The Equalizer (1985–1989) User Reviews

Woodwards the best.

[mm-39 · 9/10 · 26 June 2004]

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

My Name Is Robert McCall.

[AaronCapenBanner · 9/10 · 20 August 2013]

Edward Woodward was fantastic as former "company" operative Robert McCall, who abruptly resigns from service and offers his skills and connections to help ordinary people in need, whether that be from street punks, gangsters, terrorists, stalkers, or corrupt corporations. Whatever the threat, McCall was up for the challenge, and he certainly wasn't a man you would want for an enemy! I marveled at how Edward Woodward imbued the role with such power and menace to the criminal element, who frequently underestimated this middle-aged Englishman the same way murderers would Culumbo, for instance. To see Woodward take on younger threats and beat them in his fearless style was a joy to watch; this was a man trying to make amends for his mysterious past, a man who has seen much evil, and isn't intimidated by it, and who likely doesn't fear his own death.

Pity it was canceled after four years, but has recently received a full series DVD release, so now can be enjoyed once again by both old and new fans.

The Original Equalizer

[AuroraLaude · 8/10 · 18 June 2021]

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.

Robert McCall was the ultimate chess player!

[CoolComix2 · 13 February 2003]

"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.

The Equalizer episodes should be available as a first-rate DVD set. Season one is in good technical quality.

[Thomas_J_McKeon · 10/10 · 4 November 2006]

The consensus of the other reviewers is that this is an excellent detective/mystery series; certainly I agree with that and probably cannot add anything of substance to their comments. As to the program, all I will say is Edward Woodword's fine, convincing acting, the excellent plot development (in every episode, each of which usually stands on its own), the choice of a great supporting cast and Stewart Copeland's fine scores--what more could one want in a TV show. In fact, The Equalizer was and probably still is too good for television.

My real purpose in originally writing this was to attempt to prod the owner of the copyright, Universal, to make all the episodes (and possibly some that might be in the can and not yet shown) available on DVD. From the plethora of very positive comments it is obvious that this is not only an artistic success but something that likely would be commercially feasible. I first wrote: "Should it not be made available on DVD, I guess I will have to content myself to try to find all the episodes on VHS and dub them onto DVD-R." Since then I have obtained a set from TVDVDPlanet.com of (it claims) all the episodes on 22 DVD-Rs in boxes with no manufacturer on the label. I have viewed several and they were crudely taped from TV(some even say A&E on them). Video quality is very poor. Apparently this is region free. It seems all are DVD-R not DVD and quality is awful. Packages are shipped from Canada.

Since writing the above I learned that Season One would be officially released by Universal in the States and it has been. This is a region 1 DVD. It is a 5 disc set with all 22 episodes from the first season. It can be ordered at Amazon.com and other sellers. Technical quality is very good. I did notice that one episode was in stereo though the packaging says mono. Definitely worthwhile and I hope they follow through on the rest.

Since writing the above I have noted that the domain TVDVDPlanet.com has been taken away from one Alan Knight of Key West Florida by Planet Entertainment, Inc. The complaint alleged that the website may be offering unauthorized and infringing product to the public. See http://www.tvdvdplanet.com/tvdvdplanet.pdf. Nothing was said about the "quality" (or lack of it) of the product.

Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis

Cold War Politics

[shelbythuylinh · 10/10 · 29 November 2021]

Really the original is the original. And Queen Latifah can't hold a candle to the late Edward Woodward's Robert McCall.

A former British Intel agent who now is a PI and hence the title takes on the cases that are very tough and police will not touch.

But he has compassion and that trench coat really does the job there. Wished he was still alive.

One Great Series

[ed-755 · 10/10 · 10 January 2007]

For years, The Equalizer was TV's best series. Employing the great British actor Edward Woodward as a combination of the Knight Errant, Don Quixote and the Existential Hero was a stroke of genius. Woodward's Shakespearean style and personality, overlaid against the grimy, ugly business of problem-solving in urban America, made his character and dialogue stand out even further in bold relief. And having the City of New York as the Extra Player gave each episode a grittiness, pressure, suspense and excitement all its own.

There have been lots of spy series and CIA shows, but never one about a repentant agent until this. Demonstrating that repentance by helping the needs of Everyman was the heart of the show. But each segment retained the "espionage flavor" by using current "agency" personnel, protocol and paraphernalia.

