There’s never a dull moment as we approach upfronts because there’s almost always some shows in jeopardy in the lead-up to May.
Last year, it was NCIS: Hawai’i, which was ultimately canceled despite being one of the most-watched shows on broadcast TV.
As a diehard NCIS: Hawai’i fan, the decision from CBS to end the show without so much as a conclusion was a gutpunch.
I’m concerned that The Equalizer will meet the same fate this season.
We’re at the beginning of April, and it’s the sole CBS drama still awaiting word on its future.
The network banished the Queen Latifah drama to the 10 p.m. slot on Sundays to make way for freshman dud Watson.
I’m calling that show a dud because its numbers haven’t been great, and the plot hasn’t been the most creative.
Watson is a Dud, and You Won’t Change My Mind
Simply put, the series has a fantastic cast buoyed by Morris Chestnut, but there isn’t much of note going on to make me want to tune into every episode.
Admittedly, I was stunned to hear that it had been renewed because it’s usually easy to tell which shows resonate with the CBS audience.
Moving The Equalizer to a later time period understandably resulted in reduced on-air numbers.
There’s a case to be made for the series to air in the 8 p.m. slot because it features high action, with a dash of procedural elements that make it perfect for leading off the night.
Had CBS been more interested in salvaging the series, it would have been better off trialing it out in the 8 p.m. slot another night of the week.
With S.W.A.T. on its way out the door, there’s certainly room on Fridays.
Some of CBS’s longest-running shows have made Fridays their home, and rather than sacrifice a fantastic show like The Equalizer, it would have been better to try it on a new night.
CBS can brag about Watson’s success all it wants, but the series has flatlined after its premiere, which had a strong lead-in to help numbers.
The Equalizer Had Strong Ratings
The Equalizer was once very competitive in the 8 p.m. timeslot. It did move to 9 p.m. out of Tracker and remained a hit because the shows were tonally compatible.
I can’t help but think that Watson would have pulled in relatively similar numbers to what it’s pulling in now in the 10 p.m. slot.
I can’t shake the feeling that CBS is purposefully harming The Equalizer to make its inevitable cancellation seem justified.
12 scripted shows have already been renewed, and some spinoffs are on tap for the 2025-26 season, so there’s a lack of schedule space for The Equalizer.
Since it’s the only scripted drama on CBS still to hear word on its fate, I hope that negotiations are underway to keep the show around in some capacity.
The more likely scenario is that The Equalizer will get the pink slip, and a spinoff will follow.
That would leave Robyn McCall and everyone in her orbit’s storylines incomplete, which isn’t the best way to promote a spinoff.
All I can do is wait to find out what becomes of the show, but I’ll die on the hill that CBS harmed the show and will end it with a less-than-satisfying finale.
The same happened with NCIS: Hawai’i, and it’ll continue to occur because networks can get away with it.
Over to you, The Equalizer Fanatics!
What’s your take on the way the series has been handled?
Do you think CBS has made a big mistake?
Hit the comments.
Watch The Equalizer Online
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