CBS wants a lot more of The Equalizer with Queen Latifah. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the network has officially put in a renewal order for two more seasons of the acclaimed TV series. With seasons 3 and 4 made official, this will guarantee The Equalizer stays on the air through the 2023-24 season. The series is preparing to air its season 2 finale this month after initially debuting in 2021. In a statement, Thom Sherman of CBS Entertainment said of the renewal:
“The Equalizer continues to pack a powerful punch on Sunday nights, and we’re thrilled to have it back for two more seasons. The success of The Equalizer is due to the sum of its parts — an outstanding cast led by the superb Queen Latifah, plus the exceptional creative team that has continued to evolve their storytelling with a compelling mix of everyday justice, family dynamics and real-world issues that connect and resonate with audiences.”
Queen Latifah stars in the show's lead role and serves as an executive producer alongside Andrew Marlowe, Terri Edda Miller, John Davis, John Fox, Debra Martin Chase, Richard Lindheim, Shakim Compere, and Joseph C. Wilson. Wilson and Adam Glass will serve as showrunners for season 3.
In The Equalizer, which is a reboot of the original TV series and its feature films, stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, a divorced single mother and former CIA operative who becomes a street vigilante to help those with nowhere else to turn. The series also stars Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, and Lorraine Toussaint. Jada Pinkett Smith also guest starred in the show's second season.
Chris Noth Exited the Series Under Controversial Circumstances
Sex and the City's Chris Noth had also been one of the show's main stars, but that changed abruptly during season 2. The actor was accused of sexual assault and misconduct by two women in an article published by The Hollywood Reporter, and though he released a statement declaring that he's innocent, CBS dismissed Noth from his role in The Equalizer partway through season 2's production. Noth has not been criminally charged at this time in relation to the accusations. In any case, the show's producers opted to write out Noth's character in a major way and he won't be featured in the show's third or fourth seasons.
"It's still surreal. It is such a dicey, delicate situation that requires a great deal of respect," Noth's co-star Queen Latifah said of the situation in January, per People. "We are figuring out what we want to do creatively on the show and how we're going to deal with that character. Chris's character's obviously a big part of the show and it was amazing chemistry, amazing chemistry. And my feeling is justice has to prevail regardless. I just want the right things to be done, you know?"
The next episode of The Equalizer will air on May 8 followed by the season 2 finale on May 15.