As a veteran actress, she boasts a career that’s now spanned close to three decades. However, the great Marcia Gay Harden isn’t just one for quantity over quality as her long list of accolades proves. An esteemed actress, she’s kept some fine company over the years in a film career that has seen her work alongside some legendary names like Anthony Hopkins, Clint Eastwood, Brad Pitt, and Sean Penn, to name a few. Her greatest achievement, however, was the fact that even in such company she was the kind of actress that always held her own on screen.
As far as her own acclaim goes, she’s an Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress and has been nominated twice in that category. That’s aside from her many Emmy Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and Tony Awards nominations and wins. Her filmography reads like the stuff of dreams for a performer and features appearances in acclaimed movies like Mystic River, and recurring roles in hugely popular shows like Law & Order.
It was therefore a little surprising to her fans when she signed on and has since played a main role on the legal comedy-drama show, So Help Me Todd . With respect to the show, it’s probably fair to say this iconic actress is probably wasting her talent and esteem by being in it.
The Show’s Premise
So Help Me Todd is a comedy-drama show that sees Harden play Margaret, a brilliant defense attorney who runs her own law firm in Portland, Oregon. Her son, Todd, although good at what he does as a private investigator, is viewed as something of a black sheep by her and other family members. After Todd’s antics get him into trouble one too many times, Margaret helps him but has a condition this time.
In exchange for her help, Todd reluctantly agrees to come work for her firm as an investigator. The pair often butt heads due to their differing style. While Margaret loves following rules and the law to the letter, Todd has no problem bending them to suit his own ends. Through it all, they ultimately do find common ground and get roped into other cases along the way. The problem is, while the show isn’t terrible, it’s nowhere close to being as good as the kind of acclaimed project Marcia Gay Harden is known for working on.
Difference in Caliber
While the show does feature other prominent characters, such as Todd’s sister who’s married and is an ER doctor, much of the show revolves around the familial dynamic between Margaret and Todd. This means that a lot of Harden’s screen time is shared with her main co-star, Skylar Astin, who plays Todd.
Astin is a fairly young actor who’s had a pretty decent career so far. However, it’s also safe to say he’s never come close to the kind of acclaim that his illustrious co-star has. That being said, Astin has appeared in some big shows like Glee, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and has had a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy. He’s also appeared in his fair share of films, though nothing on the same level as Harden since the most famous films Astin’s been in were 21 and Over and the Pitch Perfect films.
Differences in Talent
Skylar Astin has always been a likable actor and certainly appeals to younger generations. His most prestigious accolades are usually Teen Choice Awards, of which he has two wins and three nominations. On screen, he’s usually known for playing a lovable goofball kind of character, or someone who’s always under pressure.
In stark contrast to Marcia Gay Harden, however, there’s, unfortunately, a pretty distinct disparity between hers and Astin’s acting style and level of talent. Harden is well known for being a brilliantly nuanced actress, capable of some great range that she’s displayed many times. On the other hand, Astin often tends to either overact or come across like an actor that’s trying too hard to be memorable.
The Show Itself
If you enjoy a largely wholesome show with decent themes and lightheartedness, even from its dramatic aspects, So Help Me Todd is a perfectly good show. However, it’s also not the kind of show that’s likely to ever find any great acclaim. To that end, there isn’t anything extraordinary about it, nor does it feature any great depth or nuance.
Here’s a little of what The Hollywood Reporter had to say in a review of the show.
“… So Help Me Todd isn’t a very interesting show to analyze. It’s barely interesting enough to tweet about, which is partially by design. CBS dramas, as a rule, are crafted to be half-watched while channel-surfing before bed.”
As a consequence of this, it also isn’t a show that can offer opportunities to get the best out of an actress with the kind of talent that Marcia Gay Harden possesses. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its moments, just that she probably belongs in projects that are capable of getting the best out of her.
Harden is, after all, an actress who has been involved in the kind of film roles that represent the pinnacle of success in Hollywood. On the other hand, So Help Me Todd, unfortunately, fails to make any good use of its main asset. In that respect, she carries the show a lot. Amid an otherwise mediocre show at best and a listless one at worst, Marcia Gay Harden is sadly the one truly good thing the show has going for it. Sadly, it never seems to be aware of this.
As such, it’s yet to provide any kind of challenge that can fully benefit from what a gem it has in the superb actress. However, all that being said, the show is a popular one and has been renewed for a second season. Time will tell if it can improve on its quality and provide the kind of depth that the show itself, and its acclaimed star can both benefit from.