‘So Help Me Todd’: Skylar Astin Teases Introduction of Absentee Wright Sibling for Thanksgiving
Preview
Thanksgiving is a time for families to put aside their differences — even the Wrights on So Help Me Todd.
Since the freshman CBS dramedy’s September premiere, we’ve known perfectionist law partner Margaret Wright (Marcia Gay Harden) has three children: black sheep Todd (Skylar Astin), who now works as an investigator at her Portland, Oregon, firm (this week’s case involves a teller injured during a bank robbery); people-pleasing middle child Allison (Madeline Wise), an ER doctor whose garage Todd currently lives in; and Lawrence, who has missed every one of the family dinners that Todd has only recently been reinstated to, presumably because of a demanding job as chief of staff to the state’s governor. But on November 10, we finally meet the absentee sibling.
As the episode opens, Margaret is upset she won’t be spending the holiday — the first since her husband left her — surrounded by all of her family. Allison plans to be with her husband and his relatives, Lawrence is tied up (again), and Todd, well, one out of three is just not enough. So Todd makes it his mission to bring Lawrence (played by Matthew Wilkas, above left, with Wise, Harden, and Astin) home from the governor’s annual work retreat. “It’s funny, because it appears Lawrence is Margaret’s favorite child, but they have a bit of an estranged relationship as well,” Astin hints.
The brothers’ relationship is complicated too. “Todd sees Lawrence as a robot who can’t make a decision without a software upgrade to his brain,” Astin says. But in one area, at least, Lawrence is thinking very clearly: “He has his own political aspirations and doesn’t want his dysfunctional family to ruin that,” Astin explains. “As we know, Todd can be a bit of a social liability.”
Judging from the smiling photo, Margaret eventually gets her way. Expect a tender moment or two, but don’t forget these are the Wrights. “This family can’t help but find the undercurrent of bite,” Astin says with a laugh.
So Help Me Todd, Thursdays, 9/8c, CBS
