The Equalizers

The Equalizer Season 4 Episode 3: Riding the Elephant

The Equalizer dives deep into a great story set in the gritty side of Chinatown. Lots of action, a love story, father/son drama, importing heroin, a seedy club/massage parlor called The Rose of Bangkok, explosions, kickboxing, some great Equalizer/Control arguments about morality, and strong Asian cast (though not necessarily Thai as the story calls for). A great one to watch while the country still has James Hong fever after EEAAO. Chris and Chuck bravely break it down as always, this time taking from their toolbox something they haven't used in a while, a dramatic scene read.

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The Equalizer Season 4 Episode 2: Sea of Fire

There is another street gang in the Equalizer universe, and just like the others, it has no apparent business plan or any kind of plan really outside of revelling in being terrors in their community. This gang, the Demon Lords, commit a crime in their high school much much worse than their otherwise Greasers "spitballs and goofing in the hallways" demeanor. Equalizer is on the case as a teacher this time, going all Dangerous Minds on them. Also Mickey's got a spiffy new short haircut which sparks Chris to think back to his skateboarding past.

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The Equalizer Season 4 Episode 1: The Last Campaign

We're back, baby! Season 4 of the Equalizers podcast is officially afoot, and the original Equalizer gives us another classic to start us off. Stanley Tucci as a scheming NYC politician frames one of his workers and she ends up in a mental institution. The Equalizer and Pete (in her final EQ episode) pose as new patients to help her out (EQ undercover, always a treat). Also an early role for Wendell "Bunk Moreland" Pierce. Plus we go over the landscape of the 88-89 TV season, what the landscape is for the final EQ season and the last TV season of the 80s. Join us as we start what is sure later to be heralded as a groundbreaking season of podcasting.

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The Equalizers Clip Show Celebration! Before kicking off season four, Chris and Chuck dust off their matching tuxes, rent out the closest thing the Chicagoland area has to the Acadamy Awards' Dolby Theater (the Hyatt O'Hare in Rosemont), and host the first ever Equalizers podcast clip show! For the special occasion, your humble hosts have picked out a few clips from the most recent podcast season: from the highly acclaimed to fan favorites to personal picks to the most historically significant. It was a magical evening and thanks to everyone for coming out and celebrating... and for helping remind Frank Whaley not to fill up on appetizers!

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Bonus Episode: Review a DVD Featurette: The Story of The Equalizer

We're between seasons now so it's a fun time to cover some different territory... but not that different. We watched a 45 minute featurette included in an Equalizer DVD set called The Story of The Equalizer. We all know the show deserves a sweeping documentary highlighting the impact of the show, how it fit into the late 80s culture, ideally with a realistic presentation of the strengths and endearing weaknesses of the show itself. This isn't quite that. This is four interviews plus clips of the show and that's about it. And even when Keith Szarabajka is containing his bitterness at being overlooked to carry the show while Edward Woodward was recovering from a heart attack, it's all a rather rose-tinted view of the show. Still there are some good stories about the show, some great stories about Robert Mitchum, and now we're even better poised to take on the final season.

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The Equalizer Season 3 Episode 22: Always a Lady

The Equalizer show packs a lot into their season finale: Agency intrigue, flashbacks, past romances, a casino with a back room for the mobsters that own the place and one of those secret buttons under the roulette table. Some episode superlatives: more female guest stars than usual, more gruesome crime scenes than we're used to, and a rare plot twist. And we, your fearless guides on this journey, reflect on this season finale and look hopefully towards the future (season four of The Equalizer).

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The Equalizer Season 3 Episode 21: Target of Choice

The penulimate episode of season 3 sees the return of actor's actor Michael Parks as Paul Gray whose family (teenage son and wife suffering from MS) is in danger because a man he testified against is inexplicably out of prison. Some great Mickey time in this one (long overdo), plus a crazily plotted action scene, expectedly awkard portrayal of Paula Gray's condition, and some fiery Equalizer lectures to their lame teenage son. It's happened before that episodes waver as we get close to the end of the season, but this one is still a solid true-to-form Equalizer.

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The Equalizer Season 3 Episode 20: Regrets Only

We've seen plenty of damsel in distress plotlines, but this one starts at crazy and builds to "What is even going on?" A woman is terrorized by her ex-husband's weird gaslighting schemes that are tough to prove. But crazy schemes are right up The Equalizer's alley; he counters with gauging with "Hm what effect will it have on this guy if I pretend to take a romantic interest in his ex-wife?" ... and then, to the viewer's surprise, they actually do take a romantic interest in each other. Warning: The episode itself, with its ever-increasing absurdity paired with the May-December romance, has in some cases (ours) led to nausea.

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The Equalizer Season 3 Episode 19: Last Call

Two hooligans take over Pete's, the Irish pub that Robert McCall bought earlier this season. Among the hostages are Mickey and Pete (note, a woman), both agents (current and former) who you'd think could easily take on these amateur thugs (and could more to do on the show as well). But no it's Equalizer who goes around learning more about the hooligans (learning a little too much, file under Bizarrely Graphic Details), then mediating a deal (which of course goes awry and the bad guys get shot). Another stellar EQ bottle episode, and also we break down the Police Academy movies.

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The Equalizer Season 3 Episode 18: No Place Like Home

The Equalizer helps out a down-on-their-luck family who needs welfare assistance in the time of Reaganomics. This one surely had people chatting at the water cooler as they waited for their inter-office mail. This hit the topic thoroughly, between Mickey "Bootstraps" Kostmayer, the actual streets of NYC, multiple levels of capitalists and welfare programs, even the media. The usual Equalizer crazy antics made way for a renowned director (Tobe Hooper) and a top-tier guest spot by new-on-the-scene Michael Rooker. We don't solve all of the nation's problems in our discussion of this episode, but we got to most of them.

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