Rapid Insights: So Help Me Todd’s Mother-Son Clashes Will Draw Viewers

CBS’s newest legal comedy drama, premiering this week and starring Skylar Astin and Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, is already primed for success thanks to a compellingly dynamic set-up. It tells the story of Todd, a scruffy, irresponsible P.I. forced to join his wealthy, exacting mother’s high-end law firm after his investigator’s license is revoked. Here’s what you need to know about So Help Me Todd:

Who will be watching?
Older women. We predict that this new show will feed directly into CBS’s sweet spot target audience: mostly female (62%) and heavily older (95% aged 35+). This puts it very much in line with the Eye Network’s other police and legal procedurals (including CSI: Vegas, FBI, All Rise, and The Equalizer).

Which aspect of the show will keep viewers tuned in?
Its combination of family and law. The oil-and–water Mother-Child Relationship (160) between Todd and his mother-turned-boss Margaret will drive much of the series’ drama (and moments of comedy) as the pair’s clashing personalities disrupt both their working and Family Lives (143). At the same time, their law firm’s Criminal Investigations (160) and explorations of the Criminal Justice System (138) will provide an ongoing story engine featuring a variety of cases. All are crucial drivers for the series’ ultimate longevity.

How will Todd’s down-and-out status impact the show?
By boosting viewership. Audiences want to see his story of starting over after an embarrassing failure, and the character’s burning desires for both his mother’s Acceptance (160) of his talents and the Independence (160) to once again stand on his own two feet are important ratings drivers. Todd’s New Beginning (160) will also be a top contributor if the series is granted additional seasons.

How does matriarch Margaret impact the show?
By getting audiences more excited. So Help Me Todd’s Strong Female Protagonist–Margaret is a successful, ambitious career woman as well as a strict mother–is the #1 factor behind the series’ bingeability (160) as well as its top driver for social buzz (132).

What type of emotional viewing experience will contribute to the show’s success?
The push-pull of Todd and Margaret’s relationship. The Acceptance (160) and Love (160) that ultimately exists between the mother and son pair will help to pull in viewers, but it’s the Grief (143) and Annoyance (127) arising from their comical bickering and butting of heads that will help push the show into a second season.