S01E01: Pilot Episode

[The Crazed Spruce]

Series premiere.

Quote

Meticulous attorney Margaret Wright hires her scruffy son as her law firm's in-house investigator.

[Lady Calypso]

So, I watched it. I was very wary going into it, because the premise sounded good but I feared it would be a disaster. But honestly, though rough in places, it has potential. I'm very fond of family-driven shows and this one seems family driven. I figured it would be a dramedy and I'm surprised at how...decent the balance was between the more light hearted content and the dramatic stuff.

It was very obvious what happened to Margaret's husband. I'm surprised it took her AND Todd so long to figure out he was simply just leaving her like a coward.

The dialogue was clunky at times and a bit TOO much exposition BUT it had charm and Skylar and Marcia both have the mother/son chemistry needed to make this show work. Plus, I actually REALLY liked Todd's sister, Allison. I actually think she was the surprise aspect that made the entire show work. It would be boring if it was just Todd and Margaret's tense relationship, but having a third party involved will balance the two out. 

Lyle was also great.

Now, what didn't work? Todd's supposed love interest, Susan. Sorry, but they introduce an engaged woman who is also Todd's ex, and it is super clear Susan will be leaving her fiance for Todd by the end of the season. That alone turns me off, but I also didn't think the actress who plays Susan was very good, OR had any chemistry with Skylar. It is a pilot, so maybe that'll change, but introducing a very cliche plotline with these two won't make me root for them.

Also, I guess they hadn't cast the third sibling yet, but they did cast his husband so...

Todd basically committing felonies left and right. Hopefully he tunes that down. Although, plus side is the reason for him losing his job and almost going to jail. I guess we'll be seeing his ex partner at some point this season.

The case with the suspected murderer only to have it be the mother was predictable. They'll need to work on the case aspect of the show. 

And the twist and turns involving Harry were really not needed. It was clear as day what happened, but it was kind of nice to see him stand up for Margaret, even as he was leaving her in one of the worst ways. And I guess it's better than him leaving her for another woman.

All in all, a little bit of a rough pilot BUT good enough where I'm going to keep watching.

[shapeshifter]

What was the point of the magician and the magician’s house and the delivery of the magician’s package? Neither of us can recall.

[ams1001]

16 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

What was the point of the magician and the magician’s house and the delivery of the magician’s package? Neither of us can recall.

I think the package was just a vehicle for him to put a tracker in it so he could trace it to the magician's house, where the magician's wife was the husband's lawyer who does end-of-life planning, and I guess he had her dispose of his things because his computer and some other stuff was in a box to be donated.

I only ended up watching because I was too lazy to turn off the TV after Ghosts ended. I got invested enough to want to know where the husband went, but it remains to be seen if I'm invested enough to keep watching. Might give it another episode, if I remember.

Edited September 30, 2022 by ams1001

[Sarah 103]

It's a pilot so there was an absolute ton of set-up/exposition, which I won't hold against the episode. Now that we have the players in motion, I will tune in for a few more episodes to see where this is going. The series reminded me of other movies/TV series that I enjoyed. The guy with unconventional methods in a very straight-laced corporate world reminded me of Franklin and Bash. Todd as a guile hero reminded me of Beverly Hills Cop. The family drama reminded me of Psych. Overall, the show wouldn't have been out of place during USA Network's Blue Sky era, which is a good thing/a compliment. 

[AnimeMania]

Clayton James as Chuck
Thomas Cadrot as Chet
Artemis Litsiadis as Clementine
Andrea Brooks as Kim
Christine Cattell as Celia
Donia Kash as Niki
Dean Paul Gibson as Walter
Natalia S. De Azevedo as Nadia
Benjamin Wilkinson as D.A. Barrett
Jane Stanton as Mrs. Hogenson
Kapila Rego as Clerk Jenny
Steven Rudy as Eddie Morris
Lesli Brownlee as Laura Morris
Angela Moore as Judge
Sharmaine Yeoh as Mrs. Lin
Garland Chang as Translator
Isaac George-Hotchkiss as Mover
Anthony Scardera as Foreman
Brady Droulis as Unkempt Child
Addison Gosselin as Mandy Barrett
Manny Hernandez as Tomas
Walcott Morgan as Delivery Person
Erin O’Brien as Flight Attendant
Sean Fowler as D.A. Asst/Techie
Zandara Kennedy as Stunt Coordinator
Patrice Jefferson as Security Guard #1
Vesna Ennis as Security Guard #2

On to the show, I liked it. Todd lies a little too easily, often, and for no reason to be considered a good character, so they need to rein him in to make him more likeable. I like that Todd's sibling might have to rethink their life choices since they were heavily influence by their mother, rather than thinking for themselves. I am looking forward to the office dynamics and seeing Todd push back on his mother's unassailable dominance in the office and how that will allow the other workers an opportunity to exhibit a little more of their unique personalities.

