‘The Equalizer’ Boss Reveals What Season 6 Would’ve Looked Like After Finale Surprises
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Equalizer series finale “Decisions.”]
Well, at least The Equalizer ends on a happy note.
The CBS drama wraps up its fifth and final season with Robyn (Queen Latifah) and Dante (Tory Kittles) taking a romantic getaway, only for Salazar (Juan Javier Cardenas) to track them down. Dante is shot, which means it takes until after his surgery for Robyn to answer his proposal. She, of course, says yes! Meanwhile, Harry (Adam Goldberg) starts a conversation with Mel (Liza Lapira) about them stopping equalizing; they decide to stick with it for now. Meanwhile, Delilah’s (Laya DeLeon Hayes) still thinking about college (with an in at Howard, thanks to her favorite author), and Vi (Lorraine Toussaint) decides to move in with Curtis (Christopher B. Duncan), in a new place.
Below, showrunner Joe Wilson unpacks that finale, shares his thoughts on what Season 6 could have been, and more. (This interview was conducted before the series was canceled.)
This finale feels like it could serve as both a season and series ender. Was it purposefully designed that way?
Joe Wilson: It was definitely on purpose. We didn’t want to end with a cliffhanger. Shows get a little older. We are going into our sixth season budget, and money becomes an issue. We weren’t sure what was going to happen, and if we did end up on that wrong side, we did not want the fans to feel incomplete or cheated in any way. So we designed it in a way that can feel like an ending, but there’s so much more to unpack.
Yeah, it could be like the end of one chapter.
Yeah, exactly. And I’m very ready to do the next chapter.
Michael Greenberg / CBS
When did you know you wanted to end the season with Robyn and Dante’s romantic getaway being interrupted, Dante getting shot, and then Mel and Harry at least talking about stopping equalizing?
We knew that at the beginning of the season. When we introduced the Salazar character, I knew I wanted to book in with him and then we had to keep him alive in the middle of the season, so everybody remembered who he was. He’s a fantastic actor and villain. But I knew I wanted to do the proposal like that. I’ve been wanting to do that for years, but we had to get them through certain markers on their relationship before we can do it. So once we knew and we opened up the season, there is no team, that whole thing and Dante — that was the plan from the beginning.
Why was this season the right time to put Robyn and Dante together and to establish that they’re definitely in it for the long haul?
I think if you look at the trajectory from that first time they met, when we dropped that nugget about first time we met you said Tracy something, Tracy Sloan, you saw the heat there, and over five seasons we’ve played the steamy, flirtatious nature of it and the fans calling them McCante. And so we played the push-pull as long as we could. We wanted to give the fans what they were calling for. They felt teased every time they get close and then you separate, and then you look at when we sent Dante away to the FTF and those phone calls, you just felt her loneliness and their loneliness and them wanting to get together. So when he came back, it was time to put it in overdrive and let’s close this out, let’s get them together and let’s see what that show looks like, them busting crime. Like she says in this episode, we’ll still do it. It’s going to be a family business. Now what does that show? Where do they stay? Do they live in McCall’s house or do they move to Dante’s brownstone? All of those things. It just opens up new avenues for the show.
What led to Mel and Harry ultimately deciding to continue equalizing, especially because it feels like at this point it would be hard to imagine just one of them being out of it, especially after we saw Mel do that earlier this season?
We wanted to play that to be realistic. Harry says, we’ve been lucky up to this point. And how many times can you tempt fate? And the episode before, Mel was almost blown up. How many times can you do that and come away unscathed? We didn’t call back to it, but there was a scene where McCall was talking to Aunt Vi earlier in the seasons — it might’ve been Season 3 — when Vi says, why does it have to be you? And she says, because I can. It’s that whole, with great power comes great responsibility and who else is going to protect the people who need help? And they have the power, so they decide we’re going to keep doing this. It is our duty. So yes, it’s dangerous. Yes, we can put our lives on the line, but somebody has to do it.
Harry comes up with some vague ideas, but what would it look like when they do stop?
