CBS has ended The Equalizer, its remake of the 1980s crime series, after five seasons. The decision was confirmed just ahead of the fifth season’s final episode, airing May 4, which will now serve as the last installment of the show.
Led by Queen Latifah, the series was the last CBS scripted title from the 2024–25 season awaiting a renewal or cancellation decision. The network’s move finalizes its remaining open slots ahead of the official unveiling of its 2025–26 schedule on May 7.
The series averaged just under 6 million viewers this season with delayed viewing included, compared to 7.89 million the prior season. CBS shifted the show to a later time slot on Sunday nights, which corresponded with a dip in viewership.
A co-production between Universal Television and CBS Studios, The Equalizer followed Latifah’s character Robyn McCall, a former CIA operative who used her skills to help those with limited options. The role marked a significant presence on broadcast television, with Latifah becoming one of only four Black women to headline a network drama in primetime.
The ensemble cast included Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, and Lorraine Toussaint. A proposed spinoff episode featuring Titus Welliver and Juani Feliz aired in April, intended to launch a new branch of the franchise, but CBS ultimately declined to move forward with that series.
Latifah, who also served as executive producer through her company Flavor Unit alongside Shakim Compere, responded to the news in a message to fans posted on Instagram. “Stepping into a kick-ass role like Robyn was everything I hoped it would be,” she wrote. “Shakim 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.”
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She continued by thanking the crew, writers, and fellow cast members and directed a special message to the show’s audience. “Y’all have been so loyal, so loud, and so ride-or-die — and that’s exactly why we keep doing this,” she wrote. “We can’t thank you enough. It means the world to us.”
Latifah closed her statement with a promise of future appearances. “Don’t worry — I’ll be back kicking ass in something new real soon. Can’t wait to share it with you.”
CBS’s decision comes amid a broader reshaping of its scripted lineup. Alongside The Equalizer, the network recently canceled FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted, and first-season comedy Poppa’s House. The long-running Blue Bloods concluded in December.
Executive producers on The Equalizer included Joseph C. Wilson, Dana Owens (Queen Latifah), Debra Martin Chase, Shakim Compere, John Davis, John Fox, Loretha Jones, and Rob Hanning. The series, which premiered in 2021, was based on the original 1985–1989 television show of the same name and the later film franchise starring Denzel Washington.
