History Series / TheEqualizer

* FriendOnTheForce: Lt. Jefferson, Lt. Mason Wells and Lt. Isidore Smalls, who rotated in and out throughout the first series. Unlike usual for this trope however, they vary as to actual friendship, often disapproving of [=McCall=]'s vigilantism and MysteriousPast, and cooperating only because he's useful to them. Detective Alice Shephard appears in Season 2 takes on the role in Season 2 and turns out to be a bit more supportive.

[[Film/TheEqualizer A film of the series]], with Creator/DenzelWashington starring as [=McCall=], was released in 2014, and had [[Film/TheEqualizer2 a sequel]] in 2018, with a third film in development. Since 2021, CBS has aired a modern [[Series/TheEqualizer2021 reboot]] of the show starring Music/QueenLatifah.

[[Film/TheEqualizer A film of the series]], with Creator/DenzelWashington starring as [=McCall=], was released in 2014, and had [[Film/TheEqualizer2 a sequel]] in 2018. In 2020, CBS ordered a modern [[Series/TheEqualizer2021 reboot]] of the show starring Music/QueenLatifah.

* FriendOnTheForce: Lt. Jefferson, Lt. Mason Wells and Lt. Isidore Smalls, who rotated in and out throughout the first series. Unlike usual for this trope however, they vary as to actual friendship, often disapproving of [=McCall=]'s vigilantism and MysteriousPast, and cooperating only because he's useful to them.
** Detective Alice Shephard

[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/new_equalizer_logo_6101.png]]
[[caption-width-right:336:This CoolOldGuy can ''equalize'' the odds in your favor.]]

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute:
** After Edward Woodward suffered a heart attack that forced him to cut down on his acting for awhile, the 'Equalizer' role was temporarily shared with Richard Jordan and Creator/RobertMitchum (also playing former members of the Agency).
** Also, throughout Season One, [=McCall=]'s contacts in the NYPD are Lieutenants Jefferson, West and Smalls, who are all black, all reluctant to accept [=McCall=]'s help (but grateful anyway) and in the cases of West and Smalls, possessors of an impressive PornStache.
* TerrorHero

** After Edward Woodward suffered a heart attack that forced him to cut down on his acting for awhile, the 'Equalizer' role was temporarily shared with Richard Jordan and Robert Mitchum (also playing former members of the Agency).

* ShoePhone: In "Breakpoint", [=McCall=] has been [[BruceWayneTakenHostage taken hostage]] and the NYPD try to smuggle him a .22LR pen gun. Unfortunately the terrorist leader recognises it because "We use these too" and uses the pen gun to shoot the fake doctor who delivered it. However given the Stale Beer flavor of [=McCall=]'s past as an espionage agent, the trope was downplayed; the few spy gadgets he used were mostly stuff you could buy commercially at the time.

[[Film/TheEqualizer A film of the series]], with Creator/DenzelWashington starring as [=McCall=], was released in 2014, and had [[Film/TheEqualizer2 a sequel]] in 2018. In 2020 CBS ordered a [[Series/TheEqualizer2021 reboot]] of the show starring Music/QueenLatifah.

[[Film/TheEqualizer A film of the series]], with Creator/DenzelWashington starring as [=McCall=], was released in 2014, and had [[Film/TheEqualizer2 a sequel]] in 2018. In 2020 CBS ordered a [[Series/TheEqualizer2020 reboot]] of the show starring Music/QueenLatifah.

[[Film/TheEqualizer A film of the series]], with Creator/DenzelWashington starring as [=McCall=], was released in 2014, and had [[Film/TheEqualizer2 a sequel]] in 2018. In 2020 CBS ordered a reboot of the show starring Music/QueenLatifah.

* ShoutOut: [=McCall=]'s troubled past clearly draws on Edward Woodward's title role in the 1967-72 BritishSeries ''Series/{{Callan}}'' about a reluctant killer in the [[TrenchcoatBrigade murky world]] [[SpyFiction of espionage]]; as well as issues raised by the trial of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Goetz 'Subway Vigilante' Bernard Goetz]] and the movie ''Film/DeathWish'' (as seen in a ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' spoof where Goetz, Charles Bronson and the Equalizer argue over who should shoot a subway mugger). His Walther PPK is an obvious reference to that most famous British spy, Film/JamesBond.

An action-adventure television series originally broadcast on the CBS Network between 1985 and 1989. It starred British actor Creator/EdwardWoodward as Robert [=McCall=] ''aka'' 'The Equalizer', a retired spy who assists people in need by way of [[RedemptionQuest atoning for his past actions]] as a premiere agent of the... er... 'Company'. Yeah, that's the ticket.

* VigilanteExecution: Averted. [=McCall=] never shoots anyone in cold blood, as noted preferring to use psychological warfare to inspire a confession or attitude-adjustment (though quite a few villains conveniently [[VillainBall pull a gun at the climax so [=McCall=] can kill them in self-defense]]).
* VigilanteMan: [=McCall=]'s MO; he sees himself as helping people that the police can't or won't.

* TheSnarkKnight: Robert [=McCall=]

* TheSpock: [=McCall=] is very much this but has tempered it some on his own by choosing to stick to ideals he had put away for the greater good when he was part of The Agency. He always prefers logic, rationalism, and hard facts to intuition, never allows emotion to control him, is always calculating and manipulating the odds, and willing to pay the cost himself to save someone's life.

-->'''Bump:''' So what's going down, McCall?\\

* AppropriatedAppellation: In the first episode an associate of [=McCall=] says; "I saw your ad. I thought I was the only who called you the Equalizer."

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: [=McCall=] (to his chagrin and embarrassment) is deathly afraid of heights. However, it rarely impedes his competency.

* WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys: The question of how [=McCall=] can afford his CoolCar, expensive Manhattan apartment, and equipment is lampshaded several times, but never answered directly. It's implied that [=McCall=] was in a position to make (or perhaps skim) a large amount of money during his time with the Agency.

-->'''Harley Gage:''' Will you get off this Equalizer kick for me. That's all you ever talk about. What's he got that I haven't got?

* ShoePhone: Subverted as all the spy gadgets used by [=McCall=] are available commercially in real life.