Yeah, we had an episode where Harry was talking about his bucket list, and is it the traveling? Is it to do all the things that they’ve never done? Is it take a chance to breathe? I think they’ll get bored, and they’ll miss the juice. If you remember how we met Mel, she was kind of an action junkie in the beginning. So I think that would be a lot of fun to see them ticking off that bucket list. If that was a spinoff, it would be them ticking off the bucket list, but getting in adventures along the way.
Michael Greenberg / CBS
Oh, yeah. I could see every place they would go. They would see someone that —
Yeah, something that comes up. We’re pitching the spinoff now, so let’s go. Everywhere they go, there’s a problem. It’s the comedy version of Kung Fu. They roam the earth and get into adventures everywhere they go.
Talk about what you wanted to do when it came to exploring Mel’s PTS this season and showing that it’s not a linear path of healing, that they are steps forward and back because that was done so well.
Thank you. Thank you. It was important to us and we feel like it’s such an under-covered subject and it’s complicated. I was in the military, we’ve talked to a lot of people in the military, and we’ve seen it and it’s something you have to work on every day. Some days are good, some days are bad, but you got to keep going. And we were just saying we get a lot of thanks for articulating what a lot of people are feeling and they just don’t have the voice for it. We wanted to put that out there. There is light at the end of that tunnel. It does not have to be a negative thing, but it is something, you have the strength, and if you seek the support, you can get through it and you can have a normal life.
What made Vi ready to move forward with Curtis?
I think Aunt Vi is one of the strongest characters we have. And again, she had to face her fears. She came to the house to help raise Delilah. Well, Delilah is ready to go off to college now. It’s easy to get comfortable, and you lean into your job. But now change is scary. And I think it’s just who she is as a person, who we’ve portrayed her to be. Once she faced that fear and put words to where it was, she’s able to [say], ‘Okay, this is something I really want.’ Captain Curtis is amazing. He’s an amazing actor, too. And I think she found the right person and the right love to help her come to that point, and she went for it. She’s always been a rebel. She’s always been somebody to buck the system, go against the grain, that rebel nature of going to Berkeley. And I think once she’s going to go for it, she owed it to herself.
I mean, that cooking? So funny.
That was fun. … But look at all that cooking that we’ve done for seasons. And so that was perfect. And for her to let down her guard, to let somebody in that domain for her is huge. It’s huge.
Talk about ending the season on that engagement party and those toasts because it feels like the end of chapter like we’ve talked about, but also it’s just so great that we get everyone together like that.
Yeah, we’ve never had them all in the house at one time, and that was a big moment. And I think Geoff Shotz did a beautiful job covering it. That push-in shot across the table of seeing them as a family and the toast. They all did a fantastic job, and just to see the love and the fun as actors that they were having, I think you see the reflection of it on screen. They really love each other like that.
What can you say about a possible Season 6?
That I hope we get it. [Laughs] I can say is if we do get it, there are wedding bells. We will see that wedding. It is going to be crazier than the proposal. It is feature worthy, what we would do with it. And just the continuing, what does their relationship look like equalizing as a family business as she says in this episode. So those are the things we’d focus on.
Would everyone be back in the same capacity? Because you had mentioned Delilah and college. Would we see her as much or would that role be reduced?
We’d have to see how it unfolds. Our plan is to set it up for the audience to not miss the family dynamic as it currently is. So they’ll be in different capacities, but with technology and travel, we don’t want to lose that core. That’s the core of the show, these three generations of black women and their relationship and the strength and support. We don’t want to lose that. So if anything, we’ll dial it in even more so we can focus on that a little bit more. Even if you don’t see it every episode, you won’t miss it.
And so would we see more of Mel and Harry figuring out what life could be next because they’ve started this conversation about stopping?
I think that’s absolutely, once Harry’s teed it up, again, bucket list, how many times can we do this? They have a responsibility, they’re not going to stop equalizing, but it’d be fun to think about it. And I would love to see more of their personal life. What does their home look like? We see the sanctum and we know what the bar looks like and we know they live in that same building, but what does their personal, their bedroom look like? What does their kitchen look like? I want to see more of that.
I want to see more of Mel’s family.
Oh, her family’s fantastic, and the relationship with the family. That scene with her father and realizing he’s dealt with the same things that she’s dealing with. It was so emotional. And her brothers are fantastic. Her mother is fantastic. That was a gem. That was a gem. So hopefully we get to explore that even more.
