Skylar Astin as Todd and Marcia Gay Harden as Margaret. (Photo by Michael Courtney/CBS via Getty ... [+]
Fans of So Help Me Todd have been actively lobbying for a third season in one of the most ambitious campaigns to save a series in television history. Yet, CBS has not relented and the legal dramedy has now concluded. But the outpouring of support continues. To-date, over 60,000 signatures have been signed on three different petitions and the number is rapidly growing.
Naturally, another network could also step in. One example is military drama JAG, the parent of NCIS, which was saved by CBS in 1997 after NBC prematurely canceled it. Had that not happened there may never have been an NCIS. Beach drama Baywatch, meanwhile, got the heave ho from NBC after one season and was resurrected in first-run syndication. Ultimately, Baywatch morphed into the most-watched series in the world.
Of course, not every series brought back to the “dead” lasts for several more years. For example, a fan campaign in 2007 persuaded CBS to bring the post-apocalyptic action drama Jericho for a seven episode second season, after which it was cancelled again. But the network also listened in 1982 when the fans spoke out after the second premature cancellation of the crime solver Cagney & Lacey, which went onto five more seasons (and multiple Emmy Awards).
Stars of television show Cagney and Lacey on set (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images)
Now would be the time to recognize the outpouring of support for So Help Me Todd. Here’s why:
The Fans Matter
The success, or lack of, for any series - broadcast or digital, past and present - is dependent on the fans. And when they gather in droves like this at a time when the broadcast networks barely get any attention, it is time to listen. These are the voices that matter, and they are the future.
The Water Cooler is Buzzing
Once upon a time, and pre-Netflix and the countless streaming outlets, there were conversations booming about network TV shows. Flash to the present and you can hear a pin drop at the proverbial water cooler. Can anyone remember the last time a series on a broadcast network generated buzz like this?
Nix the “Embarrassment of Riches” Excuse
While recently speaking to reporters, CBS programmers George Cheeks and Amy Reinsenack acknowledged their “embarrassment of riches” and said was “incumbent to keep the schedule fresh and keep the momentum going.”
By the numbers, CBS remains the most-watched broadcast network by a wide margin. But this excuse of an overabundance of hit shows falls flat when the lion’s share of the CBS programming remains of a formulaic nature. Why cut the cord prematurely on a series like So Help Me Todd - a combination of comedy and drama, legal, and murder mystery - that dares to be diffferent?
Think About Paramount+
At the time when the digital streaming services are vying for a piece of the fragmented audience, CBS’ digital partner Paramount+ is not exactly populated with hit original programming options. Shipping So Help Me Todd to Paramount+ with original episodes could result in a much needed audience boost.
Recognize the Importance of Midseason
Mirroring the competing networks, the announcement of any new and returning series is not exactly bountiful on CBS in midseason. With the now typically shorter episode orders per season, time periods will open on CBS...or on any broadcaster come January. And So Help Me Todd can fill the void with an audience hungry for its return.
Do the Math
There are 31 episodes of So Help Me Todd in the can. Throw in a few more seasons and there will be enough episodes for off-network syndication and international distribution. After all, that is when the profits come in. And that is yet another reason why to order a third season, and potentially more, of So Help Me Todd.
