Overview
The series stars British actor Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a former covert operations officer of an unnamed U.S. Government intelligence organization, which was often referred to simply as "The Agency" or "The Company" (it is implied that it is the CIA), who tries to atone for past sins by offering, free of charge, his services as a troubleshooter (often literally), a protector, and an investigator. People in need find him through a newspaper ad: "Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer. 212 555 4200". In the pilot episode (as he "opens for business"), we discover that the nickname "Equalizer" was bestowed on him by another operative, played by American comedian Jerry Stiller.
Aided by a group of sometimes-mysterious contacts (some of whom date back to his spying days), McCall traverses the streets of New York City, visiting justice upon hoodlums, rapists, racists, murderers, kidnappers, drug dealers, and other "truly deserving" people. His contacts are also prone to human foibles, ranging from egotism to domestic problems.
McCall himself is divorced, a "lost dad" long estranged from his son, Scott (William Zabka from The Karate Kid). Scott comes back into his life as a young adult who is at first bitterly critical of his father's world, but who becomes drawn into that world to the dismay of both of his parents. McCall also lost a woman he was in love with named Manon Brevard and discovers that she had secretly given birth to his daughter.
Many episodes focus on McCall interacting with "Control" (played by Robert Lansing), the unnamed head of the New York office of the secret organization for which McCall used to work. In later episodes Richard Jordan joined the cast as fellow "equalizer" Harley Gage in order to reduce the workload on Edward Woodward, who suffered a heart attack in 1987. Gage is a "retired" intelligence operative and former colleague of McCall's. Robert Mitchum also filled in for Woodward during that time. Mitchum portrayed Richard Dyson a former assistant director of the Agency who retired but was a friend and colleague of McCall's. Most of the time, McCall was aided by Mickey Kostmayer (Keith Szarabajka), a much younger agent who was more or less permanently lent to him by Control when Kostmayer wasn't overseas on assignment, and by Jimmy (Mark Margolis), a former colleague of McCall's who was often called on to either get information on a suspect or to do various favors. As a general rule, however the people answering the newspaper ad were unremarkable, average, and unknown.
McCall's primary car was a Satin Black 1984 Jaguar XJ6 Series III. His car was upgraded to a 1986 model (third brake light) and later to the new 1988 body.
Read more about this topic: The Equaliser