Shows like Denzel Washington Equalizer movies have made their own mark on the franchise, Queen Latifah has earned her place in the franchise with the remake series which began airing in 2021.
Latifah stars as Robyn McCall, the ex-CIA operative who dispenses justice in the streets. Now into its fifth season, The Equalizer has managed to stand on its own as a gripping, exciting, and gritty crime drama that is elevated by a terrific central performance from Latifah. While the original The Equalizer provides a solid series for fans of the remake to check out, there are also a lot of more modern options, like other TV remakes and vigilante stories, that are sure to please fans of The Equalizer.
15 Shades Of Blue (2016-2018)
3 Seasons, 36 Episodes
- Showrunner
- Rob Thomas
Shades of Blue is another gritty crime series that also stars an actor who is just as popular for her music career. Jennifer Lopez stars in Shades of Blue as Harlee Santos, a New York City police officer and single mother who has grown accustomed to operating outside of the law in the corrupt task force she belongs to. However, when her dirty cop tactics get her arrested by the FBI, she is forced to become an informant and take down her boss (Ray Liotta).
Both lead characters are single parents who struggle with balancing their family lives with the dangers of their jobs, adding an emotional component to the story.
Obviously, Harlee is a much less heroic lead in the series than Robin in The Equalizer and it is a lot of fun seeing Lopez play this morally complex character. However, Shades of Blue still captures the grittiness that is seen in The Equalizer as well. Both lead characters are single parents who struggle with balancing their family lives with the dangers of their jobs, adding an emotional component to the story.
14 The A-Team (1983-1987)
5 Seasons, 97 Episodes
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The idea of a hero becoming a vigilante in order to help people in need is a thrilling jumping-off point for The Equalizer, but there are other shows that have managed a similar premise. The A-Team is a classic action series from the 1980s that is perhaps most famous now for launching Mr. T to stardom. However, it is a fun and wild ride that is worth revisiting for fans of the era and stories of heroes circumnavigating the law.
The show follows four Vietnam veterans who are framed for a crime they did not commit and forced to go on the run. However, not content with simply lying low, they use their skills as soldiers who help innocent people with their problems while on the run. The series has more of a madcap energy to it than The Equalizer, with the heroes making up an eccentric crew. However, just like Robin McCall, the tough exterior of these former soldiers gives way to their big hearts that are dedicated to helping those in need.
13 Burn Notice (2007-2013)
7 Seasons, 111 Episodes
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- Showrunner
- Matt Nix
While The Equalizer finds Robin McCall voluntarily taking on her skills to people in need, Burn Notice follows a protagonist who is forced out of the legitimate world of covert operatives and has to survive as an amateur. Jeffrey Donovan stars in Burn Notice as Michael Weston, an American spy who suddenly finds himself "burned", disavowed from his agency and removed as an agent with no warning or explanation. Starting over, he finds himself forced to sell his unique set of skills to desperate clients in Miami.
There is a more comedic energy to Burn Notice than is found in The Equalizer. Weston is a bit of a reluctant hero and not too happy that he doesn't get to play in the big leagues anymore. However, it still has the fun of the accomplished and skilled operative dealing with street-level cases. Along with Donovan's fun performance, cult movie icon Bruce Campbell also has a role as his former associate who s his new endeavor.
12 Reacher (2022-)
2 Seasons, 22 Episodes
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- Showrunner
- Nick Santora
Based on the character from Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, Reacher is another series following a very capable hero operating on his own accord to help out "the little guy." Reacher served as the breakout role for Alan Ritchson, who fits the imposing physicality of Jack Reacher effortlessly. Reacher is a former military police officer who wanders through the country, coming across various conspiracies and injustices that need who clever brain and enormous muscles to fix.
Just like Robin McCall in The Equalizer, Reacher is the smartest person in the room as well as the toughest. His detective work is as impressive as his fighting skills. However, Reacher is a bit more brutal than The Equalizer, with Reacher showing little to no mercy when he zeroes in on the bad guys and he has no time to waste on slower police officers who are on the case.
