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Post by rom on Jun 26, 2017 0:57:46 GMT -5
"The Equalizer" was one of the most underrated TV series of the '80's. As a kid, I caught a handful of episodes on network TV back in the day & was impressed by what I saw, but never got into it that much at that time.
A while back, I got re-interested in the series, and ended up watching all four seasons back-to-back. Wow....This show is incredible! I watch a lot of TV, and I would have to say that this is not only one of the top ten TV shows I've ever seen, but is definitely one of my top five BEST T.V. series of the '80's. The show is so good, it's hard to believe it was a network T.V. show.
The show focused on Robert McCall (the UK actor Ed Woodward), who was a retired "agent" living in NYC. He would help those in need via a newspaper advertisement.
First, the theme music by Stewart Copeland is sublime; amazing use of synthesizer(s) - though the sound is very '80's, it's also very unusual & interesting as well. The soundtrack in the show itself was also excellent.....It helps that I was (and still am) a huge fan of the rock/pop group The Police.
Ed Woodward was incredible in this series; though some actors merely portray characters, Woodward WAS the Equalizer.
I liked how the show went back and forth between stories involving McCall helping those in need, to episodes involving his past coming back to haunt him, to episodes with (at the time) topical cold war themes.
Great supporting cast as well, including Mickey Kostmeyer, McCall's son Scott, Jimmy, Chad Redding, Control, Harley Gage, and others.
I was also very impressed with the show's themes of redemption/making up for past mistakes.
The show really captures the NYC of the '80's perfectly; watching the series is like going back in time, and it's nice that it was (or at least seemed to be) filmed on location in the city.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the copious amount of well-known guest stars on the show, including John Goodman, Stanley Tucci, E.G. Marshall, etc. Many of these became big later, but you also had appearances by Telly Savalas & Robert Mitchum, who were already big names by the mid-late 1980's.
Though the first two seasons were great, IMHO Seasons 3 & 4 were incredible. There were so many stand-out episodes I can't list them all, but some of my favorite include the following - note this is by no means a comprehensive list:
Breakpoint (Season 1): IMHO, this was the best episode in the first season. Impressive acting here by Tony Shalhoub, whom I almost didn't recognize as the actor who became famous much later playing the detective Adrian Monk (Monk is also one of my favorite shows...)
Memories of Manon, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 2): Excellent.
Beyond Control (Season 2)
Blood and Wine, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3): Incredible opening episode, and IMHO definitely one of the top five episodes of the series. Telly Savalas was truly incredible in this, playing a completely different role from the past. The theme(s) of redemption were very pronounced here.
Mission: McCall Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3): I consider this to have the quality of a small film; great appearance by Robert Mitchum.
The Mystery of Manon, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3)
Christmas Presence (Season 3): Amazing; very moving & poignant. Possibly the best stand-alone episode of the entire series.
The Last Campaign (Season 4): Excellent opening episode, and really set the tone for this superior final season...
Endgame (Season 4): Very disturbing & well-done; kept you guessing until the end.
Splinters (Season 4)
Silent Fury (Season 4): Extremely impressive.
Too bad the show didn't last longer; however, maybe it's best it ended in '89. In late '89 the Berlin Wall had fallen, and I'm not sure the cold war themes that were so central to the show would have been as relevant from 1990-on. Plus, by having the show go from '85-'89, it was a purely '80's show. And, four seasons is a very respectable length of time for a TV drama to last; in fact, the show was of such good quality that I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did (it seems that some of the best TV shows get cancelled after 1-2 seasons...)
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jun 26, 2017 4:59:48 GMT -5
I used to love the Equalizer, although I'm surprised to see you describe it as an "espionage drama". As I recall it, it was more like a grittier, one man A-Team type affair, in that people would come to Edward Woodward's character for help or revenge. Maybe I'm wrong about that though. One particular episode (from season 1, I think) that sticks in my mind is the one with Adam Ant as a guest star. That was about a young girl from Duluth who came to New York City with her family and got kidnapped and forced into prostitution.
Though I was a fan of the show as a kid (I was 12 when it started), one thing that used to bug me was how an old man like Woodward could beat up groups of thugs half his age. That just seemed ridiculous.
BTW, did you see the re-make movie starring Denzel Washington and Chloe Moretz? That was pretty good, although quite different from the TV series.
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 26, 2017 9:51:38 GMT -5
Edward Woodward was an excellent actor. I lament that I didn't continue watching that show past the first season. It seemed to turn into a show with office politics which I hate.
