TV series
If the rules are against you he'll change them. If the odds are against you he'll even them.
Robert McCall is a former agent of a secret government agency who is now running his own private crime fighting operation where he fashions himself as "The Equalizer." It is a service for victims of the system who have exhausted all possible means of seeking justice and have nowhere to go. McCall promises to even out the odds for them.
Watch trailerAvailability
Checked Jul 22, 2026
The Equalizer premiered September 18, 1985. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Robert McCall is a former agent of a secret government agency who is now running his own private crime fighting operation where he fashions himself as "The Equalizer." It is a service for victims of the system who have exhausted all possible means of seeking justice and have nowhere to go. McCall promises to even out the odds for them.
Cast, crew and production details
Edward WoodwardRobert McCall
Keith SzarabajkaMickey Kostmayer
Anthony ZerbePhillipe Marcel
Austin PendletonJonah
Saul RubinekJason Masur
Charles CioffiLieutenant Kramer
Melissa Sue AndersonYvette Marcel
Christopher MurneyRudy Bagler
CBSUnited States
Universal TelevisionUnited StatesWatch options above are for the show and may vary by season or episode.
Episode 1
Men working for a dictator McCall helped put into power kidnap an American journalist.
Directed by Richard ComptonWritten by Carleton EastlakeGuest stars Lori Loughlin, Jaime Sánchez, Robert Joy, Martin Shakar, James Rebhorn, Jesse Doran, Carlos Augusto Cestero, Tim DeZarn
Where to watch The Equalizer
Episode 2
A blind music critic asks for help when she hears the voice of the man who raped her years before.
Directed by Richard ComptonWritten by Carleton EastlakeGuest stars Brad Sullivan, Jessica Harper, Alice Drummond, Michael Parks, Ron Frazier, Tanya Berezin, Fred G. Smith, Jerry Ball
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Episode 3
McCall comes to the aid of a woman who's being squeezed to pay off her late husband's debts.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Scott Shepherd, Daniel PyneGuest stars Tammy Grimes, Jennifer Grey, Lewis J. Stadlen, Zach Grenier, Lewis van Bergen, Robert Blumenfeld, Patrick Kilpatrick, Bruce Altman
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Episode 4
Two boys drive off in a hearse; not knowing it contains a coffin full of crack.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Charles Grant CraigGuest stars Eddie Jones, Christian Slater, Cleavant Derricks, Roger Robinson, Kristen Vigard, Anthony Powers, Ronald Maccone, David Roya
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Episode 5
McCall helps a National Guardsman who faces a murder charge and threats from the real killer.
Directed by Donald PetrieWritten by Jack V. FogartyGuest stars William Sadler, Olympia Dukakis, Lenny Von Dohlen, Edward Binns, Caroline Kava, Emily Heebner, J.J. Johnston, Sam Coppola
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Episode 6
A rape victim asks McCall to stop her husband from tracking down her attackers.
Directed by Aaron LipstadtWritten by Carleton EastlakeGuest stars Lisa Banes, Frances Fisher, Austin Pendleton, Matthew Cowles, Thomas G. Waites, Madeleine Potter, Ron O'Neal, Tim Guinee
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Episode 7
The odds are against McCall when he's framed for the murder of a blind man.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Scott Shepherd, Coleman LuckGuest stars Lisa Pelikan, William Hickey, Vincent D'Onofrio, Charles Cioffi, Jihmi Kennedy, Leonardo Cimino, Laura Dean, Tony Hoty
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Episode 8
The mother of a youth killed while being harassed by an overzealous citizen's patrol appeals to McCall for help.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Steve VolpeGuest stars Giancarlo Esposito, David Leary, Bill Cwikowski, Novella Nelson, Norman Parker, Donald Buka, Joe Grifasi, James Andronica
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Episode 9
A bookie that doesn't like the odds on a race kidnaps the son of the jockey and demands the father throw the race.
Directed by Donald PetrieWritten by Scott ShepherdGuest stars Ted Ross, Paul Gleason, Cleavant Derricks, Nestor Serrano, Daniel Faraldo, Roberts Blossom, Robert O'Reilly, Denise Dumont
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Episode 10
Father Kostmayer hears the confession of a Polish agitator moments before he's gunned down.
