TVLINE | We have to start with that cliffhanger. Folding! Was the plan to introduce him as the show’s new Big Bad, so to speak? What sort of a presence would he have had in Season 3? Were you already dream casting him in your head?
Yes, Folding was our new Big Bad. He’s been pulling all the strings, and setting Margaret up for disaster (like Song, Barrett and Yamaguchi before her). He would have been a large part of Season 3. Marcia Gay Harden suggested we try to get her friend Joe Pantoliano for the part – and we were never able to imagine anyone else in the role. Folding was a real Howard Hughes type character, with those beat up shoes and uneven pant legs. Every season of the show was meant to end with a man arriving to complicate things. In season 1, it was Harry. In season 2, it was Folding. And so on, and so on — until the final season (Season 7) when the show ended with a very important woman arriving.
TVLINE | Ending a finale on a cliffhanger is always a gamble. Is there any part of you that regrets doing it, or are you glad you stuck to your original plan?
It didn’t seem like a gamble when we started Season 2. And by the time we got the cancellation news, the episode was long finished. There was no going back. We had pitched out the whole arc at the beginning of the season, including the cliffhanger, and at that time we had every reason and assurance to believe we’d someday get a Season 3. One of my favorite CBS execs told me “Yes, do the cliffhanger. You’ve earned it. Embrace the soap.” Alas. That exec was also heartbroken by the cancellation. We’re all disappointed. Season 2 was meant to be our Empire Strikes Back season – when we left things on a very perilous note – for everyone. And then Season 3 was going to be our Return of the Jedi when we discover that our heroes had forged a solid plan in secret. Do I regret the cliffhanger? No. Guest star Lisa Rinna taught me to never regret anything. I’ll “own it” instead.
TVLINE | Would the next season presumably pick up immediately where this left off, or did you foresee some sort of time jump?
The first episode of Season 3 began exactly one week later, then circled back at the end to show us what happened right after Folding got off that elevator. It involved hand sanitizer.
i am so disappointed at the cancellation of this show. Can it not be sold to a different network and continue on?
It took a bitter and unnecessary strike for the media moguls to publicly concede the writers and actors were right. Next season, after one of their uninspired and below average shows tanks, CBS will realize what a mistake it was to break up this show’s great cast and writing staff. Unfortunately it will be too late – what a colossal own goal.
I still wish they would bring back the series even though it’s unlikely. Why don’t they ever consider what their audience wants?
Yes yes yes
It amazes me how ignorant TV execs are, they are losing decent viewers and then cancel decent TV.
Truth and decency are left of center, they need to commit to decency.
Please shop So Help Me Todd around to another network. It is sharp and funny entertainment!
CBS has made a huge mistake cancelling So Help Me Todd. One ridiculous reason given was to make room for new series. With shows that will not survive i.e. Summit
where people climb a mountain. And Poppa’s house a non-funny sitcom. Well, I guess we will never know what happened to Todd but as for CBS seems like they are having big problems with the people in charge dropping shows like CSI Vegas, NCIS Hawaii , S.W.A.T.
They actually renewed one more season of SWAT for the 24-25 season. I agree with you. I love SHMT. I’m ticked off at CBSs decision.
I loved this show. So much of drama TV is sad and depressing and often gross. This was a fun alternative and often a surprise at the episode’s end with me getting it wrong.
I hope to see this on a different channel. Haven’t gotten into Elsbeth. Too ditsey.
Right, Elsbeth is not good at all…Columbo aggravating 🙄
Not a fan of Elsbeth! Stupid show. Bring back SHMT!
Please bring back So Help Me Todd!!!!
Netflix or Hulu! It needs to be brought back. Favorite show ever!
Agree..PLEASE!!
I’m so SAD So Help Me Todd ended I am so hoping another Network picked it up Please be smarter than CBS pick up this. GREAT SHOW There are so many FANS out there You WON’T BE SORRY
I think CBS is out of their minds. They have dropped some excellent shows and kept the crap shows. Do help me Todd was one of my favorite shows.
If I hear of 1 more FBI show I will puke.
Tuesday night TV is a waist. Don’t even watch . NCIS Hawaii was another good show nope. It’s gone. I am divk and tired of reality shows. Imready to delete Paramount. No good shows anymore.
What’s the deal with all of the law enforcement shows? And so predictable. Cops and FBI always win, get the suspect, blah blah.
I stumbled across this show and fell in love with it! I am sorry and very sad it is ending. Would be nice if another network could pick this show up.
