The Equalizer is an American spy thriller television series, originally airing on CBS from September 18, 1985, to August 24, 1989; which was co-created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim. It starred Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a retired intelligence agent with a mysterious past, who uses the skills from his former career to exact justice on behalf of innocent people who find themselves in dangerous circumstances, while sometimes also dealing with people from his past in covert operations who want to pull him back in or settle old scores.
The concept has inspired two further works, including a film trilogy (2014, 2018 and 2023) starring Denzel Washington, and a re-imagined 2021 TV series starring Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall.
Series plot elements
The series stars British actor Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a former covert operations officer of an unnamed US government intelligence organization, which was often referred to simply as "the Agency" or "the Company", who tries to atone for his past by offering, usually free of charge, his services as a troubleshooter, a protector, and an investigator.
People in need found him through a newspaper classified ad: "Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer: 212 555 4200." When he began the business in the pilot episode, the nickname "Equalizer" was revealed as bestowed on him by an operative named "Brahms", played by Jerry Stiller.
Aided by a group of sometimes mysterious contacts, some of whom date back to his spying days, McCall traverses the streets of New York City, delivering justice upon bullies, corrupt police officials and politicians, hoodlums, mobsters, rapists, racists, murderers, kidnappers, drug dealers, and other "truly deserving" people. "Please do not do anything you will never live to regret," he tells one villain.
His contacts were also prone to human foibles that ranged from egoism to domestic problems.
Many episodes focused on McCall interacting with "Control" (played by Robert Lansing), the unnamed head of the Manhattan office of the secret organization for which McCall used to work. As a general rule, however, the people responding to the newspaper ad were unremarkable, average, and unknown.
McCall's Jaguar XJ saloon car, weapons, and other gadgetry at times featured significantly as elements in the plot.