So Help Me Todd

So Help Me Todd is an American legal drama television series, created by Scott Prendergast, that premiered on September 29, 2022, on CBS. The series follows a talented but directionless private investigator, who begrudgingly agrees to work at his overbearing mother's law firm. It stars Marcia Gay Harden, Skylar Astin, Madeline Wise, Tristen J. Winger, Inga Schlingmann, and Rosa Evangelina Arredondo. In February 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.

So Help Me Todd
Genre
Created byScott Prendergast
Starring
Music by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Production locationsVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Cinematography
  • Eric Tremi
  • Stephen Jackson
Editors
  • Christian Kinnard
  • Jean-Nicolas Rivat
  • Joe Mitacek
  • Eric Lea
  • Susan Mandel
Running time43 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 29, 2022 (2022-09-29) –
present (present)

Premise

So Help Me Todd follows Todd, who has good instincts as a private investigator, but lacks direction and is the black sheep of his family. After his strong-willed mother, Margaret, negotiated dropping criminal charges against Todd two years previously, he reluctantly agrees to work at her Portland, Oregon, law firm as an in-house investigator. Margaret believes in strictly adhering to the law, which is at complete odds with Todd's tendency to bend the law to navigate sticky situations.[3]

Cast

Main
  • Marcia Gay Harden as Margaret,[4] a defense attorney who completed her Juris Doctor degree after the death of her first husband, who was the father of her children
  • Skylar Astin as Todd,[4] Margaret's youngest child, a former private detective hired by Margaret's firm
  • Madeline Wise as Allison,[4] Todd's married sister, an ER doctor
  • Tristen J. Winger as Lyle,[4] a fastidious in-house investigator at Margaret's firm
  • Inga Schlingmann as Susan,[4] Todd's engaged ex-girlfriend, a lawyer at Margaret's firm
  • Rosa Evangelina Arredondo as Francey,[4] Margaret's executive assistant

Recurring
  • Jeffrey Nordling as Gus Easton, a fellow attorney and a potential love interest for Margaret
  • Leslie Silva as Beverly Crest, a partner at the law firm where Margaret works

In addition, Clayton James co-stars as Chuck Grant, Allison's husband and Thomas Cadrot co-stars as Chet Venables, married to Margaret's son Lawrence and a reporter.

Notable guest stars

Episodes
No.Title [6]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [6]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"Amy York RubinScott PrendergastSeptember 29, 2022 (2022-09-29)4.82[7]
2"Co-Pilot"Michael SpillerScott PrendergastOctober 6, 2022 (2022-10-06)4.41[8]
3"Second Second Chance"Robert Duncan McNeillLisa Kyonga ParsonsOctober 13, 2022 (2022-10-13)4.49[9]
4"Corduroy Briefs"Nancy HowerElizabeth J.B. Klaviter & Nicole FrenchOctober 20, 2022 (2022-10-20)4.30[10]
5"Let the Wright One In"Keith PowellAndy BermanOctober 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)4.62[11]
6"So Help Me Pod"Randy ZiskApril FitzsimmonsNovember 3, 2022 (2022-11-03)3.93[12]
7"Long Lost Lawrence"Daniella EismanScott Prendergast & Stefanie WoodburnNovember 10, 2022 (2022-11-10)4.37[13]
8"Big Bang Theories"Nancy HowerIra Madison IIIDecember 8, 2022 (2022-12-08)4.48[14]
9"Swipe Wright"Michael SpillerJamie PachinoDecember 15, 2022 (2022-12-15)4.70[15]
10"The Devil You Know"Kabir AkhtarLisa Kyonga ParsonsJanuary 5, 2023 (2023-01-05)4.80[16]
11"Side Effects May Include Murder"Daniel WillisAndy BermanJanuary 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)4.90[17]
12"Psilo-Sibling"Ali LeRoiApril Fitzsimmons & Nicole FrenchFebruary 2, 2023 (2023-02-02)5.16[18]
13"Wall of Fire"Wendey StanzlerScott PrendergastFebruary 9, 2023 (2023-02-09)5.30[19]
14"Against All Todds"Brad SilberlingJamie PachinoMarch 2, 2023 (2023-03-02)4.64[20]
15"Ivan the Terrible"Jay KarasSteven Paul MartinezMarch 9, 2023 (2023-03-09)4.60[21]
16"Twelve Worried Persons"Ali LeRoiScott PrendergastMarch 30, 2023 (2023-03-30)4.29[22]
17"The First Date Is the Deepest"Daniel WillisEarl DavisApril 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)4.55[23]
18"Gloom and Boom"Nick GomezStefanie Mah WoodburnApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)4.76[24]
19"86'd"Larry TengLisa Kyonga ParsonsMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)4.85[25]
20"More Fang for Your Chuck"Stuart GillardElizabeth J.B. Klaviter & Nicole FrenchMay 11, 2023 (2023-05-11)4.53[26]
21"Are You There Todd? It's Me, Margaret"Nancy HowerScott PrendergastMay 18, 2023 (2023-05-18)TBD