YES! I agree- we should ALL CANCEL PARAMOUNT- who is gonna Stream- if your audience is gone? No One wants another NCIS- the Equalizer- and Blue bloods is gone..Who is gonna fill the void- ELSBETH? 12 years after the Good Wife ended- you produce that in 2024? It is NOT as well written or entertaining as Help Me Todd- and NO amount of Guest Stars like Rhetta (who I love) will make it any better!! Bring Back Todd- or we CANCEL PARAMOUNT subs!!
I agree, Donna, So help me Todd should never have been cancelled. Have watched and enjoyed it since the very first episode.
Watched the first episode of Elspeth, not Impressed but decided to give it a try, got most of the way through the second episode and decided this was not for me.
Why air this boring show, Elspeth, yet cancel SHMT?
Absolutely. Agree.
I’m very disappointed that this sharp, quirky and different concept show has been canceled. 💗Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Austin. Great chemistry as mom and son 🥲
It’s frustrating that talented, appealing actors and smart writing don’t necessarily ensure a show’s success. I’m overwhelmed and irritated that many dumb, senseless, trash reality shows are still on the air. Sadly, I guess it depends on the kind of audience that drives the ratings.
you are so right. Sharp, Quirky, Different. Fast Talking, Whitty.
Great Chemistry, Talented. What’s wrong with the network?
Did you not see what you had??? You could have given it one more year. Let people find it and see how good it is.
They don’t know what’s good anymore im so fed up with all good shows being canceled they really don’t know what they’re doing period!!!!
Im paying so much every month for these channels and for what to watch boring and boring shows!!!!
I just loved this show and all the characters. I looked forward to it each week. It is the same deal seems like every time I really love a show they end it and replace it with something stupid. Hope it can go to another network.. Well thanks to all for the 2 seasons. I REALLY enjoyed it. Heart 💔
My daughter lived in Portland for 15 years and I see more of the area this way. My ex-husband is a lawyer in Pittsburgh. It heals my heart to watch this. It’s a big mistake that it’s gone!
Unfortunately, it’s filmed in Canada. Portland is a riddled with crime & homelessness – it isn’t the same city it was 10+ years ago.
I absolutely loved “So Help Me Todd” and am heartbroken it has been canceled. I truly looked forward to Thursday nights for a new episode with the great writing and excellent executed acting. Kinda mean to us fans to leave us hanging in so many ways. Boooooo CBS!!
Still hoping another network will pick it up. 🙏 Am I delusional? Hope not.
It makes me more sad to see the show I could’ve had :(
So VERY disappointed the show is being canceled — they were just getting a foothold and gaining fans — it was fresh, funny , quirky and every character delivered!! I’d not seen Marcia Gay Harden before — wonderful actress and at the end of only two seasons, I’m a total fangirl. SHOW WAS JUST GETTING STARTED !!!!! (bleep bleep!)
So help me why? This was a darn good show. I don’t watch alot of TV but when I am hooked it takes a lot. This is why TV will eventually be gone like so many other things. I think they end show s like that because they know their time is short and it’s fun for them.
Hate to be that girl, but you spelt Scott Prendergast’s last name wrong.
I love that he had an incredible vision for the future of this show, including 7 seasons and an Alison spin-off. This makes me feel they’ve all gotten over hope of being uncancelled or picked up somewhere else, which is kinda sad, but I respect it. (I’ll ignore Todd and Susan eventually having a kid though; I just don’t get that from those two.) It wasn’t a perfect season, but it was a really fun show that I watched with my mom and I’ll miss it.
Show shouldn’t have been canceled. Come on CBS another CSI crazy. Hey ABC, NBC or Fox get this show back on air.
I’ll definitely miss this show for a bit. I enjoyed the dynamic between Todd and Margaret. They had great chemistry together as mother and son. It was the heartbeat of the show and it was strong. It’s unfortunate it’s ending prematurely.
This show is being dumped for a reboot of Matlock which sounds like a joke and will probably be one.I wish this show could be saved but scared network executives are going to do what they do.
It’s not being dumped because of Matlock. It’s just taking it’s timeslot. With that said, I hate So Help Me Todd got axed I’m extremely upset that they’re rebooting Matlock. I hope Matlock is a complete failure.
