List of The Equalizer (1985 TV series) episodes

The following is an episode list of the 1980s CBS, cult classic ^[1] vigilante series, The Equalizer .

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	22		September 18, 1985	April 8, 1986
2	22		October 8, 1986	May 27, 1987
3	22		September 23, 1987	May 4, 1988
4	22		October 26, 1988	August 24, 1989

Episodes

Season 1 (1985–86)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Rating/share (households)
1	1	"The Equalizer" "Pilot"	Rod Holcomb	Michael Sloan	September 18, 1985 (1985-09-18)	83517	18.3/32 [2]
At knife-point, a girl in the subway is used as a shield by agent Cristolides (David Labiosa). Robert McCall talks him down, but Cristolides is shot by agent Mason (Casey Biggs). McCall considers shooting Mason.... The music teacher (Paul Jabara) jokes with Scott McCall, as his estranged father arrives. Disenchanted, wanting "a new slate," Robert resigned from an unnamed American intelligence "Company." Scott agrees to give his father a chance. On a quest for atonement, McCall checks the ad he bought: GOT A PROBLEM? ODDS AGAINST YOU? CALL THE EQUALIZER 212-555-4200 Art teacher Carlene Randall (Patricia Kalember) rebukes her daughter Sarah (Carrie Kei Heim) for talking to a stranger. The stranger watches... Hamilton at Manhattan Telecommunications discovers "a locked sequence, 0900" in a restricted account list with an embedded phone number; Pentagon General Branford answers. Olsen and Gardner take him to Senior VP Leonard Morgan (Michael Levin). The stranger calls Carlene. "What are you wearing? My name is Steve...it is time that we really meet." She hangs up... but he's outside... waving... Control dissuades McCall from resigning; he's a security risk. Hamilton is nearly killed. His wife Ellen listens as he calls The Equalizer. Carlene is shopping... so is Steve... Someone shoots at Hamilton. McCall drives away, but "This isn't quite working..." He takes action. "NOW it's working." NYPD Detective Lieutenant Jefferson Burnett from the 83rd Precinct wonders about McCall's new "security officer" job, and why he should help him. McCall gives him the plate number. It's registered to Morgan. Burnett warns, "This isn't 'Nam or Africa or Central America. This is the Big A, and you don't know what guerilla warfare is until you hit those streets." Carlene is also at the precinct with Detective Lt. Goldman (David Proval), whose hands are tied. McCall gets to Hamilton's terminal. Morgan noticing, orders Olsen and Gardner to get him. Steve sees her... in her home... in the shower... "I'll be back." That's it! She calls The Equalizer. Brahms (Jerry Stiller) says he doesn't know anyone who left the Company, and tells McCall, he's "Code Red," "Top Security Violation." McCall asks Brahms to crack the "0900" code. Steve's back! McCall confronts him... with his Jaguar XJ and a gun. "Leave the Lady alone!" About advertisements, Brahms comments, "I thought I was the only one who called you 'The Equalizer'." About codes, a presidential candidate was bugged; Senator Jim Blanding (George Hearn). McCall suspects extortion. Control lowers McCall's code to Yellow, "officially dangerous, but tolerable." McCall goes to confront Morgan. Meanwhile... Steve grabs Carlene at knife-point.
2	2	"China Rain"	Richard Compton	Story by : Victor Hsu Teleplay by : Joel Surnow & Maurice Hurley & Victor Hsu	September 25, 1985 (1985-09-25)	61204	14.3/23 [3]
The maid Mrs. Tom (Lauren Tom) brings her son Vincent to work, upsetting Mr. Lin (Tzi Ma). Mrs. Lin (Jodi Long) prompts Sarah (Pippa Pearthree), who takes them out. Chinatown gangsters kidnap Vincent, mistaking him for Henry. Lt. Burnett prepares for ransom calls. Hans and Maxine show for the party but quickly retreat. Control wants McCall's operational notes. The Shemoneh Esrei "benediction for new life" persuades McCall to trade. Mr. Lin won't pay two-million. A police detective (James Russo) carelessly blurts defeatist remarks. Sarah sees the ad; Mrs. Tom calls. McCall searches Chinatown, passing a man sitting on the steps (Kim Chan), and a Chinese teen (Linda Wang), to a nightclub. The bartender Dal (Kevin Gray), calls for the "Head of Personal Relations," Cynthia (Karen Akers). Tommy Li (Ching Valdes-Aran) and McCall talk "Old Times." She says, "Joe Boys," but dreads turf wars. McCall replies, "I'm the war you have to avoid." She gives a clue; "Axe." A technician hacks Mr. Lin's system. McCall leverages Lin's interests in Laos and Amsterdam, for a $100,000 token, to "follow the money." Joe Boys celebrate (Donald Li, Al Leong, et al.). McCall scopes Chung's premises, and trades his marker with Control; he needs supplies, and a "wacko who's willing to stick his finger in the fan," Mickey Kostmayer. Mrs. Tom prays... Burnett gets an address... McCall and Mickey go in...
