The Equalizer (1985 TV series)

• Edward Woodward as Robert McCall: A veteran operative of The Company who becomes disillusioned with sacrificing ordinary people for the perceived greater good. He quits and takes out a newspaper advert offering his services to those who need it as The Equalizer. McCall himself is divorced, a "lost dad" long estranged from his son, Scott (William Zabka). Scott comes back into his life as a young adult who is at first bitterly critical of his father's world, but then becomes drawn into that world to the dismay of both of his parents. McCall also lost a woman he was in love with, a fellow operative named Manon Brevard, and discovers that she had secretly given birth to his daughter, Yvette.[7] McCall appears to be independently wealthy, as although he almost never takes payment for his work, he owns a high-end apartment, is always well dressed and drives a Jaguar XJ6 car (registered 5809-AUG). He enjoys classical music (playing the piano himself), fine wine and dining and is occasionally seen dating and trying to live a "normal" life, only for work or his past to get in the way. His father, William, was a British Army officer who was killed in Egypt in 1952 when McCall was 19 and also an army officer. His mother was a working-class American entertainer and his father was disinherited by his family and shunned by his regiment for being seen to be marrying beneath himself.[8] McCall had a strained relationship with his father, whom he blamed for remaining overseas and leaving him at boarding school while his mother was dying. He was also guilt-ridden at his various actions during the Cold War, notably helping to establish the dictatorship in Chile and working with South Africa's apartheid regime in Angola. Woodward was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series four years in a row but never won, and was also nominated in 1986 and 1987 for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, winning in 1986.
• Keith Szarabajka as Mickey Kostmayer (Also starring, 56 episodes): A former Navy SEAL, who was in the brig for a crime he did not commit until McCall cleared him and recommended he join The Company.[9] Often seen surveilling suspects or protecting witnesses. Always laconic, he is from Houston, Texas, of Polish/American origin and served in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, claiming to have stayed awake during one mission for 96 hours straight. He is seen to enjoy fishing in his free time, is a fan of the Knicks basketball team and bubble-gum and builds models out of matchsticks. His brother is a priest, also in the city, and needs the help of McCall and Mickey in one episode.[10] While McCall is almost always dressed in a suit, Mickey is usually seen in jeans and wearing a watch cap and army overcoat. A black Dodge van is his usual mode of transport.

