So Help Me Todd Season 1 Episode 14 Review: Against All Todds

We’re quickly learning that any episode featuring the ex who almost put Todd in jail is going to be a lot to take in. So Help Me Todd Season 1 Episode 14, “Against All Todds,” takes that to another level of theater. It’s kind of like the middle film in an over-the-top trilogy.

It takes mere minutes to get back to everything that frustrates me about Veronica’s first appearance: Todd losing all sense of logic and consideration for himself and others when she emerges, and Margaret’s rage boiling over to him (and everyone in the vicinity) in response.

There is more motivation for the latter of those here—Todd’s distraction significantly impacts his mother’s latest chance at making partner — though it’s worth noting she’s not making the best decisions in the connected case herself.

It’s frustrating that he keeps marching straight into the situation at hand even after openly recognizing that Veronica’s latest story is a lie in pursuit of revenge. Yet at some point, we need to acknowledge the emotional stranglehold Veronica has on him that keeps these things happening.

We do touch on that in a way that makes this hour more impactful than Veronica’s last appearance. And it’s a needed comfort to see that Margaret will keep going to the mat for her kid, even when she’s understandably tempted to let him face the music alone.

That determination results in a truly intense card game where we learn Margaret herself has been the real target all along. That’s not a huge surprise, nor is likely to go anywhere. The elder Wright quickly reins in her own situation, but her son will always be at greater risk of going to prison.

For a brief and hopeful moment, we see a way out of that. It’s immensely satisfying to see the entire play Margaret puts together to catch Veronica, and even more so to see the other woman put in her place just as she’s bragging that she can’t be touched.

That’s not to say we let our guard down. If this is the middle film of the trilogy, we know the enemy can’t be defeated so easily. The problem here is that the methods the enemy now employs are not something anyone in any realistic courtroom should believe.

Veronica sends Lindy, another woman she’s roped in, to prison in her place. And while Lindy looks a little like her more sinister counterpoint, there’s a clear difference, especially to prosecutors who know Veronica. Still more absurdly, Veronica is sitting right there.

Seriously, how does nobody notice this? Does she have her own connections in the legal system that are deep enough to make all these people look away? Someone is taking her place in prison either way. If she can pull that off, how can she possibly be stopped for good?

Just in case that all isn’t enough to mull over, there’s one more record scratch of a scene: Susan coming into Todd’s “office” and pulling him into what turns into an intense if brief makeout session. It’s only a couple of seconds before he kisses back.

So…yeah. While this has certainly been a possibility after their last poignant scene and is hinted at earlier (spurred somewhat oddly by comments Margaret makes in anger), it feels abrupt and concerning now, much like the entire episode. Even if this is endgame, and as thrilling as that might be, is this the way to get there?

What did you think of this episode of So Help Me Todd? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

So Help Me Todd airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Unforgettable TV Villains