The Equalizer

Robert McCall used to work for a secret government outfit, and now he runs a quiet, self-started service for people who have nowhere else to turn. Calling himself "The Equalizer," he takes cases that fall through the cracks, assessing each client's situation, planning carefully and using a mix of tradecraft, improvisation and controlled force to tip the scales. Episodes typically center on one victim and one problem, with McCall sizing up institutions, uncovering weak spots and setting traps of his own. The show keeps its focus tight on ethical choices and tactical work, favoring methodical problem solving over sensational spectacle, and it rarely relies on long conspiracies or soap-opera arcs.

Premiering in 1985, the series was created by Richard Lindheim and Michael Sloan and starred Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, anchoring the program with a steady, measured lead presence and a procedural crime-drama format.

The series didn't sweep major awards, but Woodward's performance attracted consistent critical attention and helped raise his profile with American audiences. Industry observers respected the show's craft, and while it wasn't a big awards magnet, it maintained a reputation for solid acting and disciplined production values.

The Equalizer left a mark on TV crime storytelling by popularizing the image of a lone fixer who levels institutional imbalances through preparation and restraint. Its template of a focused protagonist taking on one-off moral problems, using skill over spectacle, has been echoed in later crime dramas, and McCall's composed, almost clinical approach became a recognizable genre touchstone.

Contemporary reviews often praised the series for steady plotting, moral ambiguity and Woodward's calm intensity; modern viewer ratings sit around 7.1/10 from 64 votes. Recurring themes include justice outside formal systems, professional competence, and personal accountability, and the show appealed to viewers who preferred smart tactics and ethical complexity to flashy action.