The Equalizer will continue to be on the case for CBS. It has been announced that the Queen Latifah-led crime drama has been renewed for a second season.
The news of the renewal comes on the heels of the reboot putting up strong viewing numbers in the weeks after its Super Bowl Sunday debut. The show's post-Super Bowl premiere averaged 20.4 million viewers the night it aired, growing to 23.8 million with delayed viewing. Subsequent episodes, while down from the Super Bowl inflated premiere, are also doing well with an average of about 11.5 million viewers. Through four episodes, The Equalizer is the most-watched show (excluding sporting events) on network TV this season with 14.6 million viewers per episode. Even removing the post-Super Bowl premiere, it would rank in the top five. In the coveted 18-49 demo that is still very important to network TV, The Equalizer is averaging a 2.8 rating in the demo including the Super Bowl episode and a 1.45 demo score without it (also including delayed viewing). That's a pretty strong showing for network TV in this current viewing climate. CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl, had this to say about the renewal:
"The Equalizer has proven more than equal to the task of engaging viewers and racking up wins on Sunday night. We're extremely proud to see this outstanding broadcast drama, led by Queen Latifah, punch through the competitive landscape and return for a second season."
The Equalizer reboot follows Robyn McCall (Queen Latifah), an enigmatic African American woman with a mysterious background that uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. McCall comes across to most like an average single mom who is quietly raising her teenage daughter. But to a trusted few, she is "The Equalizer" — an anonymous guardian angel and defender of the downtrodden, who's also dogged in her pursuit of personal redemption. The series also stars Chris Noth, Lorraine Toussaint, Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, and Laya DeLeon Hayes.
I haven't watched this series beyond the premiere but I thought the first episode was decent. Not typically into CBS procedurals but stoked that Queen Latifah found a hit with this show as I think she's pretty deserving and she's definitely the series' strongest asset.
Have YOU been watching The Equalizer? Happy to see it earn a second season?