Queen Latifah Reacts to ‘The Equalizer’ Cancellation: It ‘Blew Past Every Dream’
Robyn McCall has worked her last case on CBS: The network has canceled The Equalizer after five seasons, and the season finale scheduled for Sunday, May 4, will now be the show’s series finale.
The action drama was CBS’ final bubble show, and its cancellation was likely financially motivated, considering it was a co-production between CBS Studios and outside studio Universal Television, according to Variety, which reported the cancellation.
The Equalizer starred Queen Latifah — who also executive-produced the show through her Flavor Unit Entertainment production company — as Robyn, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn, as the show’s logline explains. Lorraine Toussaint, Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, and Laya DeLeon Hayes also starred in the series.
Michael Greenberg/CBS
The series has attracted an average of 4.26 million total viewers this season, down nearly 32 percent year over year, according to TV Series Finale. Even so, its average total viewership still bests CBS’ renewed series The Neighborhood, NCIS: Sydney, and NCIS: Origins, per the site.
Latifah reacted to The Equalizer’s cancellation in an Instagram post on Friday, May 2. “Stepping into a kick-ass role like Robyn was everything I hoped it would be,” she wrote. “[Executive producer] Shakim [Compere] and I at Flavor Unit are always excited to bring these kinds of roles and projects to life — and then we just hope you love them as much as we do. The Equalizer blew past every dream we had for it, and having the opportunity to do this for five seasons honestly feels surreal.”
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Latifah added, “Thank you to our amazing cast, crew, and producers and writers! And I can’t say enough about the fans! Y’all have been so loyal, so loud, and so ride-or-die — and that’s exactly why we keep doing this. We can’t thank you enough. It means the world to us. And don’t worry — I’ll be back kicking ass in something new real soon. Can’t wait to share it with you. All my [love], QL.”
On X, fans raged about the cancellation. “I believe CBS high-key sabotaged #TheEqualizer!” wrote @CandiceTinnon. “They kept moving the show time around, and they were barely promoting the show anymore! The Equalizer deserved better! This is bulls***!”
@WonderGoddess51 wrote, “I am so pissed they canceled #TheEqualizer! They always cancel good shows while giving you stupid s*** like Tony & Ziva. How many NCIS shows do they need?”
And @theerealestja wrote (in all caps), “Whoever made the final decision to cancel The Equalizer, may you rot.”
CBS also opted not to move forward with an Equalizer spinoff starring Titus Welliver — the backdoor pilot of which aired on The Equalizer earlier this season — and canceled the procedurals FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted and sitcom Poppa’s House recently.
Meanwhile, CBS has given the green light to a CIA-based FBI spinoff starring Tom Ellis; the Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country, starring Morena Baccarin; a Blue Bloods spinoff tentatively called Boston Blue, starring Donnie Wahlberg; and the comedy DMV. CBS is also moving forward with Einstein, a procedural starring Matthew Gray Gubler, but holding it for the 2026–2027 season.
The Equalizer, Series Finale, Sunday, May 4, 10/9c, CBS
Conversation45 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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I was hoping for this show to continue; maybe another network can pick it up
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Great thought! I hope another network is smart enough to do so. Maybe Fox??
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I'm sad about the cancellation. It was different from other "super vigilantes". Women ruled on this show! Why was it canceled?
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That's a good question, yes CBS, why was it cancelled? I've not run across a reason in anything I've read yet. Big mistake on the part of CBS.
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Another ridiculous cancelation by CBS. It was a great, quality show with amazing actors. Getting close to not watching CBS anymore, only Fire Country, Matlock and Elsbeth are saving it for me.
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WHY!!! CANCELING ALL MY FAVORITE SHOWS! Equalizer, FBI International, FBI Most Wanted! And they should have given Poppa's House a chance!
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I am saddened by losing Queen L and The Equalizer. Money, money, money makes the world go round and we keep losing the good stuff from regular TV.
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It’s because CBS never supports their Sunday evening scripted shows. Giving up on them.
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CBS has done it again. It doesn't pay to get invested in any of their shows because they just cancel it at a whim, fan loyalties seem to mean nothing to them. Remember So help me Todd and Blue Bloods
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Please don't cancel Equalizer and SWAT. Who's running the asylum?
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Why do CBS cancel the good shows wow thumbs down to you CBS this is ridiculous
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Such a huge disappointment to see a great show, one of the few that have a focus on doing good, raising her daughter with values, making the world a safer place, being cancelled by CBS. I always looked at CBS as being the one network that focused on having shows with good values. With The Neighborhood being dropped after next year's season, and The Neighborhood' spinoff plans being dropped already, I've lost alot of respect for CBS as a network. I'll probably drop my Paramount Plus subscription too.
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Another CBS stupid choice. Really cancel this FBI and keep NCIS Sydney which didn’t hold a candle to
Hawaii. Someone at CBS has a screw loose
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I am so over CBS
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Disappointed with CBS they cancel good shows like Blue Bloods, and now Equalizer? Now you have these crap sitcoms with bad acting and too many commercials. What kind of audience are you trying reach CBS? I am done watching your network.
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This sucks to be perfectly blunt. It was better then the 8o's version,
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After stupid CBS cancelled Blue Bloods, SWAT, 2 FBIs and now the Equalizer, I'm done watching any CBS shows...onto netflex!