3	3	"The Defector"	Rod Holcomb	Heywood Gould	October 2, 1985 (1985-10-02)	61213	12.1/20 [4]
Trade Attaché clerk Felix Dzershinsky (Joe Silver) cannot access the Russian Consul (Colin Fox). North American KGB Station Chief Karl Radek (Jaroslav Stremien) suspects Felix is a highly trained American double-agent. "Let's see what he'll do now..." Felix calls his handler, McCall. The ballet master directs Irina Dzershinsky (Melissa Leo), as Felix describes his predicament. Control provides "bare minimum backup" for a "minor league operative." Enter Jacob Stock who bungles a breakdancing distraction. Felix dies, defecting. Lt. Burnett doesn't like "cloak and dagger games." McCall confronts Control about Stock, and intuits it's Radek "The Avenger." Irena gets a "Nightingale" number, and "Equalizer" ad, but blames McCall. He helps another caller; at K.H.C. Pizzeria, Larry Kelly (J. D. Roth) needs a crash-course in self-defense against bullies led by Indio (Jorge Noa). Larry, "Who are you?" McCall, "You were, possibly, expecting Clint Eastwood?" Russian operatives trap Irena. She calls McCall. Radek reacts, "Better call our two Americans..." Larry stands up, and is beat-down. His father Vince (Tom Brennan) vows to "straighten them out," but "It's his fight." Officer O'Hare (Victor Argo) puts Irena into "protective" custody. McCall gets the bad news, and gears up. Jacob wants to help. "I have to help!"
4	4	"The Lock Box"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Frank Military Teleplay by : Frank Military & Joel Surnow & Maurice Hurley	October 9, 1985 (1985-10-09)	61216	15.0/25 [5]
"Wow! We're in New York!" exclaims seventeen year-old Edie. Her mother Eleanor (Maureen Anderman) lets a gypsy cabbie (Luis Guzmán) load up. A union cabbie ousts him...with luggage. The hotel clerk (Stewart Steinberg) gouges Sam Griffith (J. T. Walsh) for squalid lodgings. Curious, Edie leaves...at night...alone...accosted by Ramon Scavosa (Jamie Tirelli)... "saved" by Francis DeGraumont (Adam Ant). An Officer (Daryl Edwards) reports to the Desk Sergeant (David Alan Grier). The Griffiths wait for the Lieutenant (Richard Portnow). Eleanor is handed an advert. McCall entertains voyeuristic suggestions from Angelica (Sara Botsford). The Lieutenant thinks Edie ran away, and tells Eleanor to wait in Duluth. Furious, she calls. McCall tells Dana Caldrin, "I need a tour of the cesspool, so naturally I thought of you." They go clubbing. Dana points out Brandy, a hooker (Lori Petty). Brandy explains, "She's getting a crash course...A lock box...whatever he wants...invitation-only." She names Scavosa. Dana elaborates, "2-bit ball racker for DeGraumont." McCall knows that name. A waiter (Jeff McCarthy) brings Sam's burger...rare. He doesn't complain, angering Eleanor. Fed up, Sam goes hunting. McCall poses as a john to save Edie. Sam gets the news...diplomatic immunity. Eleanor calls again, to stop Sam from killing him...