Directed by Mario DiLeoWritten by Carleton Eastlake, David Jackson, Andrew SipesGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Dennis Christopher, Peter Von Berg, Caris Corfman, Jaroslav Stremien, Colin Fox, Avind Harum, Igor Panich
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Episode 11
A woman asks McCall for help recovering her kidnapped newborn son.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Loraine DespresGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Michele Dotrice, Patricia Triana, David Margulies, Michael Margotta, Sam Schacht, Aharon Ipalé, Debra Cole
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Episode 12
A construction worker becomes both witness and target when she sees a murder and is spotted by the killer.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Jack V. FogartyGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Michael Wincott, James Remar, Doris Belack, Charles Cioffi, Patricia Charbonneau, Ed Zang, Crofton Hardester
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Episode 13
Control becomes McCall's client when a KGB agent who infiltrated a think tank is murdered.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Coleman LuckGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Liane Curtis, Brian Bedford, Dan Ziskie, Philip Kraus, Paula Trueman, Josh Mostel, Scott Rhyne
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Episode 14
A wife appeals to the judge sentencing her husband and is offered her husband's freedom for sexual favors.
Directed by Leon IchasoWritten by Dennis ManuelGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Cynthia Harris, John Laughlin, John Cullum, Maria Holvoe, Raymond Serra, Louis Zorich, Rocco Sisto
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Episode 15
Control's goddaughter is threatened with the death of her father, a Canadian agent, unless she can reveal his informant. Then with little time left, McCall tells Kostmayer of his personal reasons for wanting to save Yvette and her father.
Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Coleman LuckGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Anthony Zerbe, George DiCenzo, Melissa Sue Anderson, Jon Polito, Maurice Hines, Paul Geier, Claude Vincent
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Episode 16
Control's goddaughter is threatened with the death of her father, a Canadian agent, unless she can reveal his informant. Then with little time left, McCall tells Kostmayer of his personal reasons for wanting to save Yvette and her father.
Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Coleman LuckGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Anthony Zerbe, George DiCenzo, Melissa Sue Anderson, Jon Polito, David Greenan, David Shuman, John Corey
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Episode 17
McCall gets involved romantically and professionally with a woman wanted in Pennsylvania for killing a cop.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Carleton EastlakeGuest stars Lindsay Crouse, Kevin Spacey, Austin Pendleton, Leon Russom, E. Brian Dean, Thomas Quinn, Kenneth Ryan, Stephen Payne
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Episode 18
A young girl runs away from her quarreling parents and into the hands of a child pornographer.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Carleton Eastlake, Coleman Luck, Marc RubinGuest stars Trey Wilson, Bethel Leslie, Ed Lauter, Lou Hirsch, Ann McDonough, Alyson Kirk, Margaret Welsh, Kario Salem
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Episode 19
McCall is torn between a lovely psychiatrist and a man who calls and says he can't stop himself from murdering women.
Directed by Richard ComptonWritten by Scott ShepherdGuest stars Chris Elliott, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Lois Smith, Patricia Kalember, Earl Hindman, Jihmi Kennedy, Gale Garnett, Madelyn Griffith-Haynie
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Episode 20
While McCall is testifying in Washington, Scott tries his hand and looks for thugs harassing a local merchant.
Directed by Richard ComptonWritten by Jack V. FogartyGuest stars Lori Loughlin, Mike Nussbaum, Robert Modica, Paul Harding, Quentin Crisp, Marco St. John, Robert Haufrecht, Ira Lewis
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Episode 21
Nightmares become a reality for an invalid woman when a threatening figures from her dreams appears in her room.
Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Coleman LuckGuest stars Charles Keating, Barbara Garrick, William H. Macy, Mark Soper, Lela Ivey, Nancy Fish, James Peak, William Zabka
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Episode 22
McCall helps a young boy whose father was tricked into committing a crime.
Directed by Aaron LipstadtWritten by Scott Shepherd, Dennis ManuelGuest stars Keith Szarabajka, Steve Buscemi, Stewart Copeland, John Goodman, Joe Morton, David Johansen, Cameron Johann, Graham Beckel
Where to watch The EqualizerEpisode information updated Jul 22, 2026
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