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CBS needs to get their priorities straight. Cancelling very good shows like Equalizer, FBI two shows, Swat is ridiculous. I'm going to boycott CBS because they are SO STUPID!!!!!
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When SWAT first started. I loved the show. But when it came to the point only Hondo got the "killers" I lost interest. Also sometimes his acting did sound forced to me. Maybe if some of his crew took part in capturing the bad guys it would have been nice. It seemed Hondo hogged all the "good" stuff.
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Loved it and sad to see it go. I’m tired of the stupid spinoffs, and the quality of shows has definitely gone down. Big thumbs down CBS!!
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Who the hell is netpay1???It doesn't belong in "comments"!!!!
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This violates the policy of the app.!!! Someone should be monitoring what is being posted.
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Where have you been for the past six months?? Most articles on this site get these spammy messages in the comments.
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Frankly CBS is making a big mistake as usual by taking Equalizer off. It’s definitely a great show had great storylines showing good values. Teaching morals for kids too. Things were looking up all the way around for everyone. It touched on some good topics like PTSD or PTSI as you call it now! Huge respect for writing & acting! Another great show you’re ripping away to put what on? Drivel?? Another dumb program? That’s what you usually do! Take away all the good shows replacing with garbage!
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Loved this program..it sucks that CBS is taking it off..First Blue Bloods & now this..🙄! Pretty soon there won't be any reason,for me to watch CBS 3 ..SAD😪
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It is interesting that CBS cancelled shows that do well and put females in a positive strong light. Interesting that although the FBI's have a strong following, the Equalizer does and people love Elsbeth friend that CBS cancels where as NBC keeps shows for years (Law & Order) I think I will stick to Hallmark where they really care about what the viewers like
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Why is this on the 'comments slot'?
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CBS has once again screwed the fans as usual. They DO NOT CARE about what the fans like and want only what they can dream up. I am cancelling CBS from my watching.
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Loved it. CBS killed it by continuing to move it around - especially this year. Moving to Sunday at 10 pm and having it not come on until 10:45 because of sports made it difficult to tape or watch. Very disappointed with use CBS. Won’t watch any of their new shows. Will miss FBI Most Wanted and FBI International too.
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Great show! The only problem I had was the Sunday time slot which constantly moved the show back into a later time period because of so many sports programs. Even threw off the set recordings. Still, I know it was a great action show and I am very disappointed with CBS.
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All racially motivated by a lead person in our country!
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How could they cancel my favorite show.! I looked forward to watching it every Sunday. I'm so disappointed that it won't be on anymore! I also love Tracker so I can still look forward to Sunday but it won't be the same with the Equalizer not being on anymore!!!
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I agree with Wonder goddess 51. Pissed me off the way they kept changing the time slot for the Equalizer. It's like they were purposely trying to sabotage it.
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I agree with some of the guest synopsis- CBS really messed up when they kept moving "The Equalizer" to a later Timeslot. It seems like any good show that shows diversity,Strong Interactions as far as Cast-they were like a family. The Queen can do it all for sure- Sing,Act,etc and Cbs even though they cancelled it for mainly Financial and decreased Rating(I wonder why) considering they kept moving their Timeslot- should have left it alone.Powers that be say they have a Full Schedule and don't have room for anymore shows,What about Encore shows as 1 Fan Stated on another comment section. They should have thought about what the Fans wanted considering in a Fan Pole "The Equalizer" got the highest Rating 47% to come back for a 6th Season but CBS decided not to listen. Shame Shame on you. No more CBS for me. I Wish another Network would take this Great Show and move Forward with it,and bring back the cast as they just clicked. Please comment on where the Fans can send complaints besides here.Thank you. ? Complaints maybe to CBS directly. Any Suggestions? THANKS
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It’s again, down to ownership. Folks like Oprah, Tyler, and Byron, and other black billionaires won’t join to build a terrestrial super-network that has content FAR superior than the big 4. The will isn’t there, and that’s a very sad shame.
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I think whoever is making the decisions at CBS should be fired. How about asking your viewers what they want to see. And as for some of the sports that are shown on Sunday, tell us why they always bleed over into our shows with no warning or recourse.
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Sorry but I could not get into the show after watching the three Equalizer movies with Denzel. I just couldn't get past the hokie premise. I think what got me was all the technical stuff that backed her up which the movies didn't have. I'm glad other people liked it though.
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My favorite show what
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WHY IS THIS IN THE COMMENTS FOR TV SHOWS? STOP COMMENTS "ABOUT JOBS" FROM ANYONE NEEDING FREE ADVERTISING!!! 😠😠😝
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I hope I will still find my Season 5 on the Movie Box 😭😭😭
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Love the Queen! But the show was a hoky ripoff of two great flicks
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Umm, those "two great flicks" were themselves ripoffs of a good TV series from the '80s. The Equalizer did not begin with Denzel.
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It started to become ing not real enough!
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We gave up on this show around season 3, Great cast but the stories kind of got boring and repetitive.
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That's how I feel about Tracker. I watch it, but it's nothing more than a standard procedural (i.e., very predictable).
But I do like The Equalizer... I think CBS is making a big mistake. (in a LOT of ways.....)
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