Everything you need to know about The Equalizer

The Equalizer is a crime drama centred around Robyn McCall - a former CIA agent and single mother who becomes a defender for the defenceless following her own history.

Living in New York City with her teenage daughter, Delilah, Robyn becomes known as ‘The Equalizer’ - a vigilante who helps out those who have been failed by more legal means.

She is supported in her efforts by NYPD Detective Marcus Dante, former Air Force sniper turned bartender Mel Bayani, and Harry Keshegian, Mel’s partner and tech whizz.

Working on a ‘crime of the week’ each episode, The Equalizer also has continuing plot through lines based around Robyn and her loved ones.

Launching on CBS in February 2021, The Equalizer ran for five seasons, ending in May 2025.

**Who starred in The Equalizer and where have we seen them before?**

The following cast members were credited in every episode of The Equalizer:

Queen Latifah (Bringing Down The House, Chicago) as Robyn McCall
Tory Kittles (True Detective, Sons of Anarchy) as Marcus Dante
Liza Lapira (Unbelievable, Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23) as Melody ‘Mel’ Bayani
Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan, Fargo) as Harry Keshgian
Laya DeLeon Hayes (Raven’s Home, Code Black) as Delilah
Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is The New Black, Into The Badlands) as Viola "Aunt Vi" Marsette

**Is The Equalizer connected to films or other TV shows?**

Yes. This series is the second reboot of The Equalizer.

The original series ran from 1985 to 1989 and lasted for four seasons and 88 episodes.

British actor Edward Woodward led the cast as Robert McCall, and Keith Szarabajka as a former Navy SEAL named Mickey Kostmayer.

The Karate Kid star William Zabka joined the cast as Scott, Robert’s estranged son, and Mark Margolis played Jimmy, a surveillance expert.

Robert was never officially referred to as working in the CIA, instead an organization known as “The Company”.

The series was rebooted as a film franchise in 2014, starring Denzel Washington now in the titular role (still as Robert). David Harbour, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Bill Pullman among others.

This was followed up with two sequels - one released in 2018 and one in 2023.

The Equalizer is a remake of the original series, with a gender-swapped leading character. The mother/daughter relationship is far more integral than the father/son one from the 80s episodes.

**How successful was The Equalizer and what awards did it win?**

The Equalizer started at 7.13million viewers on average during season one, but dropped down to 6.28million by the end of season three.

As season four is currently airing, cumulative figures are currently unavailable, but the opening episode debuted with a promising 6.4million.

The show has also not made major moves at awards shows either - with the exception of Queen Latifah who has been widely celebrated for her portrayal of Robyn.

She’s been nominated once at the BET Awards, twice at the NAACP Awards, three times at the Black Reel Awards and four times at the People’s Choice Awards.

**What is the age rating of The Equalizer?**

The Equalizer has been rated 15 in the UK – meaning it has been deemed unsuitable for younger audiences and children.

Reasons for this is due to the show including:

Scenes of a violent nature – including domestic violence and scenes of torture
Use of guns and scenes of gun violence
Mild scenes of a sexual nature, and use of sexual references
Presence of blood and gore in some episodes

**How many episodes of The Equalizer are there?**

The Equalizer ran for five seasons, coming to a total of 74 episodes.

Season one, which launched in February 2021, started with 10 episodes, limited due to early season trials and filming during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Season two and three had 18 episodes apiece, with season four dropping back down to 10 in 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA Hollywood strikes.

The fifth and final season completed the show’s run with another 18 episodes.

How to watch The Equalizer

All episodes of The Equalizer are available to watch on Sky Witness and NOW in the UK.

In the US, it aired on the network CBS, and is available to stream on Paramount+.