Jenifer Lewis)” [paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/so-help-me-todd/releases…april-11]
— who also starred as matriarch Ruby Johnson on Black-ish.

Looks good to me.

The promo for it looks really funny and fun

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chitowngirl

chitowngirl

(edited)
5 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

I sure hope so.  It is just a wonderful, light-hearted comedy/drama with such talent and it’s on my weekly watch.  

Yes! I’m so tired of the L&O, CSI, FBI, Tracker, Equalizer, etc….

Edited by chitowngirl
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chediavolo

chediavolo

I am so devastated and so pissed off that they canceled the show. Meanwhile, there is so much absolute crap airing on TV. The show was different. It really made me smile. The acting was great. What the hell ,how did this happen? Did it not get enough ratings? 🤬😔

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Simba122504

Simba122504

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Is there any chance it could be picked up by another network or streamer?

Deadline said there's no plans to move it it to Paramount+ which would have been something CBS decided before announcing cancellation. I really liked this show. I even shipped Todd & Susan. 

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DanaK

DanaK

43 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

I am so devastated and so pissed off that they canceled the show. Meanwhile, there is so much absolute crap airing on TV. The show was different. It really made me smile. The acting was great. What the hell ,how did this happen? Did it not get enough ratings? 🤬😔

The ratings did drop and I think it and CSI: Vegas were the bottom of CBS’ shows, ratings wise

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seacliffsal

seacliffsal

It saddens me to hear that CBS is canceling this show as I enjoy it so much!  But, I can kind of see it as there were so back subplots that were not particularly interesting to me, and perhaps to others.  I don't care about the financial problems of the firm.  If they are in such financial turmoil, then move to smaller and less elaborate offices (yes, I understand about leases...).  Lower the profits of the partners until finances stabilize, etc.  Last season they tried to build suspense about Todd and Susan in a 'will they/won't they' scenario.  Didn't care.  What I enjoyed was the warmth and humor.  I will miss this show.

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iMonrey

iMonrey

What a stupid decision by CBS. The ratings were good - from the Deadline article:

Quote

In most current linear Nielsen viewership (2/12 to date), CSI: Vegas, which improved its time period, is at #21 among all non-sports broadcast programs with 6.234M viewers and So Help Me Todd at #22 with 6.224M. That is more than a slew of series on other broadcast networks that have been safely renewed for next season, including ABC’s Will Trent, The Rookie and Grey’s Anatomy and NBC’s Law & Order, The Voice and The Irrational.

They cancelled this show to make room for dumb new shows including yet another NCIS show.

Fuck CBS.

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

7 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

It saddens me to hear that CBS is canceling this show as I enjoy it so much!  But, I can kind of see it as there were so back subplots that were not particularly interesting to me, and perhaps to others.  I don't care about the financial problems of the firm.  If they are in such financial turmoil, then move to smaller and less elaborate offices (yes, I understand about leases...).  Lower the profits of the partners until finances stabilize, etc.  Last season they tried to build suspense about Todd and Susan in a 'will they/won't they' scenario.  Didn't care.  What I enjoyed was the warmth and humor.  I will miss this show.

I agree that the background plots and subplots were more like "scatter plots," but that never seemed to get in the way of a good story, great acting, and marvelous costuming. 
I wonder if TPTB at CBS put a lot of weight on a synopsis of a show when deciding whether or not to axe it when there's chopping to be done.
Still, I think this one "fault" could be addressed if the show went to a streamer with less stringent rules for episode length, etc.
And moving to a new network or streamer would give the show a fresh start. 

I know.
I'm in the denial stage of grief, fantasizing.🦄
😔

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Simba122504

Simba122504

9 hours ago, Trey said:

I think it is such a great show that it never crossed my mind that it would get cancelled.

 I thought this season was improving with every episode and am very saddened that it's been cancelled.

I know this is mathematically impossible, but I always feel guilty when one of favorite shows gets cancelled. It's like every time I remove a series from the DVR and decide to just binge watch later on. It gets cancelled. Lol 

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

1 hour ago, Simba122504 said:

I know this is mathematically impossible, but I always feel guilty when one of favorite shows gets cancelled. It's like every time I remove a series from the DVR and decide to just binge watch later on. It gets cancelled. Lol 

@Simba122504, the mad face I used to respond to your post is just for fun.
I've never used it before. I'm just kidding along with you that your VCR status got the show canceled. 🥰

And I'm pretty sure they said the ratings were good. 

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Sarah 103

Sarah 103

(edited)
On 4/19/2024 at 6:40 PM, chitowngirl said:

Yes! I’m so tired of the L&O, CSI, FBI, Tracker, Equalizer, etc….

I loved the show, but it was a strange fit for CBS. It would be a perfect fit for the CW. I'm hoping another network/streamer picks it up, because it has happened to other series, so it is possible. 

5 hours ago, Simba122504 said:

I know this is mathematically impossible, but I always feel guilty when one of favorite shows gets cancelled. It's like every time I remove a series from the DVR and decide to just binge watch later on. It gets cancelled. Lol 

I apologize for this comment in advance. I do not think there is a to communicate the following thought without sounding like a total jerk, and I really honestly tried, so again, apologies for how this is going to sound.

If people are not watching a network show at least three-seven days after it airs, then it probably will get canceled. The networks look to see how many people are watching the day the day it airs, or at least three days after. Seven days is pushing it. If the network sees that a show is not getting stellar ratings (unless it is in a time slot that is traditionally known to get low/lower than normal ratings like Friday at 10 PM), the network executives will start to think about if there is something else they could air in that time slot that will get better ratings. 

Edited by Sarah 103
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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

(edited)

I’m reaching the Acceptance stage of mourning this show.
This show will likely appear on lists of “Shows Cancelled Too Soon.”