That repentance presupposed moral absolutes, and the segments are replete with a high view of right and wrong. Right is heroic, and sleaze is truly scuzzy. Indeed, this tension forms the basis for Robert McCall's involvement with his clients. After mortally wounding one adversary who still won't reveal a kidnapped victim's whereabouts, McCall asks the dying man about to slide into eternity, "What if there is a God?"

But successful people (and shows) tend to stop doing the thing that made them successful. So later episodes of the series began delving further into the bizarre to try and retain viewer interest. Those experiments didn't work (and never do).

Yet Stewart Copeland's early techno compositions, rhythm work and "Police" chord progressions kept the interest level high, even when the scripts waned at times.

Thankfully, the other genius element was the casting. Kevin Spacey, Ray Sharkey, Will Patton, Patricia Clarkson and many others (like Copeland himself!) got their first crack or big break through The Equalizer. And veteran actors like Tovah Feldschuh, Dennis Christopher, Edward Binns and Robert Lansing came back to the tube via the series. The only problem was, that, next to Woodward, even our best actors sometimes paled (and the scripts were weighted to his lines, and didn't always do the other actos justice).

But the current episodes on air (it was a Universal series, so Universal/NBC has run it on Sleuth and Universal HD networks) are some of the brighter spots on the TV day. Thanks for that!

The Equalizer a sequel to Callan?

[deforest-1 · 9/10 · 3 September 2011]

Edward Woodward starred as 'Callan' (1966-71), an English series where he played the top agent of a top secret British government spy organization that 'fixed' situations that couldn't be fixed otherwise. It was (and still is) a genuine TV classic, with fine scripts and characterizations -- as seen on the Sky channel UK TV when it's rerun periodically. Co-stars included Anthony Valentine and Patrick Mower as his younger, more ruthless colleagues. As soon as I saw 'The Equalizer' in the mid Eighties I saw it as a worthy successor to 'Callan' for Edward Woodward, now playing someone older and wiser, and a little softer at the centre.

Great show, great actor, wrong actor.........

[[e-mail] · 6/10 · 20 November 2017]

I loved this show and I loved Edward Woodward as "Callan". He would have been phenomenal in the Equalizer........ when he was 15-20 years younger. Unfortunately, he was really just too old to be the tough guy battling crooks and thugs on this show.

Enjoy it, just don't take it too seriously. Denzel is also approaching retirement for this role, too. Hopefully, the Equalizer II will be his last.

Great Series

[marciakohring · 10/10 · 28 December 2006]

Series is very much enjoyed. I never got the opportunity to watch it when it was first aired in the 80's. Edward Woodward is an excellent actor and makes the character of Robert McCall real. In fact he seems to project that ability in all the various roles he has played in other movies as well. His range of acting ability is as diverse as the roles he plays. One review even called him Britain's answer to Sean Connery. The Equalizer should be aired - all four seasons. It is better that the fanciful detective tales being carried now. In addition to good scripts, the photography of New York and DC is excellent. The supporting cast for each episode is well planned.

"The Equalizer" is no "Rockford Files".

[HalGuentert · 6/10 · 30 October 2008]

I decided to take another look at the "The Equalizer" on DVD when I couldn't find much on TV. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the other reviewers who consider this series implausible. At best these episodes are fairy tales about a white knight who saves the person in distress. Equalizing things seems like a good idea until you have to consider how difficult that really is to do, and it makes McCall the judge, jury, and executioner just like the British we fought to get independence from. His Jaguar still looks nice, though.

I found that I now have problems with the whole premise of "The Equalizer". Who is Robert McCall supposed to be, ex-CIA or ex-MI6, licensed private detective or amateur detective, "Robin Hood" or elitist mercenary? I never saw him identify himself as a licensed private detective as the plot description claims he is, but he gets special treatment from the NYPD. You are lead to believe that he is ex-CIA allowed to operate illegally because he is a well respected retired operator, some type of bullet proof "white knight" above the law of the helpless, hapless common folk. (Most of these folks could have solved their own problems if they were armed to begin with.)

The other problem is with his clients. I am not sure if the writers are trying to be politically correct for the times, trying to be provocative, or even have a clear political agenda. I consider myself pretty sympathetic and open minded, but have a hard time developing any sympathy for many of the Equalizer's clients. For example, one women considers cheating on her husband with some guy in a bar, gets an innocent man killed without even warning him, gets her friend who encouraged her to cheat killed, gets a couple of other bystanders killed, almost gets her husband killed, but lives happily ever after to take a vacation with her husband in Nantucket. I hope McCall at least billed her his full rate whatever that is. ("Jim Rockford" was up front $200/day plus expenses.)