And I like the way you’ve mixed everyone together because I mean the Mel and Delilah scenes and then also Harry and Vi are great together, too.
Yeah, when the walls came down, we found such fertile soil. The Aunt Vi Harry stuff is hilarious, and to see them riff is fantastic. And then the bromance between Harry and Dante is great. And then this has always been there, but the sister relationship between Mel and Delilah has always been fantastic. She’s the first person she calls when she gets the acceptance letter and doesn’t know how to tell Cam, and she gives her that advice. They’ve always been there for each other and it’s a beautiful thing.
The Equalizer, Streaming Now, Paramount+
Conversation73 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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CBS, is notorious for canceling good shows! SWAT, Equalizer, Blue Blood, they just want to run TV Viewers away. We need to abandon CBS, the way they keep abandoning their Viewers!
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I agree what is wrong with CBS EXEC whose mission is to cancel shows that you actually look forward to.
Let's email CBS MULTIPLE times everyday. Bring our shows back or we will turn our backs on CBS AND SPONSORS.
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I totally agree with you!! We should boycott CBS!!
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What a shame about the cancellation! The Equalizer was such a fun show to watch! I loved the original and Queen Latifah made the show her own!
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My CBS boycott starts today!
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I don’t want The Equalizer to end I Love that show so please don’t end the show
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Please some other network needs to pick up the Equalizer and SWAT. PLEASE
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O
Sad to see the show canceling . Me and my mom watch the show every Sunday. We love the show
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I live tge show move Watson out to 9 to 10 and equalizer first!
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I love the show, the actors..the drama..and the action...I wish they keep it going. It's a great show compared to other shows..This show has it all..and it's a family business with all the action and extras too
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Good job ending it that way...
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I agree, i really liked the way it ended as well.
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CBS sucks!!!! We could have had a wedding! The character development and chemistry of the cast was off the charts!
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I am so sad to see the show. I am that it ended on a happy note. It gives you hope for more to come. I do hope that another cast will pick it up. Knowing Queen she will find away. The cast are great. Love them all. As they say if there's a will there's away.
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I Love Queen and The crew and I'm saddened the show has ended. It was clean and family oriented. Thank You! For 5 seasons of excitement. Ms.Robbie
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I'm disappointed. I really wish another network would pick it up. Such a great show. I really can't believe the time slot change did them in. I still looked forward to it..
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I am also extremely disappointed in the cancellation of SWAT and now Equalizer. The casts were perfect. Watson should have gone on at 10:00. Done with CBS. They’ve abandoned me!
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It sucks! Equalizer and SWAT? I think I’ll stop watching shows on CBS.
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I love this show it is great and I love the characters please don’t end it let’s see how this could unfold . The happy ending was good !
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I love, loved loved this show. Once a week to see these two women of color taking it all on and kicking some really bad asses was inspiring. It reminded me of the power we have at a time when we most need it. I'm so bummed it's not renewed! Please more somehow somewhere!
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I think it is a shame the show has been canceled. That is not the only show CBS has canceled. They canceled the Wayans show, Cedric the Entertainer show, now the Equalizer show, All Black shows. What in the Sam Elliot is going on with CBS?
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Stop taking all the good shows off and putting some reality crap on instead we lost so many series of favorite shows like bluebloods that was a great show I don't know who makes the decisions about what stays and what leaves but check with the viewers before our favorite shows get canceled
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I love this show why do they take all the good shows off and put dumb ones on CBS should be ashamed. SWAT and Equalizer have alway been amazing shows.
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I hate to see this show go, it's my favorite! I'm so tired of all the reality TV shows.this one had stars playing great characters with awesome storylines. Gonna be missed. Love ya QueenL!!!
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I am so sad to see this show go and 2 of my FBIs. TV will be boring on Tuesdays. Queen Latifa plays her part so well, actually they all do! I will miss my 3 favorite shows!
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All the great shows are ending, seems like mostly shows on CBS. It's kind of frustrating because there's not many good quality, decent, shows on TV anymore. The Equalizer was a good family show & showed good family morals, not something you see much on tv any more. I'm sad that all these good shows are ending, it dont make sense when so many other tv series are in their 20-25th Seaon & these great shows are ending!