So do I. I am 5 episodes from the final episode of the original Matlock and Andy Griffith IS Matlock and always has been!! As much as I like Kathy Bates her show can’t even come close to the original! smdh
I am so mad at CBS! I really don’t understand their thinking. How stupid can you be to take a show that has already proven it’s success out of their lineup for a new show(s) premier that has absolutely no guarantee that it will be a success?!? It seems to be their formula though. Just like SWAT. In my opinion, the powers to be don’t know wtf they’re doing. And the only way they are able to continue is because they have deep pockets. I pray some other stations will be smart enough to pick up So HELP Me Todd and I pray that whatever show CBS is replacing it with is a huge epic failure! It would be sweet justice for their stupidity.
You’re right on! Matlock will tank and quickly. Those of us who watched the original Matlock are just cringing. At least I am anyway!
So Sad CBS cancelled my favorite show… can’t it be picked up by another network?
CBS is stupid sometimes.
Best show ever , very funny, i think CBS is stupid to let that show go off !!!!
Love love love So Help Me Todd. Was very disappointed to hear it had been cancelled. But tv executives do this all the time. Cancel good shows and keep the really stupid ones So hate reality shows
I would rather say CBS sometimes makes decisions that actually make sense, but most of the time, they have no idea how to lead a studio.
Loved the show and so sorry to see I go please bring it back!!!!
I watch very little primetime tv, but So Help Me Todd is a clever comedy with humor, chemistry, unpredictability, and charm. It is rare that a show can keep me guessing, but “Todd” often did. I set an alarm (though I didn’t need it) to remind that it was 8:55, Thursday night so I never missed an episode. The most discouraging aspect that I find with television shows now is that no one wants quality TV that can make you laugh and enjoy the hour that you are completely engaged and looking forward to the next episode.
If there is any chance that “Todd” will return, I assure you that my weekly devotion will not waiver and I will, once again, return, glued to the screen in anticipation of the next snarky, quick-witted comment and/or plot twist.
Thank you for bringing me a, much needed, beacon of hope and laughter for an hour, every week! I have appreciated it tremendously and will miss all of you horribly!!
What a great review of the show. I feel much the same.
Now, I’m even sadder after reading what could’ve been for So Help Me Todd! *shakes fist at CBS* 🤬 you, CBS, for canceling this lovely show!
Life is heavy, Thursday nights were a light spot in the week. Now no more Sheldon, & no more So Help Me Todd .
I for one do not enjoy the Ghosts & always fall asleep watching Elsbeth
So mad it’s ending!!!
Thanks so much for this! It helped to know what was going to happen. Such a disappointment the show ended. The execs who make TV decisions are the worst.
The ending we could have had! Ugh I’m so frustrated and sad! I finally had something to watch with my dad that we both enjoyed. And as a middle child of 3 who also works in health care, I related to Allison so much! I was excited to see where her character went.
I really enjoyed, So Help Me Todd. It was great!!! Why do all great shows end?Now, all we have is Elsbith on Thursday’s, No Thanks!!!!!!
I didn’t rate the series finale because it was meant to be a season finale . I am still hoping that someone will pick up this smart , witty , popular show !
The very 1st episode of So Help Me Todd I watched, I was hooked, I loved it! I tuned in because of Marcia Gay Hardin and I kept coming back. I’m so disappointed that the show was cancelled.
One of the better shows on network TV, I can’t believe CBS would cancel a show that has so much good feedback from the audience
At least make a TV movie to wrap up the Merritt Folding snake story line. Come on that Wally’s be a funny movie and great TV! Would love to see all the seasons they had in store but a wrap up movie would do it justice-Too bad! SHMT was good fun while it lasted.🤪
Thank you for recapping the finale. I really appreciate it and I will so miss So Help Me Todd, an excellent series that deserved, at least one more if not five more seasons. Farewell Todd, Margaret and rest of the cast. I’ll miss you.
CBS is just plain crazy to cancel …Todd. It was good solid story telling, always interesting and funny. I hope they don’t replace it with another stupid reality show.
Oh please, NO MORE REALITY TV SHOWS!!!!!
Surely another network would pick up this truly great family show. No? Fans successfully campaigned for Last Man Standing after ABC’s cancellation and it ended up on Fox a couple years later. So maybe there’s hope for Toddies after all.
C’mon Prime! C’mon Netflix. Someone please capitalize on CBS’ blunder.
Please, please don’t cancel “Todd”. It’s such a great show. The cast is wonderful.
BRING IT BAAACK and ON!!!
It was a shock can’t they sell it to abc.
You’re really making a mistake by canceling them.It was a good show with a good story line and good characterization.You people are idiots that should be in capitals