Some of the other clients just don't want to move, and several people have to die so they can keep their low rent housing like it was the last place on Earth they could live. "Rockford" would have told them to move if they did not own the property, and blown them off as foolish otherwise.

I am just left with the feeling that McCall is a good man who wants everyone to call him "Sir" or "your lordship", and he thinks he is the "decider" when it comes to who should live and who should die in NYC. Reminds me too much of Dick Cheney, or Higgins on "Magnum P.I.". All McCall needed to do was shoot someone in the face with a shotgun, then make them apologize to him, join the Council on Foreign Relations, and start lobbying for some bank "bail-outs". "Rockford" just wants to fish, do his job, and stay out of gun fights.

I vote for "The Rockford Files" (even "Magnum P.I.") as being much more plausible than "The Equalizer", but if you like fairy tales or just want to see some interesting footage of 1980s NYC, then take a look.

Excellent Series, Which Serves as an "Unofficial" Sequel to Callan

[grendelkhan · 8/10 · 13 November 2014]

Edward Woodward returned to television, on the other side of the pond, as a different burnt-out secret agent, Robert McCall. McCall bears more than a passing resemblance to David Callan, Woodward's iconic character from his British TV series. He has been used and abused for years, in the shadowy world of espionage, with its murky ethics and high body count. Unlike Callan, he is able to walk away from his masters, when he resigns, after a botched operation leads to the death of is charge. McCall, finding himself finally free of this dark world, decides he wants to do something to make the world better and using the skills that he has, advertises his services in the newspaper, as "The Equalizer," someone who evens the odds for those in trouble.

The series is one part spy-fi, one part private eye, and one part crime drama. Each week, McCall is contacted by someone in need and he responds, charging no fee (he is independently well off, thanks to information gained in his spy days, which allows him to make shrewd investments). Occasionally, he finds his services required by his old masters, via his former boss (and friend) Control. On other occasions, he uses his relationship with control to gain access to agents and resources of "the Agency" to aid in his mission.

The series makes great use of New York location shooting, while also creating an edgy visual style. Shadows are frequently used and the series plays upon urban fears, with various predators menacing his clients. It mixes high class living with squalid apartments and empty warehouse.

Edward Woodward is excellent as McCall, with the character's desire to bring justice and peace giving him ample opportunity to orate. McCall uses powerful speeches as much as powerful handguns. Woodward is at his best when he is raging against something, though he also excels at the quiet moments. He gives the character a well- rounded feel, aided by great writing, which emphasizes McCall's flaws as much as his virtues. McCall's calling has made him a poor father and he often uses guilt to attain favors from Control, yet rants when Control asks him to return the favor.

Apart from the hair and some of the clothes, the one element of the series that scream "the 80s" is the music from Stewart Copeland, the drummer for The Police. Copeland created the synth-heavy sound of the series, from the iconic opening theme, to the incidental music used throughout (again, heavy on synth and drums). However, it is such a part of the show that it never really seems archaic. The same could not be said with the music Copeland created for the Babylon 5 pilot movie ("The Gathering").

The series is filled with great guest actors, many of whom would go on to bigger things, like Vincent D'Onofrio, Kevin Spacey, Christian Slater, and others, while also making great use of classic actors like Robert Lansing (Gary 7, on Star Trek), Ron Neal (Superfly), Robert Mitchum, and Richard Jordan. It made great use of outstanding characters actors, drawn in, no doubt, by the quality writing.

This is a series worth watching and owning on home video. It was a stylish piece of TV, with great characters and excellent writing, and top notch performances.

Mature viewing, for the most part

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 6 July 2019]

Review of the Complete Series:

As an action TV show of the mid-1980s, THE EQUALIZER offers a far more adult and grittier viewing experience than something like THE A-TEAM, although like that series it's still rather formulaic and becomes predictable after a time. Edward Woodward is a neat bit of central casting, virtually reprising his role from the old British TV show CALLAN, playing a vigilante and former CIA agent who's now gone private, helping out various cases in a grim and downbeat New York.

As a prime time show this is far from explicit, yet it covers various adult concepts including racism, child exploitation and rape in a sensitive and even-handed way. Watching it today, it's chiefly of interest thanks to the character-led writing and the slew of guest actors, many of them appearing long before they became famous. The first three series remain solid in terms of quality, with the minor blip of Woodward's heart attack making the third series a little inconsistent. The fourth series is weaker and goes off into esoteric, arty territory which doesn't really work, so perhaps they should have ended with the third.