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I love love the Equalizer! Look forward to seeing it every Sunday or in Param+. Looked forward to seeing my city in storylines too! Why CBS? WHY? A well written, acted and cast of a Show! We get to 'escape' the day or moments to venture on the themes of this show. I'm so disappointed it's leaving. Fabulous that the intentions of ending of season 5 was growth for all the characters. Equalizer can get picked up by another network, come on executives! And how about a special episode to tie in or bring to future with a wedding for Robyn & Dante, Dee shopping for college stuff for Howard, Aunt Vi & Curtis on a vacation and deciding which neighborhood to move to and Mel & Harry enjoying their weekend off. Nope this show still has many levels to explore. Thank you Queen and cast, staff, writers, everyone for showing us Cool!
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How could The Equalizer maintain a steady audience when it gets delayed by sporting events. Great story lines and characters. CBS is removing all shows with Black characters.
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For the past 5 seasons never missed an episode each week l was looking forward to The EQUALIZER with the most Brilliant Talented Actors The Storylines Writer team look forward to every Sunday Night l dont get why we pay for networks package monthly for stations we want than a number 1 fantastic Cast enjoyed their Talented characters they play to have it Cancelled somehow we as regulars to watch amazing show there should be happening l hoped and play these Actors will be joined together moving forward somehow come up for them to be together it will not be the same CBS you need to fix to keep Shows we Love to continues since we pay for your Network makes no sense at All lm canceling CBS until you find a way to keep the shows we love watch every Week you eliminated best shows fix it We support every Cast To watch Their Characters to make it a i hit show lm canceling CBS off my package until you find a way to bring back the shows we love from On Canada to every Actor & Actresses your shows matter to us network CBS does not matter until they keep your shows going too many hit shows have disappear very sorry for continuing to see and watch you all loved every one wish each of you you made weekly shows to watch your Acting Abilities that were incredible you all made the hit shows to happen lm grateful for weekly lined ups now CBS is being cancelled lm not continuing to pay for Network that they decided to take you off the air until l see you all working again together
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We so love this show we're going to miss it but I'm glad it ended on a good note and queen got her man!! 👍
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We are going to miss it every Sunday we wait til 8 for tracker 10 equalizer sad to see equalizer not coming back
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Love the Equalizer hate we'er not getting season 6 this is a very entertaining, suspense, thrilling, and crime base once a week series whenever there's a very good television show you people cancels it. Shame on you shame shame.
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I'm heart broken I looked forward to my weekly Equalizer 💔 we always shut down good shows and replace with duds
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J
Another CBS show that should not have been canceled! Queen Latifah and the cast did not deserve this. I must say that the finale was a perfect ending; not like other shows abrupt endings.
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I love the equalizer, looked forward to Sunday nights. I hope they get another Season.🙏🏾❤️
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CBS doing all kinds of foolishness 😡😡 who the heck running things over there? Y’all act like y’all don’t know a good show when you got it 😡😡 the Equalizer, S.W.A.T- two excellent shows and you are taking them off. RIDICULOUS 😡
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With the country such a mess it's a shame to take off something at least gives us some entertainment.
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I'm so sad that the Equalizer has been canceled. It was one of the best shows on TV.
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I love this show. WHY do all the good shows have to stop airing? I look forward to my Sunday Movie Night. What a waste, all the characters are awesome 😎
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Great show. The team connected, I watched the show over and over again 😭 so upset of the news.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
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I'm sad to see the show end when it still had so much more to give. Moving it to the 10pm time slot was not a good choice by CBS. Watson should have gone there and The Equalizer stay at the 8 or 9pm slot so the ratings stayed exceptable to CBS. It was a good show with a great cast. The chemistry between the actors was so solid as well. I really enjoyed the show and am grateful for the 5 yr run it had.
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Agree! The chemistry between all was wonderful & solid. And, they definitely screwed the show by moving the time slot. I like Watson, but loved the Equalizer.
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That's why I don't like ratings, established shows should decide when they should end.
