The Equalizer is an American action crime drama television series, originally airing on CBS from September 18, 1985, to August 24, 1989; which was co-created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim.

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.

"[2][3][4] 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.

[2] 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.

[6][5] McCall's Jaguar XJ saloon car, weapons, and other gadgetry at times featured significantly as elements in the plot.

Ed O'Neill played a doctor in the first-season episode "The Children's Song", in which William Zabka appears as McCall's son Scott.

Adam Ant played a villain in an episode that also featured J. T. Walsh, David Alan Grier, Lori Petty and Luis Guzmán.

Other well-known stars at the time, as well as future stars, who appeared on the show included Robert Mitchum, Telly Savalas, Tomas Milian (twice), Maureen Stapleton, E. G. Marshall, Laurence Fishburne, Jane Kaczmarek, Lauren Tom, Patricia Clarkson, Jennifer Grey, Reginald VelJohnson, Quentin Crisp, Laurie Metcalf, Frances Fisher, Oliver Platt, Patricia Richardson, William H. Macy, Robin Curtis, Stanley Tucci, Roma Maffia, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Moriarty, Chris Cooper, Michael Rooker, David Strathairn, Charles S. Dutton, Cynthia Nixon, Bruce Payne, Laura San Giacomo, Kasi Lemmons, Al Leong, Ving Rhames, Amanda Plummer, Daniel Davis, Jon Polito, Jasmine Guy, Mark Linn-Baker, Meat Loaf, William Hickey, Lori Loughlin, Michael Wincott, Tony Shalhoub, Anthony Zerbe, Michael Cerveris, William Atherton, Giancarlo Esposito, Jessica Harper, Charles Hallahan and the singing duo of Ashford & Simpson.

The series also made good use of its New York City filming location/setting by employing actors who were appearing on Broadway in the late 1980s as guest stars.

These included Terrence Mann, Frances Ruffelle, Kevin Conway, J. Smith-Cameron, Philip Bosco, Caitlin Clarke, Josef Sommer, Jim Dale, Christine Baranski, and Anne Twomey.

These included Brian Bedford, Tammy Grimes (real-life mother of the aforementioned Ms. Plummer), Gwen Verdon, Sandy Dennis, Jenny Agutter, Shirley Knight, and Sylvia Sidney.

[12] In The Story of The Equalizer, created for the DVD box set, executive producer Coleman Luck also stated that Universal requested a script for a crossover episode with Magnum, P.I.

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".

[34] This 24-disc box set contains all 88 episodes of the series as well as bonus content including an all-new documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew.

[40] On May 8, 2020, CBS picked up the series[41] and they added Chris Noth as William Bishop, a quirky ex-CIA director who is the opposite of Latifah.

[44] 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.