[The Crazed Spruce]

I haven't seen the full episode yet, 'cause I work nights, and the show airs while I'm getting ready. Basically, I caught the first 15-20 minutes, and then the end of the court case while waiting for my ride. And I'll be honest, I pretty much knew exactly who the real killer was when they mentioned that the client lost her gun when she moved back in with her parents. I still enjoyed the show, though. Todd and his mother have great comedic chemistry, and that's at least enough to get me through for now.

And I agree, this show would've been perfect for USA's blue sky period. Todd's the type of amoral protagonist with a heart of.... well, maybe not "gold", exactly, but at least bronze, that most of those shows were built around.

[LakeGal]

I enjoyed it more than I expected.  I will watch again next week.  There were a few wrinkles to iron out.  I expect that in a pilot when they are busy introducing everything.

[Gregg247]

This show wasn't bad at all.  It was light-hearted and breezy. As noted above, it was like a lot of the shows that used to pop up on USA back in the 90s.  Those shows were very popular for a reason, so it makes sense that CBS may want to dip a toe in that water.

I liked both Todd and his mom; they had a very funny mother-son dynamic that I found enjoyable.  The sister wasn't so great, though.  I thought the actress was told to "act sad" and, boy, did she deliver on that!  When she gave Todd a lift to the magic store, I seriously thought the show was going to veer into some tragic subplot of the sister's mental health issues or something.  Todd and his mom need to investigate what's going on with her.

CBS has a nice pairing of Young Sheldon - Ghosts - So help Me Todd.

Edited September 30, 2022 by Gregg247

[iMonrey]

I'm surprised this wound up in the "drama" category since it seems like it was promoted mostly as a comedy. I guess if it's an hour long it automatically gets labeled drama. It's pretty light even for a dramedy.

I'm sort of on the fence at this point. Love Skylar Astin and Marcia Gay Harden and they have great chemistry as a mother and son, but the writing is maybe a little unoriginal, and it felt like there were too many twists and turns in the two ongoing investigations. But it's a pilot so we'll see if it gets better or worse. I'll give it at least another shot.

Was kind of surprised to see Mark Moses in a one-off as Harry. I wonder if he'll end up being recurring.

Edited September 30, 2022 by iMonrey

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I'm surprised this wound up in the "drama" category since it seems like it was promoted mostly as a comedy. I guess if it's an hour long it automatically gets labeled drama.

You are correct. That is the way it works. Series like this are exactly why the term "light drama" exists. 

[candall]

Why not just call it "So Help Me, Marcia Gay Harden"?

I don't know, can you be a razor sharp attorney professionally and an unrepentant overbearing figure in your personal life and also a clueless bumbling charmer?  (Bradley Cooperman with Madonna in Star Wars?)

I enjoyed the dialogue snark, but I had to rewind half a dozen times to nail down the COTW plot because I got distracted by something more interesting.   Finally I gave up and just waited to hear

Spoiler

the mother

confess, which came along right on the button.

Tighten up, writers.

[Kemper]

This was light and breezy; the acting fine.  I will tune in again.

[ams1001]

37 minutes ago, candall said:

I don't know, can you be a razor sharp attorney professionally and an unrepentant overbearing figure in your personal life and also a clueless bumbling charmer?  (Bradley Cooperman with Madonna in Star Wars?)

I would also think someone in her position would have a little more familiarity with popular social media, given how often it comes up in legal cases these days.

[eel21788]

16 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I also didn't think the actress who plays Susan was very good, OR had any chemistry with Skylar. It is a pilot, so maybe that'll change, but introducing a very cliche plotline with these two won't make me root for them.

I thought she was trying to play a younger version of Todd's mother, setting us up for an oedipus complex plot.

[eel21788]

13 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

The series reminded me of other movies/TV series that I enjoyed. The guy with unconventional methods in a very straight-laced corporate world reminded me of Franklin and Bash. Todd as a guile hero reminded me of Beverly Hills Cop. The family drama reminded me of Psych.

I haven't seen the shows you mentioned, but I immediately thought of it as a remake of Rebel but a little less complicated. 

[Passing Strange]

I'm also in the "might give it another episode, if I remember" camp. The show seemed to have a lot of potential, plot holes not withstanding. I liked Margaret and wanted to like Todd, but, man, he needs to upgrade from his junior detective kit. Margaret told Todd he was good at what he does and I immediately thought no, he's not. He was ridiculous, and conspicuous, talking into his watch at the store and we had no idea what that was supposed to accomplish. Then this "master of technology," after wasting time on two stakeouts, completed them with two burn phones and a location tag, not exactly the height of scientific sophistication. Why not just use your technology in the first place and do something productive with your time? And I think most of us know how to use the various assistants to make calls and do searches. The fact that he lies at the drop of a hat is not endearing. I guess there's plenty of room for growth here, but I'm not banking on seeing a lot of it.