11 Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
4 Seasons, 72 Episodes
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- Showrunner
- Rob Thomas
While there are plenty of police procedurals with female characters, The Equalizer is one of the few shows that showcases a female hero working outside of conventional agencies and law enforcement institutions to be a vigilante of sorts. However, another great series to pull this off is Veronica Mars. Kristen Bell stars in the series as the main character, a high schooler and social outcast who spends her spare time working as a private investigator.
Veronica Mars has a lot of fun playing on the gritty gumshoe stories of private eye movies and novels of the past while transplanting those ideas into a teen series. Bell is excellent in the lead role, bringing quirky humor to mix with her determined heroism. While the setting and the cases might differ greatly from The Equalizer, Robin McCall and Veronica Mars are two examples of female television heroes who can accomplish a lot all on their own.
10 Walker (2021-2024)
4 Seasons, 69 Episodes
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Walker is The CW’s 2021 reboot of the ‘90s popular western Walker, Texas Ranger. The drama series was developed by Anna Fricke and stars Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker, the titular Texas Ranger. Alongside Padalecki stars Molly Hagan, Keegan Allen, Violet Brinson, and Kale Kulley. Jared Padalecki’s wife, Genevieve, also appears in the series as Walker’s wife, Emily.
- Directors
- Anna Fricke
- Seasons
- 4
A remake of the iconic Chuck Norris-led Walker, Texas Ranger, Walker finds Supernatural alumnus Jared Padalecki playing Cordell Walker, a local law enforcer in his Texan hometown. Returning after a two-year-long undercover mission, a lot has changed in his town and at home. Cordell Walker's dual charges as a law enforcer and a caring single father for his two children is what would connect with viewers of The Equalizer.
Walker is also a worthy reboot, adding a darker and more humanized touch to its lead character.
Walker is also a worthy reboot, adding a darker and more humanized touch to its lead character. The original otherwise tended to take a preachy and moralistic tone at times while also being an over-the-top action hero in the vein of many of Chuck Norris' movies. While that helped to make the series an endearing cult hit, it is nice to see the new series bring a little grit to the story, matching the grounded tone of The Equalizer TV remake.
9 The Punisher (2017-2019)
2 Seasons, 26 Episodes
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The Punisher
- Release Date
- 2017 - 2019-00-00
- Network
- Disney Channel
- Showrunner
- John Romita Sr.
WHERE TO WATCH
The Punisher stars Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, who first appeared on Netflix's Daredevil. Frank is a United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper veteran who is highly skilled in martial arts, stealth tactics, guerrilla warfare, and knows how to use a variety of weapons. The death of his wife and two children led him to take matters into his own hands, and he has been killing criminals indiscriminately ever since. Despite being beloved by fans, The Punisher was canceled in early 2019. Thankfully for fans of Bernthal’s character, it was announced in 2023 that he would be ing the MCU by appearing in Daredevil: Born Again, starring Charlie Cox.
- Directors
- Mark Goldblatt, Lexi Alexander
- Seasons
- 2
One of Marvel's most iconic vigilantes, The Punisher has been adapted into several movies, but it wasn't until he came to the small screen that justice was done to the character. True to the comic book origins, ex-military man Frank Castle vows to become a brutal vigilante ever since he loses his family to gang violence.
However, his hyperviolent journey to redemption finds him battling his own inner demons while the audiences are made to question the very morality of all the bloodshed that comes out of Castle's new identity as The Punisher. With Jon Bernthal's emotionally moving take on Punisher, the Marvel show is difficult to watch yet highly introspective.
The Equalizer 2021 Cast & Character Guide
Who stars in The Equalizer 2021, and what else have they been in? Here's a rundown of the main cast and characters for the post-Super Bowl CBS show.
The dark overtones are way less hopeful than the themes of The Equalizer, but it is definitely worth a watch for fans of the vigilante genre. Robyn and Frank feel like two sides of the same ideology, with Frank heading on a more destructive path. It seems The Punisher has a future in the MCU as well with Bernthal confirmed to be returning.
