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What you think of when someone says the name The Equalizer probably depends entirely on how old you are. The franchise dates all the way back to the mid-1980s when it ran for four seasons on CBS. Fast-forward nearly thirty years and The Equalizer is an action film series starring Denzel Washington. Meanwhile, there is a second television reboot on the air starting in 2021.

Confused? That’s understandable, but it is fairly straightforward once you break it down. Here is every show and movie in The Equalizer franchise and how to watch them in order.

How to watch The Equalizer in order

Despite all sharing the same name and concept – an ex-CIA agent atones for their past sins by helping those in need – each entry in The Equalizer franchise exists in its own continuity. The original series ran back in the 1980s and has been rebooted twice – first as three films starring Denzel Washington and then as a television series starring Queen Latifah.

The release order of The Equalizer franchise is:

• The Equalizer Season 1 Episodes 1-22 (1985)
• The Equalizer Season 2 Episodes 1-22 (1986)
• The Equalizer Season 3 Episodes 1-22 (1987)
• The Equalizer Season 4 Episodes 1-22 (1988)
• The Equalizer (2014)
• The Equalizer 2 (2018)
• The Equalizer Season 1 Episodes 1-10 (2021)
• The Equalizer Season 2 Episodes 1-18 (2021)
• The Equalizer Season 3 Episodes 1-18 (2022)
• The Equalizer 3 (2023)
• The Equalizer Season 4 Episodes 1-10 (2024)

Where can I watch The Equalizer series and films?

With three separate continuities out there, it can be a bit tricky to know where to find one specific series within the franchise. Unfortunately, outside of purchasing a physical copy, there is no way to watch the original TV show starring Edward Woodard. If you want to watch the Denzel Washington films, all three are available on Netflix in the US.

For the 2021 The Equalizer series starring Queen Latifah, you stream all four seasons on Paramount+.

Do The Equalizer movies and TV shows crossover?

Aside from a similar concept and a focus on action, there isn’t much crossover between the different The Equalizer continuities. Melissa Leo, who guest starred in the third episode of the original series, appears in the first two The Equalizer films, though that isn’t enough to establish a real connection between the two.

However, the producers of the 2021 The Equalizer series are open to the idea of crossing over in some way with Denzel Washington’s film series, though what form that might take is entirely up in the air.

What’s next for The Equalizer?

So far, Denzel Washington has been pretty clear that he views The Equalizer 3 as his last outing in the franchise, so we wouldn’t expect to see him back anytime soon. Never say never, though – stranger things have happened in Hollywood.

As for Queen Latifah’s take on The Equalizer series, there is significantly more hope. After four seasons, CBS opted to pick up the series for a fifth season due out in Fall 2024.

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