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Post by brutalis on Jun 26, 2017 10:03:56 GMT -5
Equalizer and Wise Guy were 80's crime television to watch! Just picked up the complete Equalizer DVD set at Christmas and have watched all of season 1 so far. Taking my time and enjoying the simple pleasure of watching a consummate actor like Woodward doing his craft. He gave a depth of character and caring that McCall required for you to buy into the series. He was more than just a tough guy, he was someone who has lived through the horrors and hopes to redeem himself and his life for the terrible and horrible things he has done "all in the name of good". He is proof that the ends does not justify the means and that you can be strong and caring and committed to doing right. It just takes a bit more effort.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 26, 2017 11:21:14 GMT -5
The Equalizer was more of a crime drama, with espionage trappings, though some episodes fell more into the espionage realm. An interesting premise I have seen put forward is that Edward Woodward (got have all of the Ds in there) was essentially playing his old character, David Callan (from the series Callan), after his retirement. It fits really well, as Robert McCall is very much in the vein of David Callan, though maybe a bit more sophisticated. The attitude and distaste for his profession is there. Nobody did righteous anger better than Woodward (see Callan, Breaker Morant, The Wicker Man and the Equalizer). I didn't have a problem with McCall taking out street thugs so easily; it was like watching Muhammed Ali quickly eliminating a Golden Gloves competitor; he just so far outclassed them. Among the guest stars you can see a young Kevin Spacey. Of course, every time I saw William Zabka, I knew why Johnny had been so angry in Karate Kid; his dad was never there!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2017 14:48:19 GMT -5
I have similar thoughts like Icctrombone said earlier and that's one of many reasons that I was turned off by it. I watched a half of dozen shows and after that; it's started to bother me and with unknown reasons I literally stopped watching it because this show becoming more and more political and that's when it's stopped for me. |
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Post by rom on Jun 26, 2017 17:16:23 GMT -5
Glad to hear so many enjoyed "The Equalizer". To me, this was not only a quintessential '80's TV series, but definitely far superior than most other crime dramas of the time.
I consider the show to be at least a semi-espionage drama due to the fact that Edward McCall (Woodward) is obviously former black ops & at least some of the episodes involve either espionage elements, or else are relating back to his "past life" as an agent. Also, some of the "friends" that he enlists for help on the series (Mickey Kostmeyer, etc.) are obviously people from his "past life" as well. And, obviously McCall has had training that has "prepared" him for his role as the Equalizer, i.e. helping people in need.
I also got the strong impression that McCall was trying to "make up for past sins" in offering his services to those who needed him; in most/all cases, he didn't even take any payment from anyone - even though he was putting his life (and the lives of those who helped him) at risk.
I didn't think it was at all odd that McCall was able to take on common street thugs & win; he had the training & was easily able to take care of them due to his background.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jun 26, 2017 18:17:20 GMT -5
I didn't have a problem with McCall taking out street thugs so easily; it was like watching Muhammed Ali quickly eliminating a Golden Gloves competitor; he just so far outclassed them. I didn't think it was at all odd that McCall was able to take on common street thugs & win; he had the training & was easily able to take care of them due to his background. It wasn't so much the idea of the character of McCall being able to beat up much younger henchmen, it was more the fact that Woodward was almost 60 when The Equalizer started, and looked older...and frailer. If he'd looked younger or more robust himself, I could've maybe bought it, but he didn't. Really though, does anyone in their 60s have the strength to take on 20 or 30-something toughs, regardless of their training? I'm a little dubious. |
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Post by rom on Jun 26, 2017 18:44:47 GMT -5
Good points. McCall did kick some serious butt on the show. However, again, he was a former black ops agent: For what it's worth, the late Ed Woodward (who passed in 2009) was the same age as Clint Eastwood - both were born in 1930. And, Eastwood was kicking a$$ & taking names back in the 1980's as Dirty Harry, in the final two DH films ( Sudden Impact & The Dead Pool). Also wanted to note that the Denzel Washington film was decent, but not nearly as good as the series. However, I credit this for getting people re-interested in the show so that the entire series could be released on DVD. If there were no film, that may not have happened. Also, the Equalizer opening theme song was sublime - one of my top five favorite TV themes ever. Very iconic; it's dated to the 1980's but at the same time timeless in a way. Stewart Copeland (the drummer for The Police, one of my all time favorite rock groups) composed this theme, and some of the other music on the series: Two Woodward film roles I really enjoyed were the original The Wicker Man & Breaker Morant. Both were incredible movies, and Woodward's incredible acting were key in making these films so memorable & classic. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 27, 2017 0:14:21 GMT -5
I didn't have a problem with McCall taking out street thugs so easily; it was like watching Muhammed Ali quickly eliminating a Golden Gloves competitor; he just so far outclassed them. I didn't think it was at all odd that McCall was able to take on common street thugs & win; he had the training & was easily able to take care of them due to his background. It wasn't so much the idea of the character of McCall being able to beat up much younger henchmen, it was more the fact that Woodward was almost 60 when The Equalizer started, and looked older...and frailer. If he'd looked younger or more robust himself, I could've maybe bought it, but he didn't. Really though, does anyone in their 60s have the strength to take on 20 or 30-something toughs, regardless of their training? I'm a little dubious. Pro wrestler Nature Boy Buddy Rogers was in his late 60s when he took out a mugger, at a restaurant. Age and guile beat youth and quickness any day.  |
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Post by berkley on Jun 27, 2017 1:51:40 GMT -5