• Robert Lansing as Control (29 episodes). A contemporary of McCall's in The Company who has risen to a senior rank; he and McCall are usually friendly, although at times Control's focus on the mission causes friction with McCall's desire to avoid collateral damage. Although McCall does not always agree with Control's methods, he usually helps his old friend when younger and even more ruthless agents try to force him out. For his part Control allows McCall to utilize Company men like Mickey, Jimmy and Sterno provided they are not on assignment. Known for his trademark bowties.
• Mark Margolis as Jimmy (16 episodes). Another Company veteran and an expert in surveillance. Usually brought in by McCall when high-tech bugs or wiretaps are required. He is divorced and almost always has a story about his ex-wife to tell McCall. Abandoned by his father at age 6, Jimmy is part of the Big Brother project, mentoring troubled kids.
• William Zabka as Scott McCall (12 episodes). McCall's estranged son when the series begins, their growing relationship is one of the recurring themes throughout the series. Scott is an accomplished musician but is drawn more and more deeply in to his father's world as the series progresses. Scott also knows of the kinship between himself, Yvette, and their father although McCall has sworn him to secrecy. (In season 2, Scott meets and later dates Jenny Morrow, played by Lori Loughlin.)
• Chad Redding as Sgt. Alice Shepard (11 episodes). An NYPD detective who often assists McCall, recognizing that he can take action where she cannot.
• Richard Jordan as Harley Gage (10 episodes). Another disillusioned Company veteran, Gage was brought in by Richard Dyson (played by Robert Mitchum) to track down McCall when he goes missing in "Mission McCall", and ends up staying on and helping people with McCall. This was done to lighten the load on Woodward after he suffered a heart attack,[11] although Keith Szarabajka was featured in only five of the episodes with Jordan.
• Maureen Anderman as Pete O'Phelan (9 episodes). The widow of a former colleague of McCall's, and a former operative herself. She owns a bar that McCall and Mickey frequent, and also helps out with their missions from time to time.
• Ron O'Neal as Lt. Isadore Smalls (7 episodes). An NYPD detective who assists McCall.
• Irving Metzman as Sterno (7 episodes). Another Company man, specializing in computers and finance. He is often seen eating, particularly fast food, which generally annoys McCall's more refined tastes.
• Steven Williams as Lt. Jefferson Burnett (6 episodes). An NYPD detective in the first season, who is aware of McCall's past and is initially distrustful of him.
• Robert Joy as Jacob Stock (5 episodes). A Company operative who botches his first assignment with McCall, but redeems himself. He occasionally resurfaces to assist McCall.
• Melissa Sue Anderson as Yvette Marcel (4 episodes). The daughter of McCall's former love Manon. She believes that Phillip Marcel (played by Anthony Zerbe) is her father but Marcel later reveals to McCall that she is McCall's daughter. McCall keeps this to himself, telling Marcel that he must be the one to tell her, which he does after being fatally wounded by an old enemy. Anderson is the real-life wife of series co-creator Michael Sloan.
• Eddie Jones as Lt. Brannigan (4 episodes). An NYPD detective in the fourth season.
• Ray Baker as Dana (3 episodes). An agent of The Company who occasionally aids McCall in his investigations. Jovial, generous and good-hearted, he is nonetheless an expert in the seedier side of New York life with a comprehensive knowledge of the city's sex industry.
• Joe Morton as Carter Brock (3 episodes). A Vietnam veteran and explosives expert who appears in the fourth season. McCall calls him "Brockie".
• Charles Cioffi as Lt. Kramer (3 episodes). An NYPD detective in the second and third seasons.
• Earl Hindman as Lt. Elmer (3 episodes). An NYPD detective in the second season.
• Saul Rubinek as Jason Masur (3 episodes). A Company official who interferes with McCall and pushes Control around.
• Austin Pendleton as Jonah (3 episodes). A computer expert who helps McCall.

After the broadcast of the first episode in September 1985, the show received mixed reviews. Critic Tom Shales wrote in The Washington Post that "to judge from this very attractively atmospheric premiere, [the show] could become a welcome guest in many an American home".[25] However, for People, Jeff Jarvis wrote, "The plot’s confusing and the show’s as erratic as a pacemaker on low batteries".[26]

A film starring Denzel Washington in the title role, very loosely based upon the series, was released in September 2014. It was followed by a sequel, The Equalizer 2, which was released on July 20, 2018. Melissa Leo, who was a guest star in "The Defector," the third episode of the TV series, appears in both movies.

A third film titled The Equalizer 3 with Washington and director Antoine Fuqua returning[35][36] was released on September 1, 2023.

In November 2019, CBS announced that a reboot was in development with Queen Latifah in the lead role as Robyn McCall. Andrew Marlowe and Terri Miller were named as showrunners with Latifah herself as an executive producer.[37] On January 27, 2020, CBS issued a pilot order for the new version.[38]

The series was among the 14 pilots ordered by CBS in February 2020 and was fast tracked to series the following March, as they are unable to film their pilots where Universal Television was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[39]

On May 8, 2020, CBS picked up the series[40] and they added Chris Noth as William Bishop, a quirky ex-CIA director who is the opposite of Latifah.[41] It premiered on February 7, 2021, after Super Bowl LV.[42]

A collection of novels featuring Robert McCall has been written by the original co-creator Michael Sloan. The first is simply entitled The Equalizer published in 2014, followed by Killed in Action: An Equalizer Novel, which was released in 2018.[43] The novels are a modern reimagining of the original series and focus on McCall leaving The Company and eventually becoming a private investigator in New York. It also features a number of original recurring characters from the television series such as Mickey Kostmayer, Control, and Scott McCall. A third novel, Equalizer: Requiem was released in 2020.[44]