I must say, I am supremely bummed that CBS decided to cancel So Help Me Todd after the shortened second season before it was even done airing! There’s not too many good scripted series on network television these days, and though this show certainly had its flaw, it was a lot of fun to watch!
So here I am, telling you about this criminally excellent comedy drama several months after it’s aired. Still didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the ten episodes we did get this season. When the first season ended, everyone seemed to be in vastly different places than where they started the season. For instance, the titular Todd started as a disgraced former private investigator who’d taken to crashing in his sister’s garage. Cut to the end of the season where he’s grown closer with his mom and got his PI license back! He wants to run full steam ahead this season, and while it appears chaotic, as most of his antics do, his heart is in the right place and his instincts and prowess prove he’s worth it in the end.
That’s why his mother, newly named partner of her law firm, keeps roping Todd in on cases she’s working. Though she’s worked really hard to get where she’s at, she learns really quickly that it’s not as good as she was led to believe. Instead of getting perks most partners think of, instead she is tasked with letting a bunch of people go because the firm is in the red. If you think this is the overall theme of the season, you are correct. And the web of deceit in this firm is more complex than Margaret ever knew. She’s also trying to make new strides in her personal life. She cuts off her ex-husband for good and starts a casual relationship with another high-profile lawyer. Those two are goofy in the cutest way possible.
Then there is Todd’s brother Allison, who was the poster child of perfection at the start of last season, but by the end of it the only thing she really still had was her job as a doctor. She realized her marriage wasn’t what she really wanted, and she also realized that she’s been a people-pleaser for long enough that she doesn’t really like her life. Though she doesn’t really have it all figured out by the end of this season, it was kind of nice to see a woman go through a bit of a mid-life crisis. Really though, it’s almost as if she’s trying to find out what she might have missed out on all those years saying “yes” to people.
It’s that trio of characters that drive the story along, similar to the first season, but the supporting cast also adds depth and laughs. Lyle is still uptight, but he’s also in love this season, so that makes for some excellent quipping between him and Todd. Todd also gets a new love interest in a former Glee alum! The eldest Wright sibling also questions his life path, but is reassured rather quickly. I do wonder if he’d get folded in more if they were given more seasons. I hope so! He really does bring a much different dynamic than what we’re used to. All I can say is is that I’m glad the big mystery is figured out by the end of the season. We were left with a bit of a cliffhanger on the identity of the third partner in Margaret’s firm, but we know he’s a bad guy and that’s all I really needed to know.
Even though we won’t be getting any more of So Help Me Todd, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to see what’s already out there. It’s a fun show with a stellar cast.