I didn't have a problem with McCall taking out street thugs so easily; it was like watching Muhammed Ali quickly eliminating a Golden Gloves competitor; he just so far outclassed them. I didn't think it was at all odd that McCall was able to take on common street thugs & win; he had the training & was easily able to take care of them due to his background. It wasn't so much the idea of the character of McCall being able to beat up much younger henchmen, it was more the fact that Woodward was almost 60 when The Equalizer started, and looked older...and frailer. If he'd looked younger or more robust himself, I could've maybe bought it, but he didn't. Really though, does anyone in their 60s have the strength to take on 20 or 30-something toughs, regardless of their training? I'm a little dubious. No, I wouldn't think so, but from what I remember, he didn't look like he was in is 60s in the show, did he? I was only a casual and very occasional viewer of The Equalizer, but I had the impression the character was in his 40s or perhaps at most early 50s, though I never really thought about it enough to put a number on it. Boxing fans will be aware that Bernard Hopkins and George Foreman, among others, were still very competitive at that age. But I think your reaction might have to do with the age you were at the time: I remember seeing Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet as a teenager and not really noticing anything positive or negative about the age of the two leads, who happened to be roughly the same age as their characters, i.e. teenagers, just like me. They seemed normal, and the actors/characters a generation or two older all seemed like geezers. But when I saw the same film again around 15 years later, when I was in my early 30s, I couldn't believe how young and really childlike Juliet (Olivia Hussey, 15) and Romeo (Leonard Whiting, 17 - just looked the two of them up to check)) seemed to me, because I remembered my earlier viewing experience very well. |
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Post by Confessor on Jun 27, 2017 6:05:09 GMT -5
It wasn't so much the idea of the character of McCall being able to beat up much younger henchmen, it was more the fact that Woodward was almost 60 when The Equalizer started, and looked older...and frailer. If he'd looked younger or more robust himself, I could've maybe bought it, but he didn't. Really though, does anyone in their 60s have the strength to take on 20 or 30-something toughs, regardless of their training? I'm a little dubious. No, I wouldn't think so, but from what I remember, he didn't look like he was in is 60s in the show, did he? I was only a casual and very occasional viewer of The Equalizer, but I had the impression the character was in his 40s or perhaps at most early 50s, though I never really thought about it enough to put a number on it. If McCall was only supposed to be in his 40s, he must've had a very hard paper round as a kid.   |
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Post by rom on Jun 27, 2017 11:07:57 GMT -5
Great points here re: McCall's age/appearance in "The Equalizer", and how it may have been hard to believe his being able to take out thugs/criminals half his age. Sure, I get that - when the show was originally on, I was in my mid-late teens. And, at the time I did think that McCall looked borderline-elderly on the show. Right after the show premiered (Fall 1985), I remember talking to some kids @ school about the series & saying that I really liked the show; one kid was somewhat contemptuous of the McCall character, and joked about him being an "old geezer" - LOL.
However, in watching the show these days, McCall doesn't seem that old - obviously because I've gotten older. Now, I'm in my late 40's, so Woodward on the show isn't that much older than I am now. It's all a matter of perspective. And, as a result of my getting older, seeing McCall take out these thugs does seem a lot more believable than it did when I first watched the show in the '80's.
McCall did look his age on the show, i.e. mid-late 50's. He didn't look younger, and may have even looked slightly older than he actually was.
However, note that it's obvious that Ed Woodward wore a hairpiece during the series. This wasn't as evident to me as a kid, but more when I watched the show as an adult. The reason I bring this up is that I've noticed that hairpieces/wigs seem to age men to some extent.
He also obviously wore a rug in Wicker Man & Breaker Morant.
Note this isn't a criticism - I'm a middle-aged bald guy, and have been shaving my head clean for years
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 27, 2017 15:48:20 GMT -5
Woodward didn't look as old in the first season, to me, and he didn't engage in physical stuff that much and usually used subterfuge to maneuver into a better position, as an experienced fighter would do. His health suffered over the series and he did have a heart attack, leading to episodes without him, using people like Richard Jordan and Robert Mitchum to cover for his absence. A lot of the heavy work was done by younger associate Mickey Kostmayer (Keith Szarabajka), who was often on loan from The Company. McCall more often than not, utilized strategy to distract his targets and get them into vulnerable positions. I don't really have an impression of him being regularly physical with opponents. I recall more instance where he has the drop on them, with firearms.
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Post by rom on Jul 1, 2017 21:48:33 GMT -5
Woodward didn't look as old in the first season, to me, and he didn't engage in physical stuff that much and usually used subterfuge to maneuver into a better position, as an experienced fighter would do. His health suffered over the series and he did have a heart attack, leading to episodes without him, using people like Richard Jordan and Robert Mitchum to cover for his absence. A lot of the heavy work was done by younger associate Mickey Kostmayer (Keith Szarabajka), who was often on loan from The Company. McCall more often than not, utilized strategy to distract his targets and get them into vulnerable positions. I don't really have an impression of him being regularly physical with opponents. I recall more instance where he has the drop on them, with firearms. True. The clip I posted above with McCall getting "physical" in his fights with evil-doers was a compilation of scenes from the show, but in actuality these incidents were few & far between. He primarily defeated his opponents by his reliance on weapons, friends/associates who helped him, and his skill/expertise at urban "warfare" that he had presumably learned in his years doing black-ops work (primarily overseas, presumably). |
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