Longer it went, dumber it got

[realvedmak · 1/10 · 1 October 2013]

This show actually had decent idea for story. Some sort of ex-vet decides he wants to help people, places ad in newspaper, sets up answering machine and starts helping people. Mostly for free, which begs question of what does he live on, and how does he finance stupid amount of gear he uses in few episodes, but oh well.

Where it falls apart is terrible writing. Main actor is actually decent actor, so its not his fault show is horrible. Rest of the cast are neither here nor there. Some can act, somewhat, rest act like its their first time, which it might have been.

I survived 11 episodes of it gradually declining in quality before it became more akin to bad comedy than anything entertaining. Episode #12 "Reign of Terror" is about some street gang and it is by far worst written TV show episode out of everything I have seen in last few years. If you are considering getting this show, I strongly advise watching this episode first to see if this is something that will appeal to you or whether to give this garbage a pass.

Excellent and highly Intelligent

[ClanDonald · 12 January 2003]

"The Equalizer" was a unique and amazing series. I followed each episode with great interest. The ensemble of talent was remarkable - Edward Woodward having started out as a Shakespearean actor.

Hostile comments against this brilliant series derive largely from an inability to understand what McCall represented and who he was. A veteran of the British Army, he served in the Suez conflict and - while in the SAS - in operations in Malaya against Maoist gunmen. On leaving the British service he was recruited by the CIA who had apparently heard of his SAS exploits and talent in intelligence gathering. As his mother was an American, he could qualify as a US citizen - combine that with his last name, and he hardly qualifies as an Englishman. In the CIA he worked in Vietnam, where he met many of his later New York allies.

The character of Robert McCall may be in his early-mid fifties, but has a background of training and experience which would humble any supposedly tough petty-thug. For better organised enemies, McCall has a loyal following of friends to call on, including a selection of law enforcement personnel and ex-Special Forces men.

Therefore, he is not the tea-sipping greying middle-aged gentleman he may appear to be at first.

I adored this show. It requires a certain depth of historical knowledge to fully understand.

The name is Callan, er, McCall

[vangamer · 8/10 · 22 July 2021]

From 1967 to 1972, years before he became the Equalizer, Edward Woodward played a world-weary MI6 agent and assassin named Callan in a hit UK TV series.

Like Callan, Robert McCall is skilled, moral and has his demons - although Callan clearly lacked his later iteration's acumen for investing and making enough money to live comfortably in the Big Apple.

McCall's Equalizer is an engrossing fairy godfather who has the brains and ruthless espionage skills to triumph in all levels of urban-crime morality plays. Woodward once described the character as a kind of "Robin Hood" in a TV interview but I think a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Batman is closer to the mark.

Asking practically no reward from those he aids, except for the visceral satisfaction of clearing scum off the streets, McCall is the perfect urban fantasy hero in a tailored suit. Many of the episodes have plot holes or less than plausible moments, often caused by short network TV running times - but Woodward sells McCall's credibility with such utter conviction that it doesn't matter.

The show is great fun now as a chance to see old-school big hair and fashions, technology and New York City in the 1980s. It also works due to strong support from Robert Lansing, Mark Margolis, Keith Szarabajka and others - but mostly thanks to Woodward whose stare-down was so intense that even Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted he copied it.

This is a great suspenseful show. My favorite mystery!

[flyind-1 · 10/10 · 12 July 2006]

The equalizer is probably my favorite mystery. I watch the reruns every day, and, since they do not have DVD's out as far as I know, I have started to tape them. This show has a great level of suspense for anyone who loves mysteries, and it's got an interesting plot in every episode.

I'm only going on 14 and just started watching the show's reruns about 2 months ago (when my grandma discovered it was in syndication) but it's already one of my favorites. I was educated early on about violence and the issues that I see appear in the Equalizer, so I understand it completely. I know the show has a high level of violence and deals with many strong subjects, but that's nothing compared to some of the things I see today on TV. McCall does kill a lot of bad guys, but at least they don't make an extremely graphic scene. McCall even dislikes killing anyone, so that doesn't mean he enjoys shooting his gun off at every criminal out there. This show dealt with things that actually happen. There is violence out there, and there are very scary things going on as well. If only there were a few real Equalizers, we could make a difference.

Robert McCall has true to life feelings in my opinion. Sure, you may not meet a man who keeps a bunch of weapons and used to work for the CIA, but he has normal feelings. He's calm and kind, but his temper can flare with proper stimulation, such as a very nasty bad guy or an argument with Control. He knows what to do and tries all he can to help his clients. Edward Woodward does a great job portraying Robert McCall as lifelike. He brings a uniqueness to the character that I haven't seen on any show before. The role fit him perfectly. Woodward's way of playing McCall can not be done by anyone else.