BrainDead (2016) is the show that comes to my mind as the prime example of a show that should have continued.
Like So Help Me Todd, it had A-listers in its cast.

I suppose the Writers Strike didn’t help So Help Me Todd either.

Edited by shapeshifter
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iMonrey

iMonrey

10 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

If people are not watching a network show at least three-seven days after it airs, then it probably will get canceled. The networks look to see how many people are watching the day the day it airs, or at least three days after.

The networks still rely on Nielsen ratings which is an outmoded measurement in today's era of streaming. People just don't watch TV the same way anymore. And I think a lot of these shows depend on licensing deals with streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. 

I don't think Paramount is making a lot off their streaming platform so it's unlikely a show like this would wind up there as original programming. Paramount Plus original content seems to be limited to niche shows like the Star Trek franchise.

I just don't understand the decision to pull the plug on a show that's still pulling decent ratings just to make room for something that's new and untested.

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janeyjay

janeyjay

I adore this show and the cancellation notice has put me in a cranky mood. I'm a contemporary of the great Marcia Gay Harden and it is so refreshing to see a woman of a certain age portrayed as multi-faceted (flaws and all), intelligent and compassionate. Plus the regular cast have gelled and work together so well as a company. 

File this under Captain Obvious observation, but It certainly didn't help the cause to program this delight against the juggernaut that is L&O: SVU. A different time slot would have helped the ratings, IMO. I understand that the season/series finale ends on a big cliffhanger, so. THANKS A LOT FOR NOTHING, CBS.

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NJRadioGuy

NJRadioGuy

15 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

If people are not watching a network show at least three-seven days after it airs, then it probably will get canceled. The networks look to see how many people are watching the day the day it airs, or at least three days after.

To be clear, they don't give a damn about how many people are watching any particular show. It's how many are watching the commercials that dictates renewal or cancellation. The C3 and C7 are about ad impressions, not total eyeballs. And the only numbers that matter are the 18-49 demo numbers. Neilson stopped publishing those publicly last year, IIRC.

I'll admit I'm a bit surprised that a show with modest numbers in its second season got chopped. Not sure if there will be enough episodes to warrant a run on Netflix or some other streamer, so it's also possible this will be pulled from streaming offerings after the finale.

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Sarah 103

Sarah 103

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

just don't understand the decision to pull the plug on a show that's still pulling decent ratings just to make room for something that's new and untested.

I've felt this way since the early 2000s (anyone else remember when American Dreams was canceled and replaced with the Martha Stewart version of The Apprentice?) when I first learned about ratings and how they are used to make decisions about renewal and cancelation. Clearly CBS thinks they get better ratings and more money with a different show in this timeslot. 

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wanderingstar

wanderingstar

I hope this show gets picked up à la Girls5Eva, which was cancelled by Peacock, but picked up by Netflix. This show came to my attention after I started watching Elsbeth, and I ended up liking So Help Me Todd slightly better. 

I agree that in some ways the show is a slightly odd fit for procedural-heavy CBS. BUT, the characters do solve a mystery every week, so...

Surprised the network wouldn't put this on Paramount+. That's how I caught up with the show, so it seems like a good fit for streaming.

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Simba122504

Simba122504

On 4/21/2024 at 12:20 AM, Sarah 103 said:

I loved the show, but it was a strange fit for CBS. It would be a perfect fit for the CW. I'm hoping another network/streamer picks it up, because it has happened to other series, so it is possible. 

I apologize for this comment in advance. I do not think there is a to communicate the following thought without sounding like a total jerk, and I really honestly tried, so again, apologies for how this is going to sound.

If people are not watching a network show at least three-seven days after it airs, then it probably will get canceled. The networks look to see how many people are watching the day the day it airs, or at least three days after. Seven days is pushing it. If the network sees that a show is not getting stellar ratings (unless it is in a time slot that is traditionally known to get low/lower than normal ratings like Friday at 10 PM), the network executives will start to think about if there is something else they could air in that time slot that will get better ratings. 

I understand,  but I swear it happens every time. Meanwhile,  many shows I gave up on seems to always get renewed. I actually wish it was a Friday night show. 

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

4 hours ago, Simba122504 said:

I actually wish it was a Friday night show. 

Yes. I would love it on Friday night too.
But MGH starring in a Friday night show? Wouldn’t something implode?

When the show first premiered, the title seemed half baked.
And there was a lot of throwing the spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks for the characters’ personal arcs. 
It’s almost like nobody ever took the show seriously.
Like it was always just The Little Engine That Could — until they unplugged it.
☹️

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Sarah 103

Sarah 103

13 hours ago, Simba122504 said:

I actually wish it was a Friday night show. 

Because then lower ratings would be more acceptable and CBS would be more willing or likely to renew it? 

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

And there was a lot of throwing the spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks for the characters’ personal arcs.

I remember hearing from a director/executive producer of another series that it sometimes takes 6 episodes for a series to figure itself out and see what works and what doesn't. Maybe that's what you were seeing/picking up on. 

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juliet73

juliet73

Sorry to hear it’s being canceled! I really enjoyed this show. CBS loves to cancel the “different” type shows (So Help Me Todd, God Friended Me, etc) only to replace them with another NCIS or horrible FBI spinoff. 

I'm still irritated they canceled Clarice a few years back! 

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chaifan

chaifan

I'm sad it's been cancelled.  Strangely enough, Thursday was just on the verge of becoming my "appointment TV" night  - Ghosts, Todd & Elsbeth.  It was a good lineup, and the shows all compliment one another in tone.  I'm with those that agree it finally hit it's stride.  Not perfect, the "law firm is in financial trouble" sub plot was boring, and the whole weirdness with Allison was going a bit too far.  But it was pretty good.

 

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