CBS has given The Equalizer starring Queen Latifah a primo post-Super Bowl slot for its series premiere. The first episode of the highly-anticipated series will air immediately after CBS Sports’ broadcast of Super Bowl LV on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT; time approximate after post-game coverage) on CBS. After its premiere, The Equalizer will move to its regular Sunday (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) time slot on Feb. 14, 2021.
According to reports, the decision to debut The Equalizer after the upcoming Super Bowl was made after the network was impressed with a block of finished episodes of the series. If that doesn't send signal confidence in the upcoming procedural drama I don't know what does.
In The Equalizer, Queen Latifah stars as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. Presented as a reimagining of the classic series, The Equalizer also stars Chris Noth as William Bishop, Lorraine Toussaint as Viola “Aunt Vi” Marsette, Tory Kittles as Det. Marcus Dante, Adam Goldberg as Harry Keshegian, Liza Lapira as Melody Bayani, and Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah.
The original show, which ran for four seasons (1985-1989), starred Edward Woodward as a retired intelligence agent with a mysterious past, who uses the skills from his former career to exact justice on behalf of innocent people who are trapped in dangerous circumstances.
The Equalizer also inspired two film adaptations starring Denzel Washington. The Equalizer, released in 2014, was loosely based on the series and became a box office hit, grossing $192.3 million worldwide. The film was followed by a sequel, The Equalizer 2, released in 2018, which also banked major bucks, grossing $190.4 million globally.