The Equalizer is ready to dole out justice to criminals, and to equalize the odds of those who's odds are against them. I may not have been alive when the show ran it's course, but thanks to syndication, The Equalizer is my daily treat to enjoy alone, with my family, or with my friends. I truly think it is an awesome show.

The 80s at its peak

[safenoe · 10/10 · 8 October 2017]

It's not a coincidence that The Equalizer declined in ratings with the election of "A thousand points of light" Bush Sr, serving as a preface to Bill Clinton. Still, with the "superpredator" comment of Hillary Clinton, perhaps The Equalizer can be rebooted on TV, especially with Denzil bringing Edward McCall back to the big screen.

I love the Equalizer TV series, and Edward "Callan" Woodward was the one to sort things out big time, especially in the rotten core of The Big Apple. McCall provided the reassurance that he would deliver justice before we went to bed for the night.

Great series, except.....

[wkozak221 · 8/10 · 26 October 2020]

I watched this faithfully when it was on t.v. it proved the point just because you are older doesn't mean you are not dangerous. Woodward was very good, spot on. That cast was fun. The cases were varied. There are a few tweaks. Mickey was very interesting. Quirky but proficient. I really wish they gave Control a name. I felt bad for him. Also, I wish they dealt with Jason quicker and very final. One short of killing him. I wished they disgraced him so no one would deal with him.

Ex secret agent turned hero for hire

[gilberts-91420 · 7/10 · 19 July 2018]

Edward Woodward is an ex secret agent turned hero for hire. His "particular skill set" is now being used to help the helpless. A benevolent man of mystery. If you enjoy this genre you will probably like this. Strange music choices though. Stuart Copeland of the "Police" was in charge of the music and it almost seems inappropriate at times.

Dated but Delightful

[bosporan · 8/10 · 19 March 2022]

Very late to the party, but I am extremely enjoying this four episodes in. Missed it first time around, but switched on to it having tried to watch the recent rubbish remake.

Enjoyed Woodward in Callum when I was a kid (my father watched it) and he does not disappoint in this. He is older, but the story is written around his capabilities using threat, spycraft and contacts to do his work rather than relying on unrealistic gratuitous violent action.

Greatest show of all time!

[prissdoor · 10/10 · 27 May 2004]

The Equalizer truly was an absolutely wonderful TV show. I've watched many shows and none have hit me like EQZ. Of course it was Edward Woodward who anchored this drama and made it different than anything on TV then and now. He had talent and the ability to make your hair stand on end in some of the scenes from the show. He could be tender and unbelievably vulnerable one minute and then turn into hell on wheels with a simple look. This was certainly a series that ended before its time. The location shots and the wide variety of characters that made frequent appearances on the show made it all the more realistic. There was also a great pool of NYC actors that lent a realism to the show. It was also refreshing to get away from the typical Hollywood slickness.I think this show will always be my number one !!

The Tranquilizer

[screenman · 5/10 · 24 August 2008]

Edward Woodward was more or less a spent force by the time this series appeared. As a worthy British actor and star of the cult movie 'The Whicker Man' he obviously had no trouble finding a role in American Television. And he would have been able to pad-out his pension fund with the sort of pay-cheques only ever dreamt of in Blighty.

But he was an old man. He should have stuck to old man roles. Playing the tough guy he made so popular in 'Callan' was now past him. Time and again you could see that he was out of breath in action sequences and pulling his punches in fist-fights. Whilst at the same time, the script was never adept enough to carry an intellectual alternative to the use of force.

I watched a few episodes at the time and even then winced at the implausibility of it all. The script was banal and wordy. The plots shallow and predictable. It featured Edward Woodward, great British actor, star of 'The Whicker Man'; and that was that.

You could fall asleep otherwise.

A breath of fresh air amid 1980s gloss-dross.

[DavMat · 12 November 2000]

Amid designer-superficiality like "Miami Vice" and myriad juvenile Glen Larson productions, "The Equalizer" came as a breath of fresh air when first broadcast in 1985. After many years in the wilderness, American studios recognised the intelligence of their audience and produced a well-scripted, well-acted action drama with character, depth and real bite.

