When CBS first announced a reboot of The Equalizer starring Queen Latifah, let’s be real: people were skeptical. Replacing the gritty, stoic vibes of Edward Woodward or Denzel Washington with a Hip-Hop icon felt like a massive swing. But five seasons later, the cast of Equalizer with Queen Latifah didn't just fill those shoes—they rebuilt the whole closet.
The show wrapped its final run in May 2025, leaving a pretty distinct hole in Sunday night TV. It wasn’t just about the gadgets or the high-speed chases through New Jersey. It was the chemistry. Most procedural shows have a "team," but this crew felt like a weird, semi-functional family that actually liked each other.
The Woman at the Center: Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall
You can't talk about this show without starting with Latifah. She plays Robyn McCall, a former "Company" (CIA) operative who basically gets tired of the moral ambiguity of government work and decides to help the little guy.
Honestly, Latifah brought a warmth to the role that the previous versions lacked. She’s a mother. She’s an aunt. She worries about her daughter’s grades while she’s taking down international arms dealers. It made the stakes feel personal. When she’s on screen, she has this "don't mess with me" gravity, but you also totally believe she’s going home to have a glass of wine with her aunt.
💡 You might also like: Where to Find All Creatures Great and Small Original Streaming Options Right Now
The Core Team: Harry and Mel
If Robyn is the muscle and the heart, Harry and Mel are the nervous system.
Adam Goldberg plays Harry Keshegian, the master hacker. Goldberg is known for being quirky, and he leaned into it hard here. Harry spent a good chunk of the early seasons "dead"—he faked his own death with Robyn’s help to stay off the grid. He lived in a high-tech "cave" under a bar. Goldberg’s neurotic energy was the perfect counter to the high-stakes drama. In a late Season 5 episode, he even went undercover as a musician, which was a fun nod to Goldberg’s real-life musical talents.
Then there’s Liza Lapira as Melody "Mel" Bayani.
- The Vibe: She’s a former Air Force sniper who owns a bar.
- The Skill: She’s the one Robyn calls when she needs backup in a firefight.
- The Relationship: She’s married to Harry, and their dynamic—the hacker husband and the sniper wife—was easily one of the best parts of the show.
Lapira’s performance in Season 5 was particularly heavy. The writers gave Mel a deep PTSD arc after a traumatic event involving her military past. It wasn't just "action figure" stuff; they actually explored what that kind of life does to a person's head.
The Domestic Side: Aunt Vi and Delilah
This is where The Equalizer separated itself from every other vigilante show. Robyn lives with her family.
✨ Don't miss: Tim Hawkins Raising Hands: Why This Church Comedy Bit Still Hits Different
Lorraine Toussaint played Aunt Vi (Viola Marsette). Toussaint is a powerhouse—if you saw her in Orange Is the New Black, you know she can be terrifying, but as Aunt Vi, she was the moral anchor. She’s the one who eventually finds out about Robyn’s secret life and, instead of calling the cops, helps her navigate the ethics of it.
Then you have Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah, Robyn’s daughter. Watching Delilah grow up over five seasons was a journey. She went from a rebellious teenager who felt neglected to a young woman who understood—and sometimes assisted—her mother’s mission. Hayes did a great job of not making Delilah the "annoying TV kid." She felt like a real person trying to handle the fact that her mom is basically a superhero.
The Law and the "Replacement"
For a long time, the bridge between Robyn and the law was Tory Kittles as Detective Marcus Dante. Their "will-they-won't-they" energy was a slow burn that kept fans hooked. Dante started out trying to arrest her and ended up being her most trusted ally in the NYPD.
We also have to mention the shifts in the "handler" role.
- Chris Noth was William Bishop, Robyn's original mentor. He was written out of the show in Season 2 following real-life allegations.
- Donal Logue eventually stepped in as Colton Fisk. Logue is a veteran character actor who brought a much more cynical, "black ops" feel to the role. Unfortunately for Fisk fans, the character met his end early in Season 5 while protecting a hacker, which really raised the stakes for the final episodes.
Why the Spinoff Didn't Happen
There was a lot of talk about a spinoff. In 2025, CBS aired a "backdoor pilot" titled "Sins of the Father" featuring Titus Welliver (of Bosch fame) as Elijah Reed. The idea was to expand the "Equalizer-verse" with him and Juani Feliz.
But, in a move that surprised a lot of people, CBS passed on it. The network ended up going with other procedurals like a new FBI spinoff and a Matthew Gray Gubler project instead. It’s a bummer for fans who wanted more of that world, but it also means the original series stands as its own complete story.
What to Watch Next
If you’ve binged every episode of the cast of Equalizer with Queen Latifah and need a fix, you’ve got a few options:
- Track down the original 80s series: It’s dated, sure, but Edward Woodward is a legend.
- The Denzel Movies: High-octane and much more violent, but the DNA is the same.
- Queen Latifah's Filmography: If it’s just her energy you miss, go back and watch Set It Off or Living Single.
The show officially ended its run on May 4, 2025. While there’s always talk of reboots or "limited event" returns in the streaming era, for now, McCall’s story is told. If you're looking for where the cast is heading next, keep an eye on Liza Lapira and Tory Kittles; both have been rumored for lead roles in upcoming 2026 pilot season dramas.
Check your local streaming listings to see where the full five seasons are currently playing—usually, Paramount+ is the safest bet for the CBS catalog. Grab some popcorn and appreciate the rare procedural that actually cared about its characters as much as its car chases.
Actionable Insight: If you’re a fan of the show’s specific blend of family drama and action, look into the production companies Flavor Unit (Latifah’s company) and Davis Entertainment. They tend to produce content with similar themes of justice and strong, multifaceted leads. Knowing the producers behind your favorite shows is the best way to find your "next big watch" before the algorithms even suggest it.