This year, several television shows have been canceled much to the chagrin of fans. Several of them were popular shows that still got good ratings. However, some of them also didn’t get proper endings. An example is CSI: Vegas, which will end with several cliffhangers. Another show this happened to was So Help Me Todd.
Fans have lashed out at the network about the show’s ending and here is what you need to know.
So Help Me Todd Ends Series With Cliffhanger
When CBS explained why it was canceling shows like Blue Bloods, the network said it needed to “freshen up” the schedule by adding new shows. That means some fan-favorite shows had to end. However, they also said that they wanted to allow the shows to end on notes that ended the stories.
That isn’t what happened all the time. CSI: Vegas is ending with cliffhangers because the network didn’t warn them ahead of time of the cancellation and the current season was already finished filming. NCIS: Hawai’i showrunners also weren’t warned in time and ended their series with a cliffhanger when the network surprisingly canceled that show.
Now, fans can add So Help Me Todd to that list.
So Help Me Todd ended without a real ending because the cancellation came so late. According to creator Scott Prendergast, he had no chance to try and fix the ending since he wrote and filmed it before the cancellation announcement.
The final episode saw Merritt Folding, the founding partner of the show’s law firm (who had never been seen before) show up. This was also when Todd (Skylar Astin) learned Merritt was planning to frame Margaret Wright (Marcia Gay Harden) for his illegal activities.
Fans will never know what will happen next, and the show ended on one of the most disappointing notes of any series canceled this year because the story is unfinished. Viewers didn’t even see what actor played Merritt since only his feet were shown.
Fans Lash Out At CBS For Cliffhanger Series Finales
With NCIS: Hawai’i, CSI: Vegas, and So Help Me Todd, CBS went back on their word concerning ending shows on a good note for fans. This has left fans frustrated with the network and angry about investing so much time in shows that ended without a finale.
It is worse for So Help Me Todd because Prendergast pitched the cliffhanger ending as part of the show’s second season before he started writing. “They all said, ‘of course. That’s great,’” Prendergast said (via Deadline). “Even they thought at the time, ‘Well, of course, you’ll be back. Do a cliffhanger!’”
Skylar Austin showed disappointment. He wrote, “What kills me the most is I know how the series was really supposed to end. It was perfect.”
What kills me the most is I know how the series was really supposed to end. It was perfect. Emotional, full circle, and perfectly Todd.
— Skylar Astin (@SkylarAstin) May 17, 2024
Fans let the network have it:
- “We want a proper ending”
- “We’re all gutted that #SoHelpMeTodd has been cancelled. Not only because it ended on that cliffhanger but it’s so unique and fun and joyous as well as interesting. So disappointing.”
- “It’s terrible when we don’t feel like we got closure ! That’s Zoey’s Playlist all over again.”
What are your thoughts on So Help Me Todd ending without a proper conclusion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Shawn S. Lealos has been a freelance writer for over 25 years and is a voting member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. He is also a published author with a book about the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers.