The central premise was of a British military officer named Robert McCall who had served the latter half of his career with an American intelligence agency nickednamed "The Company" (although it approximated the real-life CIA) but had grown disillusioned with its methods. The series starts with McCall having resigned and decided to use his espionage, intelligence-gathering and combat skills on a lone crusade to champion the victims of crime, apparently as some form of atonement for his shady past.

But McCall could never fully escape The Company. Occasionally he needed some of its resources to help him tackle the job at hand. While his ex-superior, known only as "Control" (played by Robert Lansing), was sympathetic to McCall's reasons for quitting, he was never fully prepared to let him go, both because of his skills and the sensitive secrets he carried with him. Indeed many episodes saw McCall being drawn back into Company operations. The two men remained friends but their relationship was on a constant knife-edge (and often led to some of the series' best "stand off" dialogue moments).

The first two seasons wrought a tremendous variety in interesting story lines, had good dialogue and the performances of Edward Woodward, his regular co-stars and the often-abrasive interplay between their characters lifted the show further.

Location shooting in New York was used highly effectively and Stewart Copeland's startling, unique musical style lent the show a sparky, effervescent, slightly off-beat air.

The staging of action scenes was reasonable, though would never match the sensational jousts witnessed in Brit series such as The Sweeney and The Professionals. In fairness, though, The Equalizer trod a more realistic path in this respect.

The series' sole fault, during the first three seasons, was that the scripts became rather formulaic. With a few notable exceptions, the plots tended to revolve around a well-established, predictable pattern: McCall would receive a call from some distressed individual being terrorised; they would meet to discuss the problem at hand; McCall would then use his dubious contacts to dig up some dirt on the aggressor, who McCall would then threaten and, ultimately, end up having to kill - though all imbued with a liberal dose of pathos, of course!

The production schedule on the series was frenetic and with most scenes requiring the involvement of Woodward, it maybe shouldn't have been a surprise that he, a heavy smoker, suffered a heart attack during filming on the third season in 1987. Actor Richard Jordan was brought in to lighten McCall's load for several episodes. While a perfectly understandable move, in many viewers' minds it appeared that Jordan was taking over.

By the time of the fourth season Woodward had returned full-time and Jordan was phased out. But a necessary reduction in the strenuous exercise regime Woodward had previously followed meant he was far from the dynamic powerhouse he had once been. The show took on a new direction and embraced socially-sensitive themes. (In one episode a small boy is dying of AIDS and being harassed by frightened, ignorant neighbours.) Although audience rating were not as strong as before, they remained high...

Unfortunately CBS was apparently suffering from internal power struggles and some of its senior staff wanted to launch new series at the expense of existing ones. "The Equalizer" was axed after completing its usual 22-episode production. Neither Woodward nor a huge campaign of public support could convince CBS to change its mind.

The situation for the UK was actually worse. For reasons that have never been clear, proper peak-time screenings (on the ITV network) of the final season stalled after a few episodes. Naturally many Brits assumed the show had been cancelled mid-season. The remaining eventually aired via regional syndication in late-night "graveyard" slots with no publicity. In fact some ITV regions opted out completely, the affected editions being buried amongst repeat runs in the 1990s. It was an astonishing attitide to adopt as the show had actually been even more successful in the UK than its home country! Once can only suppose that denial of a complete network run was due to CBS.

The series had to wait for many years until it was made available on videocassette and even then only nine episodes from the first season were issued. Yet - probably to CBS' embarrassment - repeat runs continued to demonstrate the show's enduring appeal. In early 2008 the first season was issued on DVD in the US and UK. But even then problems continued. The American set has a welcome addition of an audio commentary by the series' creator Michael Sloan but the episodes suffer from several mysterious substitutions of incidental music. The picture quality on the UK set is notably "scratchy" and has been overly compressed for digitisation.

However with efforts under way to launch a movie version in 2009, there is clearly still an audience for this show... and deservedly so.

An Englishman In New York

[darrin · 10/10 · 18 September 2008]

Before "Law & Order," there was "The Equalizer." A one-man judge, jury & sometime executioner. As one who grew up watching this show during the Big '80s, I had long waited until it was released to DVD. Stewart Copeland's (The Police) pulsating rhythm beats perfectly accompanies the series. Edward Woodward is An Englishman In New York. A New York of yesteryear that is a far cry from the New York of today - safest, largest city in the nation. Like "Law & Order," "The Equalizer" was shot entirely on location. With his stern English demeanor, "The Equalizer" does what he does best: the calm before the storm. Whether you want to reminisce or tire of today's reality show saturation, "The Equalizer" is a must-see!