Series synopsis
The Equalizer is a Canadian action & adventure crime drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 18, 1985. It ended on August 24, 1989. It was created by Richard Lindheim, Michael Sloan. It stars Edward Woodward, Keith Szarabajka, Lori Loughlin and Lisa Pelikan.
Robert McCall is a former agent of a secret government agency who is now running his own private crime fighting operation where he fashions himself as "The Equalizer." It is a service for victims of the system who have exhausted all possible means of seeking justice and have nowhere to go. McCall promises to even out the odds for them.
Premise
Robert McCall is a former agent of a secret government agency who is now running his own private crime fighting operation where he fashions himself as "The Equalizer." It is a service for victims of the system who have exhausted all possible means of seeking justice and have nowhere to go. McCall promises to even out the odds for them.
Premise: If the rules are against you he'll change them. If the odds are against you he'll even them.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Edward Woodward as Robert McCall
- Keith Szarabajka as Mickey Kostmayer
- Lori Loughlin as Jenny Morrow
- Lisa Pelikan as Anne Fitzgerald / Diane Snyder
- Telly Savalas as Brother Joseph Heiden
- Luis Guzmán as Gypsy Cabbie
- Paul Jabara as Orchestra Music Teacher
- James Russo as Police Detective
Supporting cast
- Robert Mitchum as Richard Dyson
- William Sadler as Rick Dillon / Kevin Moore
- Steve Buscemi as Archie, the Electronics Store Clerk
- Brad Dourif as Fenn
- Robin Curtis as Ginger Brock
- Lisa Banes as Allison
- Bill Cobbs as Barry
- Tammy Grimes as Julia Jacobs
- Marisa Berenson as Andrea Browne
- Lindsay Crouse as Sarah McGee
- Lycia Naff as Amy
- Perry Lang as Bobby
Guest cast
- Lori Loughlin as Jenny Morrow
- Lisa Pelikan as Anne Fitzgerald / Diane Snyder
- Telly Savalas as Brother Joseph Heiden
- Luis Guzmán as Gypsy Cabbie
- Paul Jabara as Orchestra Music Teacher
- James Russo as Police Detective
- Robert Mitchum as Richard Dyson
- William Sadler as Rick Dillon / Kevin Moore
- Steve Buscemi as Archie, the Electronics Store Clerk
- Brad Dourif as Fenn
- Robin Curtis as Ginger Brock
- Lisa Banes as Allison
Episodes
This series spans 6 seasons with 107 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 1 | October 29, 2012 | October 29, 2012 |
| Season 1 | 22 | September 18, 1985 | April 8, 1986 |
| Season 2 | 22 | October 8, 1986 | May 27, 1987 |
| Season 3 | 22 | September 23, 1987 | May 4, 1988 |
| Season 4 | 22 | October 26, 1988 | August 24, 1989 |
| Season 5 | 18 | October 20, 2024 | May 4, 2025 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Story of The Equalizer The Story of The Equalizer featuring interviews with William Zabka (Scott McCall), Keith Szarabajka (Mickey Kostmayer) and producers Coleman Luck and Robert Eisele. |
October 29, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot: The Equalizer A former government agent offers his services to people facing problems too big for them to handle, such as a woman being stalked by a psychopath and a man who learns of a blackmail scheme involving government officials. |
September 18, 1985 |
| 2 |
China Rain McCall comes to the aid of a housekeeper when kidnappers grab her son by mistake. |
September 25, 1985 |
| 3 |
The Defector McCall helps a double agent defect and a young boy stand up to bullies. |
October 2, 1985 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Prelude Men working for a dictator McCall helped put into power kidnap an American journalist. |
October 8, 1986 |
| 2 |
Nocturne A blind music critic asks for help when she hears the voice of the man who raped her years before. |
October 15, 1986 |
| 3 |
A Community of Civilized Men McCall comes to the aid of a woman who's being squeezed to pay off her late husband's debts. |
October 22, 1986 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Blood & Wine (1) McCall and a former terrorist, now a monk, are both searching for the monk's former partner, a terrorist who uses plastic surgery after each assignment to keep ahead of his enemies. |
September 23, 1987 |
| 2 |
Blood & Wine (2) McCall and a former terrorist, now a monk, are both searching for the monk's former partner, a terrorist who uses plastic surgery after each assignment to keep ahead of his enemies. |
September 23, 1987 |
| 3 |
Suspicion of Innocence McCall regrets persuading a young retarded friend of his into going to the police after he witnesses a murder; he's arrested for the crime. |
September 30, 1987 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Last Campaign The aide to an ambitious candidate for state senator discovers that her boss is blackmailing the incumbent into endorsing his candidacy. |
October 26, 1988 |
| 2 |
Sea of Fire A desperate high school principal calls on McCall for help in combating the gang responsible for the rape of a girl in the school gymnasium. |
November 2, 1988 |
| 3 |
Riding the Elephant McCall helps a Thai boxer and his girl friend extricate themselves from the clutches of a racketeer with old connections to McCall's former employers. |
November 9, 1988 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Lost Ones McCall races to rescue two siblings who run into trouble after stealing a grocery truck carrying firearms. Meanwhile, Harry and Delilah help Mel through her trauma after her kidnapping. |
October 20, 2024 |
| 2 |
Haunted Heights McCall investigates a death in an apartment building where residents believe the structure is haunted after a young woman suspects her grandmother was pushed down a flight of stairs via supernatural means. |
October 27, 2024 |
| 3 |
Just Fans Harry goes undercover in a surprising role to help McCall search for a woman with a secret online persona. Meanwhile, Mel decides to go to therapy and tries her hand at songwriting as a way to heal her trauma. |
November 3, 2024 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | CBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 18, 1985 |
| Last aired | August 24, 1989 |
| Runtime | 48 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Thursday |