[shapeshifter]

5 minutes ago, Passing Strange said:

Then this "master of technology," after wasting time on two stakeouts, completed them with two burn phones and a location tag, not exactly the height of scientific sophistication.

I was okay with Todd's amateurish burner phones in the trees being used as spy cameras. He's broke but innovative. 
It was his whining about his mom being gone at school and work when he was a kid after his dad died (or left? I don't recall) that bugged me. But I guess at the end he finds out by eavesdropping that he really is the apple of Mom's eye?
Eh. A little Pilot-itis, I guess.

[ams1001]

51 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I was okay with Todd's amateurish burner phones in the trees being used as spy cameras. He's broke but innovative. 
It was his whining about his mom being gone at school and work when he was a kid after his dad died (or left? I don't recall) that bugged me. But I guess at the end he finds out by eavesdropping that he really is the apple of Mom's eye?
Eh. A little Pilot-itis, I guess.

His dad died (I could be misremembering but I think he said he was 12?).

Interesting that when she adds a picture of him to her desk with his siblings' wedding photos, it's of her with him as a toddler, not any kind of grown-up accomplishment (like a graduation or something), or even just a current picture. Like she still sees him as a little boy (which, granted, in some ways he seems to act like).

[slasherboy]

Nope.

[DanaK]

Though I wasn’t entirely sure I would like this coming in to it, I did like it. I like Marcia and Skylar as actors and I liked their characters. In spite of Todd’s messy life, Skylar makes him charming and likable. I plan to stick with this though I don’t think it will last long with its low ratings. Though given the overall poor ratings environment, I’m unsure if CBS will pull it early or just not renew it. I thought it was 30 minutes for some reason

[Lady Calypso]

10 hours ago, DanaK said:

Though I wasn’t entirely sure I would like this coming in to it, I did like it. I like Marcia and Skylar as actors and I liked their characters. In spite of Todd’s messy life, Skylar makes him charming and likable. I plan to stick with this though I don’t think it will last long with its low ratings. Though given the overall poor ratings environment, I’m unsure if CBS will pull it early or just not renew it. I thought it was 30 minutes for some reason

Well, ratings nowadays aren't the biggest concern, since most people watch later/stream. Live ratings are going to continue falling over the next few years. 

And especially when it'll be going against Grey's Anatomy next week, it'll never get high ratings on TV, but it might do well streaming. It has two stellar actors in its cast, which might bump it to a renewal, but it depends how the next few episodes go.

[AnimeMania]

‘So Help Me Todd’ On CBS Ranks As Best Series Premiere So Far This Season; ‘Ghosts’ Up 11% Over Last Year

Young Sheldon 6.61 million viewers

Ghosts 6.15 million viewers

So Help Me Todd 4.69 million viewers

[eel21788]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:06 AM, The Crazed Spruce said:

 And I'll be honest, I pretty much knew exactly who the real killer was when they mentioned that the client lost her gun when she moved back in with her parents.

My question was, why did she use her daughter's gun if she wasn't trying to frame her for the murder? It seems she left a breadcrumb trail straight to her daughter's doorstep.

[shapeshifter]

10 hours ago, eel21788 said:

My question was, why did she use her daughter's gun if she wasn't trying to frame her for the murder? It seems she left a breadcrumb trail straight to her daughter's doorstep.

Leaving damning evidence seems par-for-the-course in the non-professional killer playbook——at least on TV, and probably IRL too except for those who don’t get caught.

Murder is not a smart solution to a problem, and so amateur killers tend to not be the A students in the craft of killing.

But, also, it was a weapon of opportunity.

Still, you’re right, @eel21788, there should have been a line mentioning the problem/stupidity of using her daughter’s “missing” gun to kill someone if her intent was not to incriminate her daughter.

Edited October 2, 2022 by shapeshifter

[LisaM]

I liked it -  light, breezy and great chemistry with the two leads.

[Daff]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:23 PM, eel21788 said:

My question was, why did she use her daughter's gun if she wasn't trying to frame her for the murder? It seems she left a breadcrumb trail straight to her daughter's doorstep.

Too stupid to be allowed?

[seacliffsal]

I liked this (still watch reruns of Monk and Psych from the frequently mentioned Blue Skies days on USA [how I miss those types of shows]).  Lots of holes in the plot, but I like the actors (I liked the sister).  However, I knew something was up as soon as the mom only wore her hair down at her daughter's trial which helped clarify the mistaken identity of the killer.

[SHERMDOG]

I really enjoyed it. Just going with the flow...I will definately tune in next week

[RedbirdNelly]

It was light and fun; I like the actors; and I don't currently watch another show like this--so I'll stick around at least for a few more episodes