Imagine a legal drama and a sitcom had a baby—but neither of them really wanted it. That’s kind of what So Help Me Todd feels like. CBS tried to blend courtroom drama with quirky family comedy, but the result? A cringy, forced series that doesn’t quite land on either front.
The Premise Had Potential—But That’s About It
So, let’s talk about the plot. The show revolves around Todd, a private investigator with questionable ethics, who ends up working for his super-straight-laced mother, a successful lawyer. It sounds like a setup ripe for clever humor and character development. But instead of comedy gold, we get a flat, uninspired mess.
Characters Who Feel Like Cardboard Cutouts
Todd – The Quirky Guy Without Any Charm
Todd’s meant to be lovable in a scrappy, rule-breaking kind of way. Think “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” energy. But instead, he comes off as annoying, immature, and painfully unfunny. His antics feel more like filler than actual jokes.
Margaret – The Mom We’ve Seen a Million Times
Margaret is the uptight mother figure—smart, stern, and judgmental. Sound familiar? That’s because this character has been done to death. There’s no nuance or growth, just recycled tropes in a shiny new CBS wrapper.
Where’s the Humor? Seriously.
This show wants to be funny. You can feel it trying. But most of the jokes fall flatter than a soda left out overnight. It relies on awkward family banter and cliché punchlines that don’t even earn a chuckle.
Forced Comedy Is the Real Villain Here
You can almost hear the laugh track playing in your head, except there isn’t one—which somehow makes it worse. The writing feels like it’s reaching for sitcom vibes without the actual structure or wit of a good sitcom.
Timing? Pacing? What Are Those?
Comedic timing is everything, right? So Help Me Todd clearly didn’t get the memo. Scenes drag on too long, jokes land awkwardly, and the energy just isn’t there.
The Writing Feels Like It Was Cooked in a Microwave
Lazy Dialogue That Talks in Circles
The dialogue is bland, over-explained, and filled with exposition. Characters say exactly what they feel instead of showing it. It’s like the writers don’t trust the audience to get it—so they spell everything out.
Plotlines You’ve Already Seen… And Skipped
Every episode feels like a procedural you’ve seen a hundred times before. But without the tight writing or emotional stakes that make shows like The Good Wife or Boston Legal watchable.
Chemistry? More Like Antichemistry
There’s supposed to be this push-pull dynamic between Todd and Margaret, but the chemistry between them is… awkward at best. It feels like the actors are reading lines rather than inhabiting roles.
Supporting Cast Who Barely Support Anything
You’d think the supporting characters could save it—maybe a quirky coworker or two? Nope. Everyone else fades into the background, serving little purpose other than to prop up the main (and weak) dynamic.
The CBS Problem: Playing It Too Safe
CBS has a long history of churning out formulaic, middle-of-the-road content that appeals to a very specific crowd. But even by CBS standards, So Help Me Todd feels tired. It’s as if they were too afraid to take risks, so they gave us the safest, blandest version of a legal-comedy hybrid.
It’s Not That It’s Bad—It’s That It’s Forgettable
The worst crime this show commits? It’s boring. You won’t hate-watch it. You’ll just forget it exists. And in the golden age of television, that’s the kiss of death.
What Audiences Are Saying (Spoiler: It’s Not Good)
If you poke around online reviews, you’ll see the pattern: “Not funny,” “Disappointing,” “Tried too hard.” Critics and casual viewers alike seem baffled by how dull this show turned out to be, despite its potential.
So, Who Is This Show For, Anyway?
It’s hard to say. Millennials won’t relate. Boomers might find it slow. Gen Z won’t touch it. It seems targeted at people who just leave the TV on in the background while doing laundry. That’s not exactly a solid demo to build a hit around.
The Missed Opportunity: This Could’ve Been Good
What’s frustrating is that the premise actually has promise. A mother-son duo navigating their differences in a legal setting? With sharp writing, that could’ve been compelling, even touching. But CBS went the predictable route—and it shows.
Final Verdict—Skip It or Watch It?
Unless you’re in desperate need of background noise, skip it. There are too many smart, funny shows out there to waste time on something that feels like an AI tried to make “comedy” using a CBS formula from 2006.
Conclusion: ‘So Help Me Todd’… Help Me Find the Remote
If you’re looking for a smart, funny legal comedy, you won’t find it here. So Help Me Todd is what happens when network television tries to play it safe, and in doing so, creates something painfully bland. With weak characters, zero comedic punch, and recycled plotlines, it’s less of a show and more of a missed opportunity. In a world full of groundbreaking TV, this one’s better left unwatched.
