Welp. It’s official: The Equalizer is done. CBS has canceled the Queen Latifah-led crime drama after five seasons—and if you’re frustrated, you’re not alone. We loved this show. It was one of the few series on primetime that consistently delivered action, heart, and a Black woman saving the day. And now it’s over.
The network has decided not to bring the show back for a sixth season, and there are currently no plans for it to be shopped elsewhere. Sunday’s Season 5 finale will now serve as the series finale.
Behind the scenes, it looked like there was hope. A shortened final season (reportedly 13 episodes) was on the table. Queen Latifah and the producing team had even agreed to reduce the show’s budget to meet CBS’ requests—Queen herself is said to have made concessions to help make it happen. But apparently, none of that was enough.
CBS is finalizing its 2025–26 lineup ahead of the May 7 upfronts, and The Equalizer was the last remaining show on the bubble. And now we know why—they were clearing house.
In addition to The Equalizer, CBS has canceled:
- FBI: Most Wanted
- FBI: International
- S.W.A.T.
- Poppa’s House (a freshman sitcom that hadn’t even aired yet)
The only “bubble” show to survive was The Neighborhood, which is coming back for an eighth and final season. Translation: CBS just wiped out most of the shows not produced by their in-house studio. (The Equalizer and the FBIspinoffs were all from Universal Television; S.W.A.T. came from Sony.)
Meanwhile, here’s what did make the cut for next season—all CBS-owned:
- Sheriff Country (Fire Country spinoff)
- Boston Blue (Blue Bloods offshoot)
- CIA (FBI spinoff that’s getting the green light)
- DMV (new comedy)
- Einstein (being held for 2026–27)
Let’s be real: this one hurts. When The Equalizer debuted in 2021 right after the Super Bowl, it was a moment. Queen Latifah became just the fourth Black woman to lead a primetime broadcast drama. And the show gave us a smart, layered, action-driven story centered around Robyn McCall—a former CIA operative using her skills to help people failed by the system. It was justice, on her terms.
The show also featured a standout cast: Lorraine Toussaint, Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, and Laya DeLeon Hayes. With its mix of case-of-the-week action, deeper emotional arcs, and commentary on justice and community, The Equalizer stood out.
It held its own in the ratings too. While viewership dipped this year—as it has across the board for most shows—it remained middle of the pack and steady, especially for Sunday nights.
Sources say the writers were prepared. The Season 5 finale was written in a way that could double as a series ender. But still—this one feels personal. Between the behind-the-scenes effort to keep it alive and what it represented on-screen, The Equalizer deserved more.
And now? Robyn McCall has done her final mission. But for us, this cancellation isn’t just about one show—it’s about what networks choose to prioritize and who gets left behind in the name of ownership and cost-cutting.