Why Was CBS' So Help Me Todd Canceled?

"So Help Me Todd" was a fun standout among CBS' many procedurals. Starring Marcia Gay Harden, who took on the role of Margaret for a chance to do physical comedy, and Skylar Astin, it combined a "Psych"-like irreverence with a solid procedural base and a family-centered approach. It was among the network's most "solid rating performers" according to Deadline, so why was it canceled by CBS after two seasons in 2024? 

It turns out there's a few reasons for that, and many of them had to do with CBS' desire to refresh its core programming with new shows. "So Help Me Todd" wasn't alone when it met with its fate; multiple CBS shows with similarly good ratings were canceled at the same time. Why did CBS ax "So Help Me Todd" and how did the show's fans and cast react?  And where can you rewatch the series? Here's everything you need to know about the cancelation of the cult procedural.

"So Help Me Todd" was canceled because it was "the least watched CBS drama series this spring in both linear and multi-platform ratings," Deadline reported in April 2024. That sounds bad, but it doesn't mean it was doing particularly poorly — in fact, it was landing fairly solid ratings. And, as Deadline added, it was even posting better figures than "a slew of series on other broadcast networks that have been safely renewed for next season."

The trouble was, the series that followed it, "Elsbeth," was outdoing it. "So Help Me Todd" wasn't losing any potential "Elsbeth" viewers, but it was also failing to distinguish itself on the market. And with CBS having just greenlit three new drama series ("NCIS: Origins," "Matlock," and "Watson"), something had to give. It was a sad fate for a series, which had been a surprise hit during its maiden journey in the 2022-2023 season. Its cancelation also meant that the potential "Ghosts" crossover that "So Help Me Todd" star Skylar Astin had pushed for was also not to be.

Fans immediately mobilized to try to save "So Help Me Todd" when news of its cancelation broke, with tens of thousands of people petitioning CBS via Change.org. Dejected viewers also flooded Reddit to express their disappointment. "I'm still in shock and denial over So Help Me Todd. I don't see how they could decide to cancel when only 5 episodes have aired this season, and almost none of them back to back," remarked u/galactic_owl27 on the Paramount+ subreddit, while u/AfraidAd7098 wrote, "So Help Me Todd is the first show in years that I watch right when it comes out. I'm baffled at it being canceled."

Fans also congregated to show their anger on X. "This hurts my soul," said @ReallyMighty. "So Help Me Todd felt like those classic USA Network shows that I loved. Heavy on the Psych vibes and I needed that to look forward to every week. Going to miss this gem." Another user named @JLNow2 was far more blunt, writing: "Are you f***ing kidding me???? SO HELP ME TODD is a fantastic show. CBS you suck. I'm so over networks & streaming services giving up on shows that have a fanbase & that have so much potential."

The general consensus among fans on social media was one of disbelief and anger, but the outpouring of grief and desperate pleas for CBS to rethink its decision didn't save the show.

CBS canceled "CSI: Vegas" on the same day it pulled the plug on "So Help Me Todd," citing the same reason — low ratings — for its demise. At the time of the double cancelation, the "CSI" spin-off was just ahead of "So Help Me Todd" in terms of linear Nielsen viewership, with 6.234 million viewers to the 6.224 million posted by "So Help Me Todd." A few weeks later, CBS controversially canceled "NCSI: Hawai'i" despite it being in the top 15 broadcast series in terms of total viewers.

Addressing the cancelation of these three popular shows, CBS' entertainment president Amy Reisenbach admitted that it had not been easy. "We had some tough choices this year," she said (via Deadline). "Everything came back very strong. There is a cohesive schedule, a flow." The network's CEO George Cheeks admitted that letting go of "So Help Me Todd" was particularly hard. "We certainly had a wonderful experience with 'So Help Me Todd,'" he said, adding that wielding the ax on the show was "heartbreaking." Network bosses also claimed that they tried to save "NCIS: Hawai'i," but fans didn't believe them.

If you want to revisit "So Help Me Todd" or you simply missed it during its network run, you can pick up both seasons on that place where all CBS-produced series go: Paramount+. Fans can also watch a limited number of Season 2 episodes on the official CBS website, with a cable or satellite provider login. For those who just want to sample a few episodes of the series or missed out on a few crucial moments, episodes of the series can be purchased digitally from Apple TV+ and Fandango. Individual episodes go for $1.99 apiece. Full seasons go for $29 apiece, though the show's on sale for $5 per season at the time of this writing. Whether you loved "So Help Me Todd" from the start or you are ready and willing to open your heart to it for the first time, there are plenty of options out there.