The Equalizer (2021 TV series) (2024)


The Equalizer is an American crime drama television series that premiered on CBS on February 7, 2021. It is the re-imagining in the franchise, following the 2014 film and its 2018 sequel and is a reboot of the 1985 series with the same name.

The series is co-created by executive producers Richard Lindheim, with Michael Sloan, and Queen Latifah, who also stars as the title character (Robyn McCall). John Davis, John Fox, Debra Martin Chase, Andrew Marlowe, and Terri Miller also serve as executive producers. Lindheim died from heart failure on January 18, 2021 while working on the series; the series premiere is dedicated to his memory.

Contents

  • 1 Premise
  • 2 Cast and characters
    • 2.1 Main
    • 2.2 Recurring
  • 3 Seasons
  • 4 Production
    • 4.1 Development
    • 4.2 Casting
    • 4.3 Filming
  • 5 Broadcast
  • 6 Marketing
  • 7 Reception
    • 7.1 Critical response
    • 7.2 Ratings
  • 8 Gallery
  • 9 References
  • 10 External links

Premise[]

The series chronicles the life of Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman and single mother to teenage daughter Delilah, with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn, acting as a guardian angel and a defender for those who cannot defend themselves while pursuing her own redemption.[1]

Cast and characters[]

Main[]

  • Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall
  • Tory Kittles as Marcus Dante
  • Adam Goldberg as Harry Keshegian
  • Liza Lapira as Melody Bayani
  • Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah Fulton
  • Lorraine Toussaint as Viola Marsette
  • Chris Noth as William Bishop (season 1–2)

Recurring[]

  • Erica Camarano as Detective Paley (season 1; guest season 2)
  • Jennifer Ferrin as DA Avery Grafton
  • Frank Pando as Captain Tony Torres
  • Dominic Fumusa as Detective Ken Mallory (season 2)

Seasons[]

Main article: Episode List
SeasonNo. of episodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
110February 7, 2021May 23, 2021
218October 10, 2021May 15, 2022
318October 2, 2022May 21, 2023
410February 18, 2024

Production[]

Development[]

In November 2019, CBS announced that a reboot is in development with Queen Latifah in the lead role as Robyn McCall. Andrew Marlowe and Terri Edda Miller will serve as showrunners with Latifah herself as an executive producer.[2] On January 27, 2020, CBS issued a pilot order for the new version. Production companies involved with the pilot include Flavor Unit, Davis Entertainment, Martin Chase Productions and CBS Television Studios and Universal Television.[3] On May 8, 2020, it was announced that the production had been given a series order. On March 9, 2021, it was renewed for a second season.[4][5] On May 2, 2022, it was confirmed that Joseph C. Wilson and Adam Glass named as executive producer and showrunner to replace Marlowe and Edda Miller.[6]

On May 5, 2022, it was renewed for a third and fourth season.[7]

Casting[]

In February 2020, it was announced that Liza Lapira and Lorraine Toussaint had been cast in the pilot's lead roles.[8][9] On March 3, 2020, it was announced that Tory Kittles joined the cast in a starring role.[10] On May 8, 2020, it was announced that Chris Noth is joined the starring role along with Latifah.[11] On November 11, 2020, it was announced that Adam Goldberg joined the cast in a starring role.[12]

On December 21, 2021, CBS and Universal Television announced Noth was terminated from the series after sexual assault allegations were made against him. His final appearance will be in the middle of the second season. On January 3, 2022, it was reported that Chris Noth made his last appearance in "Separated" due to allegations that he assaulted women in December 2021.[13]

Filming[]

The pilot was slated to film in New York City in March 2020. Production was delayed as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States before filming could begin. On February 9, 2021, it was reported that production has been temporarily suspended due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Filming for the series has taken place in several locations in northern New Jersey, including Paterson, Newark, and Jersey City. Exterior shots of a Jersey City home are used for Robyn McCall's residence.

Broadcast[]

The Equalizer premiered on February 7, 2021, after Super Bowl LV on CBS. The second season was premiered on October 10, 2021. The third season has premiered on October 9, 2022. The fourth season is set to premiere on February 18, 2024.

The series had its series premiere in Germany on Sky One on July 12, 2021, in the UK on Sky Witness on August 3, 2021, and in Italy on Sky Investigation (local version of Sky Witness) on October 3, 2021.

Marketing[]

On May 19, 2020, a 30-second teaser featuring Queen Latifah explaining her involvement in the series was released by CBS. On January 9, 2021, CBS released the first official teaser for the series.

Reception[]

Critical response[]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 62% based on reviews from 13 critics, with an average rating of 6.08/10. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Ratings[]

SeasonTimeslot (ET)No. of
episodes
PremieredEndedTV seasonRankAvg. viewers
(in millions)
DatePremiere viewers
(in millions)
DateFinale viewers
(in millions)
1Sunday 10:39PM (1)
Sunday 8:00PM (2–10)
10February 7, 202120.40May 23, 20217.132020–21#412.07
2Sunday 8:00PM (1, 4–6, 8, 10–18)
Sunday 8:30PM (2–3, 9)
Sunday 9:00PM (7)
18October 10, 20217.67May 15, 20226.842021–22#99.45
3Sunday 8:00 p.m. (2, 4–5, 7–18)
Sunday 8:30 p.m. (1, 3, 6)
18October 2, 20227.09May 21, 20236.282022–23#
4Sunday 8:00PM10February 18, 20242023–24#

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. https://deadline.com/video/b-positive-trailer-the-equalizer-clarice-first-looks-cbs/
  2. https://deadline.com/2019/11/the-equalizer-series-reboot-queen-latifah-cbs-big-commitment-andrew-miarlowe-terri-miller-1202777114/
  3. https://deadline.com/2020/01/the-equalizer-reboot-queen-latifah-star-cbs-pilot-order-1202843350/
  4. https://deadline.com/2021/03/the-equalizer-renewed-season-2-cbs-queen-latifah-1234709916/
  5. https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/the-equalizer-queen-latifah-renewed-1234925519/
  6. https://deadline.com/2022/04/the-equalizer-new-showrunners-season-3-queen-latifah-series-joseph-c-wilson-adam-glass-renewed-1235013553/
  7. https://deadline.com/2022/05/the-equalizer-renewed-seasons-3-and-4-cbs-queen-latifah-1235016848/
  8. https://deadline.com/2020/02/liza-lapira-queen-latifah-the-equalizer-reboot-pilot-cbs-1202868222/
  9. https://deadline.com/2020/02/lorraine-toussaint-cast-queen-latifah-the-equalizer-reboot-pilot-on-cbs-1202871169/
  10. https://deadline.com/2020/03/tory-kittles-cast-queen-latifah-the-equalizer-reboot-pilot-cbs-1202873531/
  11. https://deadline.com/2020/05/chris-noth-cast-queen-latifah-the-equalizer-reboot-cbs-1202929827/
  12. https://deadline.com/2020/11/adam-goldberg-queen-latifah-the-equalizer-cbs-series-1234612489/
  13. https://deadline.com/2021/12/chris-noth-fired-the-equalizer-sexual-assault-allegations-1234899868/

External links[]

  • The Equalizer on Television Fandom
  • The Equalizer on CBS Fandom
  • The Equalizer on Wikipedia
The Equalizer (2021 TV series) (2024)

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