‘The Equalizer’ With Queen Latifah Premieres After the Super Bowl, and Viewers Weigh in on New CBS Series

The Equalizer, a new CBS series starring Queen Latifah, premiered after the Super Bowl and viewers are weighing in. In the new crime drama, Latifah plays Robyn McCall, also known as “the Equalizer.” McCall is a divorced single mother who previously worked for the CIA but now carries out vigilante justice while also running down some vendettas she means to avenge.

In addition to Latifah, the series also stars Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint, and Chris Noth. The new show marks the second time that The Equalizer has been rebooted since the original series aired on CBS in the late 1980s. A film with Denzel Washington in the title role debuted in 2012, and a sequel film followed in 2018. Latifah’s Equalizer has a lot more in common with the original series, it seems, but plays off some of the gritty changes from Washington’s films. Scroll down to see what viewers are saying about the new show, and read a few reviews from critics, as published on Rotten Tomatoes.

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“Latifah fills out the role with ease and there is nothing subtle about the show’s emphasis on a Black woman making things right for people who have been wronged,” wrote Globe and Mail critic John Doyle.

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“Latifah, headlining a series for the first time since the ensemble sitcom Living Single ended more than 20 years ago, has such sure instincts and easy confidence that she isn’t brought down by the material,” said The New York Times’ Mike Hale.

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“The premiere does a nice job of laying out all the ingredients, hoping at least some of that audience will come back for seconds,” offered CNN.com writer Brian Lowry.

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“The Equalizer isn’t anything special. But it’s perfectly fine, which might just be enough right now,” wrote USA Today’s Kelly Lawler.

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Decider’s Joel Keller says, “Latifah’s empathetic performance makes The Equalizer extremely watchable, as does the rest of the cast.”

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“The Equalizer packs enough action to satisfy its post-Super Bowl audience, most likely,” Oregonian writer Kristi Turnquist said. “But it’s refreshing to see a few quieter moments of insight, mixed in with the good guys prevailing.”

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Lastly, TV Line’s Dave Nemetz wrote, “I’ve seen the premiere – it’s an efficiently built thrill ride, bringing the franchise firmly into the 2020s and providing a perfect starring vehicle for Queen Latifah, who makes the whole thing click into place.” Disclosure: PopCulture is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.