As we head into the holiday season, television shows are embracing the themes of family, togetherness, and – at least in the case of So Help Me Todd 1×07 “Long Lost Lawrence” – dysfunction. So. Much. Dysfunction. Though, in this series, you wouldn’t expect anything else.
All in the Family
Families are…complicated, with complex dynamics that can be hard to navigate. The seventh episode of So Help Me Todd highlights the conflicting dynamics of the Wright family. Because the truth is, not only do the Wright siblings – Todd (Skylar Astin), Allison (Madeline Wise), and newcomer to the show Lawrence (Matthew Wilkas) – have different relationships with each other, but they also have different relationships with their mom, Margaret (Marcia Gay Harden). Sibling rivalries are real, and apparently, one never grows too old to fight to be mom’s favorite.
To be honest, with someone with a family that could be called “complicated” in the best of times, the strained dynamics in “Long Lost Lawrence” were hard to watch at times. As the eldest sibling (and valued employee of the governor), Lawrence has had an almost mythical role off-screen so far. He has been mentioned but not seen. And, as far as one could tell from how Margaret describes him, he’s the Golden Child That Can Do No Wrong.
In part, that’s undoubtedly because he hasn’t been around. It’s always easier to glorify someone who isn’t present enough to highlight their flaws. But the series didn’t take long to make it clear that Lawrence doesn’t entirely live up to the hype. In fact, in his first appearance, as the show really showed the different sibling dynamics in stark relief, he hardly began with his best foot forward. In fact, I’ll be honest, if we didn’t know better, I’d think he was the youngest child. But perhaps there’s just something about siblings that can make you regress to the petulant child you once were. No matter your age.
For a lot of viewers, the push-pull between the siblings (and “mom loved you best!” competition) probably hit a little close to home. Seeing three grown adults enter a room and suddenly revert to their inner 12 year old certainly rang true. Or am I the only one who saw one too many Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past in these all-too-familiar dynamics?
Luckily, it wasn’t just the tension and rivalry that inspired the the all-too-real feeling. After an entire episode of butting heads, trading insults, and arguing about the various family dynamics, everyone came together at the end. In one way or another. They couldn’t all be together in person, of course. Allison and Lawrence are adults with families of their own, and navigating conflicting schedules with in-laws is no easy feat, believe me.
They love each other, they drive each other up a wall, but at the end of the day, they’re there for each other. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about? And if you’re not arguing with your siblings over a Thanksgiving turkey, what are you doing? Having a grown-up conversation? Please. That’s what the other 364 days in the year are for.
Cameo Appearances
I’ve mentioned before the general underutilization of the supporting characters in this series. In fact, it’s become a recurring theme in my reviews. So I would feel remiss in not mentioning the non-family supporting characters in So Help Me Todd 1×07 “Long Lost Lawrence.” They were all…there. Briefly. It was an episode about family, so it makes sense that Allison and Lawrence took greater prominence. And, to be fair, I’ve been hoping to see more of Allison. Even if I have to feel she’s made at least one HIPAA violation in the last few weeks.
I’m certainly not complaining that the series focused on Allison and Lawrence this week. (And, to a lesser degree, Lawrence’s family.) That said, family is often as much what you make as what you’re born into. In an episode in which Margaret struggled with loneliness and “empty nest syndrome” following the separation with her husband and scattering to the winds of her children, it was sad that she so devalued Todd’s presence at Thanksgiving when she thought it would be just the two of them. Which would feel like a tiny regression for the show, except that it’s the holidays and, again, families are complicated.
But it also made me think that there’s a potential in the future develop the “family-team” dynamics of Margaret, Lyle (Tristen J. Winger), Susan (Inga Schlingmann), and Francie (Rosa Arredondo). Family-team dynamics can be wonderful to see when handled well, like we see in shows like Quantum Leap.
It’s still early days in the series, so we have time to get there. In the meantime, can we at least get Lawrence to actually stand in the same room as his husband Chet (Thomas Cadrot) and daughter Clem (Artemis Litsiadis)? One step at a time, I guess.
So Help Me Todd airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.