8 Alias (2001-2006)
5 Seasons, 105 Episodes
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Created by J. J. Abrams, Alias is a Science Fiction, Thriller, and Action television series that ran for five seasons between 2001 and 2006. Starring Jennifer Garner in the lead role, the plot revolves around a young woman who must disguise her identity as a CIA agent.
- Seasons
- 5
The Equalizer finds its hero, Robyn McCall, operating in the shadows and using a bit of stealth in her job. Alias takes that a step further with a full-blown spy series that leans into the intrigue of the genre. The thrilling JJ Abrams series stars Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow, a secret agent who upon discovering that her organization is a counter-government unit, decides to serve as a double agent for the CIA.
Even though the protagonist of The Equalizer has quit the CIA, Alias is an interesting look at the agency and its operatives. Like Robyn, Sydney is a hero with her own convictions and set of morals that go against her employers, which push her to operate on her own . While the missions and action are on a grander scale as the series has fun with its spy genre, Alias helped launch a new era of female action stars on television.
7 Magnum P.I. (2018-2024)
5 Seasons, 96 Episodes
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Magnum P.I.
- Release Date
- 2018 - 2024-00-00
- Network
- CBS
- Directors
- Bryan Spicer, Eagle Egilsson, Ruba Nadda, Peter Weller, David Straiton, Doug Hannah, Avi Youabian, Antonio Negret, Marcus Stokes, Benny Boom, Krishna Rao, Alexandra La Roche, Lisa Robinson, Yangzom Brauen, Ron Underwood, Roderick Davis, Allison Liddi-Brown, Kristin Windell, Lin Oeding, Karen Gaviola, Jay Hernandez, Geoff Shotz, Carlos Bernard, Maja Vrvilo
Cast
Jay HernandezBarry Wilson
Perdita WeeksKatrina
WHERE TO WATCH
Magnum P.I. (2018) is a modern reboot of the classic 1980s series. It stars Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who returns to Hawaii to work as a private investigator. ed by his loyal friends T.C. (Stephen Hill) and Rick (Zachary Knighton), and former MI6 agent Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks), Magnum navigates complex cases while living in the lush Hawaiian landscape.
- Seasons
- 5
The Equalizer is not the only 1980s series to get a modern update, as Magnum PI brings the iconic and fun-loving series into a new era. Tom Selleck was iconic as Thomas Magnum, but Jay Hernandez makes for a fitting new take on the hero, a former army man who leaves the service and decides to become a private investigator, taking on jobs of all sizes as he seeks to help out those in need.
Hernandez adds a fresh, lighthearted touch to the titular character straying away from Selleck's machismo while not disrespecting the original character. TV shows like Magnum P.I. and The Equalizer only go on to show how yesteryear classics can be reinterpreted in modern times. The hero-for-hire angle of both of the series is especially effective as it gives the heroes an underdog quality.
6 LA's Finest (2019-2020)
2 Seasons. 26 Episodes
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L.A.'s Finest is a police procedural drama series set in Los Angeles, focusing on detectives Sydney Burnett (Gabrielle Union), who is the sister of Marcus Burnett from the Bad Boys films, and Nancy McKenna (Jessica Alba). As they navigate dangerous investigations, the series delves into their personal lives and complex backstories. The show combines action, crime-solving, and character-driven storytelling.
- Seasons
- 2
Robyn McCall is far from the first female action hero on television, but The Equalizer wisely avoids leaning into gender stereotypes and allows her to be a genuine hero. The same can be said for the action crime series LA's Finest. Gabrielle Union reprises her Bad Boys character in this spin-off series that adds Jessica Alba as her partner. The show is a typical entry in the buddy cop genre but still boasts enough charisma from its two leads to be a lighthearted break from the more melodramatic cop dramas.
Queen Latifah's take on the titular vigilante in The Equalizer similarly adds a slight dose of humor and liveliness with the rapper-turned-actress' dramatic prowess also coming to good use in the serious scenes. After the discussions on morality and crime in The Equalizer, if viewers need a relatively lower stakes thriller to binge on, LA's Finest can be a good option.
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