The Equalizer

"The Equalizer" was an action-adventure TV series unlike any that I had ever seen before. It effectively mixed espionage, crime drama, and the private eye genres into a wonderful film noir package. Robert McCall (played to perfection by Edward Woodward) was no Mike Hammer, nor was he meant to be. He relied more on brains than brawn and his plans worked like a game of chess. Whether he attended an embassy affair or was running down a lead on a guns dealer in the South Bronx, McCall seemed right at home.

Disenchanted with his cloak-and-dagger life in the CIA, and perhaps seeking some redemption for some of his darker exploits in the name of God and Country, he broke away from "the Company," and offered his services to people in trouble.

McCall's strength was his abilities as a strategist and tactician. Although he was quite able in shootouts and fisticuffs, he tended to leave the rough stuff to other operatives who sometimes took time off from their day jobs (usually in the CIA) to work for McCall. One of his most trusted colleagues was his comrade-in-arms Mickey Kostmeyer (played by Keith Szarabajka), a Company man who seemed willing to dive into any dangerous situation for the thrill.

Although McCall resigned from the CIA, he continued to maintain contact with his friend and former boss, a man known only as Control (played by Robert Lansing). There is a history of camraderie between Control and McCall, but Control's job tends to get in the way of that friendship. When one of Control's operations involved lying to McCall, and McCall confronted him, Control's only response was, "It's what I do for a living, Robert."

All in all, a wonderful show with high production values. I'm only sorry it lasted four seasons.

A former CIA spy (Edward Woodward) is now a private investigator that helps out clients with problems that are beyond the normal authorities in "The Equalizer", one of the better series of its type during the late-1980s. The show went on for five seasons on CBS and did fairly well in the ratings department. There is definitely a hard and dark edge to this series which has been somewhat forgotten over the years but still packs a punch with its adult themes and story lines. Woodward dominated here while others (son William Zabka in particular) came and went in a revolving door of regulars and guest stars. A heart attack suffered by Woodward in real life during the middle of the run looked like it might kill the concept for good, but "The Equalizer" quietly went on without a hitch until it was finally canceled by the network in 1989. 4 stars out of 5.

A very strong series during its initial run and in the occasional burst of reruns that can be found occasionally.

Edward Woodward is a superb actor, and was a sharp contrast to most other private detectives of the day (and indeed, even today). The 80's might as well have been called the "Era of the P.I." with so many series centered around them (Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, Riptide, even Miami Vice and the other police shows). But Robert McCall was an entirely different kind of detective. He was a seemingly mild mannered Englishman, who dressed sharply and drove a cool Jaguar. He rarely engaged in any kind of physical struggles, yet was probably the most menacing of any television P.I. While the others were jumping onto the hoods of cars and duking it out with the bad guys, McCall's quiet presence and absolute lack of any fear whatsoever was thrilling. The fact that a middle aged man who looks more like a University professor than a detective could look so menacing and literally HARDCORE speaks volumes about Woodward's acting capability.

Probably the best theme music ever written, as well.

I like this show. Robert McCall was a company man with a guilty conscious who tried to find redemption through doing good works. Robert must have broken many cold war eggs to make many omletes. McCall's skills were now used to help the defenseless. This show like many other great 80 shows had a similar story lines. Where the Equalizer differed is with his method of intelligence. Like an intelligence officer Robert plotted, probed, planned, and visualized. Luck and the ability to out wit the opponent made for an interesting television show. Nice seeing this over the self centered tripe of todays TV. I never seen another show like this on TV. They should make this into a movie. I bet the old BBC show the Naturalizer was an influence for the shows producers. 8 out of 10 baby

Before online streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, et al. Began creating original content, the broadcast networks produced quality television series. Compared to today's standards this show doesn't seem too violent, but in the late 1980s it caused quite a stir. Led by classically-trained British actor, Edward Woodward, who plays a dapper vengeance-seeking vigilante, this series is a gritty crime drama that doesn't pull any punches; in fact, it lands quite a few. Woodward received five Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. It is a crime he lost one year to the acting hack Bruce Willis. Unfortunately, the 2021-reboot of this series is disappointing and verges on the comically absurd. Stick to the original.