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I can always hope another network will pick this up. Love the whole cast and crew. It is a shame it is cancelled, but I am grateful of this show.
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It's a good thing they ended the season on a happy note, with no cliffhangers, because fans will have to IMAGINE how life will be for these characters, since there won't be a season 6. 🙁
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M
Please don’t let the equalizer go we sat up once a week for it and also Squat .is there anybody that might be willing to back it again guys please ask around I know u can do this for the fans . Many thanks thanks oxo mag
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Me as well!
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BET needs to pick up Equalizer. It's just to good of a show to stop now. I see three or four more seasons. Heck I can see it being up there with some of the top running shows that's still going on right now. And for goodness sake, keep it in one time slot. Hello out there, BET
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So sad to see this show cancelled., looked forward to watching it each weekend 😕 but glad it ended on a good note everyone played their character like they really were one family. One of a kind show
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I really hate this ended I think you've could have gotten a little more out of this show I pray someone else picks it up. My husband and I love this show!!!!!
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I’m signing the Petition. Please keep the Equalizer with Queen Latifah and the rest of the cast on! One of the BEST shows on! I love 💕 it
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Canceling the Equalizer was the last straw. CBS has canceled most of my favorite shows. I PRAY 🙏🏽another station picks up SWAT, Poppa's House, and The Equalizer!! That said, I am now CANCELING CBS!! BYE
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I think CBS is making a HUGE mistake canceling THE EQUALIZER!!!
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As always, now that another scripted show is gone, on the tiffany network, WHAT'S going to replace it? Hopefully ANOTHER scripted show and NOT some d**n, worthless "reality" show.
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Since Robin and Dante are an item now I think it should continue . And I agree withe people on here b
Put Watson @ 10 not the equalizer. I didn't much care for Watson. Keep tracker @ 8-9 and equalizer @ 9-10. Plus Delilah going 2 College would b nice and seeing aunt vi with her new bf. Canceling this show is not a good idea . Could b so much more !
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Love this show. Sad to see it go!
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I'm so sad. This is my favorite show. I'm hoping someone else picks it up.
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I can't believe you're taking off a great show and leaving crap shows on.
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So sorry to see the show leave the air and the last show was fantastic. Can it go on Netflix?
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As usual, CBS in its infinite wisdom, has cancelled another good show. They’ll probably just put on another stupid reality show.
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Sad that it’s ending will not be watching CBS anymore because it was a great show
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I really hate that the show has been cancelled!
I really love the show which was one of my favorites that was part of my Sunday tv watching lineup.
Now I will have to fill that spot but there really isn't much to select unless I use my fire stick I locate programs.
I will miss all of the characters and wish there were more seasons to explore all of the adventures of the family going forward.
I would love to see Robyn and Dante's marriage and how that will work with Mel and Harry's relationship and the equalizing.
There are so many aspects that this show could have went before just cancelling it.
I am so sad and upset about not having the excitement to see The Equalizer!
Bad call people!!
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Why cancel the show network sucks canceling the wrong shows
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G
I think CBS is crappy and needs to quit cancelling good shows they suck. If it wasn't for my news I would quit watching CBS completely.
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C
Put it back. That was a great show. Why do you have to take the good ones off and leave stupid ones on.
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B
I think that they should keep the Equalizer, its a great show and cast I never miss it and even tape and watch a second time. It's such great stories and action packed. They should probably switch it back to its original time slot. Where the ratings were better. If that's the issue. That's what happens so many times, with other good TV shows, when they move the time slots. Please keep the Equalizer!
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I think the ending was one of the best series finale's. I loved the whole show. Of course would love it to come back but glad they did right by us.🙂
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G
CBS is crazy to cancel all these shows
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I am sad this show is over but because of the way it has ended it will continue to be a good in my mind well done to all involved person from the highest level of the show to the lowest levels of the show well done 🌺🌹💜🎉😘
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C
The show has been the best of the best if possible it would have been nice to see how the family business operates
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O
It was a good show and a fun ride. I’m happy it ended on a positive note.
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Show is way to black most of the main characters are black
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And did you ever point out (or did you even NOTICE) that for 50 years most TV shows were "way to(o) white," with most of the main characters white?? Somehow I doubt it.
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