The Equalizer has been one of my favorite TV shows since it premiered in 2021.
Now in its fifth season, the Queen Latifah drama has found itself on the bubble for renewal, and I don’t think the odds are in its favor.
The series hasn’t had the best run on CBS, with the network banishing it from the air countless times, making it difficult to remain invested.
Even worse, The Equalizer was recently ousted to the 10/9c slot to make way for Watson.
The show is wasted in such a late timeslot because viewers wanting their action fix are accustomed to watching it at an earlier hour.
As a result, the midseason premiere earlier this month secured just 3.7 million viewers and a 0.23 rating among adults 18-49.
That’s down over a million viewers vs. The Equalizer Season 5‘s average, showcasing that the decision to prop up Watson has harmed the once-hot drama.
The Equalizer Could be Gaining Back Lost Linear Viewers
The only upside is that the post-airdate viewing should be higher than usual, but we’ll need to wait for some figures to assess whether fans will truly stick around for the show.
Despite some of its best episodes this season, I’m struggling to keep up because it’s difficult to tell if new episodes will be on for more than a few weeks.
The Equalizer also missed out on an early renewal last week, fueling my concerns that it could be earmarked for cancellation.
CBS has been merciless in recent years, with shows such as Blue Bloods and NCIS: Hawai’i all getting the pink slip when fans least expected it.
Of course, those two shows had higher numbers than The Equalizer.
When the series missed out on a renewal, Deadline dished that the upcoming finale was being written to function as both a season and a series finale.
A surefire way to tarnish a long-running drama’s legacy is to end it on a cliffhanger, so this decision is likely due to the lack of faith in a pickup from CBS.
That said, the outlet did give me a little hope when it mentioned the possibility of renewing for a sixth and final season.
I don’t want the show to end, but a pre-planned last hurrah would soften the blow.
CBS recently confirmed a backdoor pilot for a potential Equalizer spinoff, which was a bit of a shocker given that the network has never treated the mothership very well.
CBS has been aggressively pursuing spinoffs of many of its shows as a cost-cutting measure.
I don’t think we need to discuss the financial side of things because it’s obvious that it would theoretically keep the franchise alive but without many key elements.
An Equalizer Spinoff Without Queen Latifah Would Suck
Queen Latifah is such a powerhouse in the show that any spinoffs without her would suffer from a failure to launch.
Robyn McCall’s presence elevates The Equalizer, and I doubt I’d be as invested without her in some capacity.
It’s rare to get a show that works across the board, and something tells me CBS doesn’t know a good thing until it has lost it.
A decision on The Equalizer’s future could be delayed for quite some time, as Skydance may soon take control of Paramount Global.
We can only wait for now and hope the series will be renewed for Season 6.
What are your thoughts on how CBS has treated the Equalizer?
Do you think it should secure a renewal, or would you be happy with a season finale that functions as a series finale?
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