Production

Development

On February 3, 2022, it was announced that CBS had given a pilot order to an untitled mother and son legal drama from Scott Prendergast.[27] The series is produced by Prendergast, Phil McGraw, Jay McGraw, and Julia Eisenmann. The pilot episode was also written by Prendergast.[28] On March 15, 2022, Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro joined the series as showrunners and executive producers.[29]

On May 12, 2022, it was announced that CBS had given the production, titled So Help Me Todd, a series order.[30] It was also announced that Elizabeth Klaviter had replaced Kruger and Shapiro as the series' showrunner.[31] On October 19, 2022, the series received a full season order.[32] On February 2, 2023, CBS renewed the series for a second season.[33]

Casting

In March 2022, it was announced that Geena Davis had signed on to star in the series.[34] Shortly after, Skylar Astin was announced to star opposite her, as her son.[35] Madeline Wise and Inga Schlingmann also joined the cast in lead roles.[36] After having filmed the pilot, it was announced that Davis had exited the series.[37] On March 23, 2022, it was announced that Marcia Gay Harden had replaced Davis.[38] A few days later, it was announced that Rosa Evangelina Arredondo and Tristen J. Winger had also joined the cast in series regular roles.[39] On March 3, 2023, it was reported that Briga Heelan is set to guest star on the series' March 30 episode titled "Twelve Worried Persons".[5]

Filming

Production on the pilot began in March 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia.[40] Filming for the rest of the season began on July 27, 2022, and concluded on April 11, 2023.[41] A TD Bank office in downtown Vancouver serves as Margaret's law firm.[42]

Broadcast

On May 18, 2022, CBS announced its fall broadcast schedule for the 2022-23 television season, with So Help Me Todd airing on Thursdays at 9:00PM ET.[43] The series began airing on September 29, 2022, on CBS.[44] It also simulcasts on Global TV in Canada.[45] The first season finale is scheduled to air on May 18, 2023.[46]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 50% approval rating based on 8 critic reviews.[47] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 51 out of 100 based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[48]

Ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of So Help Me Todd
No. Title Air dateRating
(18–49)		Viewers
(millions)		DVR
(18–49)		DVR viewers
(millions)		Total
(18–49)		Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" September 29, 20220.44.82[7]0.21.790.66.60[49]
2 "Co-Pilot" October 6, 20220.34.41[8]0.21.950.56.35[50]
3 "Second Second Chance" October 13, 20220.44.49[9]0.21.680.66.17[51]
4 "Corduroy Briefs" October 20, 20220.34.30[10]0.21.760.56.06[52]
5 "Let the Wright One In" October 27, 20220.34.62[11]0.21.760.56.38[53]
6 "So Help Me Pod" November 3, 20220.33.93[12]0.21.800.55.73[54]
7 "Long Lost Lawrence" November 10, 20220.34.37[13]0.21.830.56.20[55]
8 "Big Bang Theories" December 8, 20220.44.48[14]TBDTBDTBDTBD
9 "Swipe Wright" December 15, 20220.44.70[15]TBDTBDTBDTBD
10 "The Devil You Know" January 5, 20230.44.80[16]0.21.840.66.63[56]
11 "Side Effects May Include Murder" January 12, 20230.44.90[17]0.21.870.66.77[57]
12 "Psilo-Sibling" February 2, 20230.45.16[18]TBDTBDTBDTBD
13 "Wall of Fire" February 9, 20230.45.30[19]TBDTBDTBDTBD
14 "Against All Todds" March 2, 20230.34.64[20]TBDTBDTBDTBD
15 "Ivan the Terrible" March 9, 20230.34.60[21]TBDTBDTBDTBD
16 "Twelve Worried Persons" March 30, 20230.34.29[22]TBDTBDTBDTBD
17 "The First Date Is the Deepest" April 13, 20230.34.55[23]TBDTBDTBDTBD
18 "Gloom and Boom" April 27, 20230.44.76[24]TBDTBDTBDTBD
19 "86'd" May 4, 20230.34.85[25]TBDTBDTBDTBD
20 "More Fang for Your Chuck" May 11, 20230.44.53[26]TBDTBDTBDTBD

See also

References
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  2. Towers, Andrea (April 12, 2023). "'So Help Me Todd': Benjamin Hollingsworth Talks 'Code Black' Reunion With Marcia Gay Harden". TV Insider. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  3. Andreeva, Nellie (May 12, 2022). "'So Help Me Todd': Elizabeth Klaviter Joins New CBS Series As Showrunner". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
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