5	5	"Lady Cop"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Kathryn Bigelow & Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow Teleplay by : Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow	October 16, 1985 (1985-10-16)	61208	14.4/23 [6]
Mulligan Man airs on WJZA's Face to Face. DJ Harmon Hunter (Reginald VelJohnson) yells, "They go'n kill me, man!" (Loan-sharks) McCall, "Call the police! Leave town?" The superintendent (Miguel Piñero) leads Officer Nick Braxton (Will Patton) and Officer Sandra Stahl (Karen Young) to the body. Stahl tries calling in. Officer Miguel Canterra (Esai Morales), "Where ya going?" Officer Frank Sergi (Bruce MacVittie), "You're new Stahl...be cool...learn something." They search. Canterra, "I once found $6,800 under a mattress!" Braxton finds jewelry. Stahl, "That's not evidence! ...This is not a game I play." Braxton, "You're already on the team." Her father, Sergeant Marvin Stahl (Michael Higgins) concludes, "This isn't a holy crusade. It's just a job." She diagrees. A drug dealer gives Braxton an envelope. She protests. Fact of Life #4: "Give us any trouble and you're dead." At home, her gun-cleaning blotter shows an advertisement. McCall, how deep is it? Stahl, can you Equalize the NYPD? He tails Braxton...with a camera; the Pawnbroker (Maurice Shrog), bedroom, nightclub. A technician hacking NYPD finds leverage. For silence, with Stahl's gun, Braxton kills a bum (Raynor Scheine). McCall, "Dosage?" Jimmy, If you mix them, "buckle up...Snakes eating Snakes." Stahl, McCall, and Burnett, set a trap.
6	6	"The Confirmation Day"	Richard Colla	Story by : Eric Blakeney & Gene Miller Teleplay by : Edward Adler & Heywood Gould	October 23, 1985 (1985-10-23)	61205	12.9/21 [7]
The choirmaster scolds fourteen year-old Anthony Ganucci for passing notes. Outside, Frankie Corso tells his best friend Louie Ganucci (Burt Young), It's a 15-minute trip for $1,500. Louie doesn't want crooked work. Louie tells Anthony, "Confirmation needs a new suit," but he's broke. So Louie steals the truck, loaded with antiques, from Noble (Kent Broadhurst). Frankie is shot by Purcell (Gary Howard Klar). McCall meets Father Antonelli (John Capodice). An eccentric musical-comedy star, Henrietta Fields (Anne Jackson) says she's being stalked. Louie is now in deep trouble. Anthony hires McCall, who takes him and his mother Marie (Lois Smith) to a safe house. Lt. Burnett tells McCall, Mrs. Fields is a nut... peeping Toms, Russian spies, 2nd husband's ghost. It's a New York tragedy, but not police business. McCall wants an officer nearby anyway. Who controls the area? Burnett, "We do!" McCall, When you're not looking? Burnett, "You mean the wise guy. Eddie Vanessi (Joseph Wiseman)." McCall wonders why Vanessi wants antiques. He goes to find out. Louie, trying to handle it himself, walks into the lion's den. McCall arranges to swap swag.
7	7	"The Children's Song"	Richard Compton	Story by : Howard Chesley Teleplay by : Howard Chesley & Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow	October 30, 1985 (1985-10-30)	61203	14.0/24 [8]
Robert McCall's estranged son Scott declares he's leaving NYC for the Strasbourg Conservatory in Paris. McCall suggests a weekend at his country cabin to try and bond. A hitch-hiking couple, Jayck (Tom Isbell) and Melinda (Dana Barron), are taken off-road by young ruffians Dillart (Bradley Whitford), Ray (William Youmans), and Bobby (Perry Lang). It's clear what Dillart wants from Melinda. They try running, but Ray hits Jayck, knocking him unconscious and bloody. The hospital doctor (Ed O'Neill) pronounces Jayck dead. Dillart warns Melinda to keep quiet, and tries to get her out, but the doctor tells her that Sheriff Stone (Ken Jenkins) will want to talk. They need beer...lots of beer. At the store, they argue while the waitress (Angela Pietropinto) gets Melinda food. Dillart, "I guess we got no choice." Scott enters, "What's the matter?" "They killed Jayck, and I think they're gonna kill me, too." Scott gets her away to the cabin. They follow and cut the lines. Faced with prison, Ray goes for more firepower. Meanwhile, under siege, without their own guns, McCall improvises defenses using only what's in the cabin.
8	8	"The Distant Fire"	Alan Metzger	Story by : Robert Sabaroff Teleplay by : Robert Sabaroff & Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow	November 6, 1985 (1985-11-06)	61201	11.8/18 [9]
The hitter takes out his gear...and the kid, "No problem." Barry (Bill Cobbs), "Something came." McCall de-codes a USS Intrepid postcard: "S.A.V.E.  C.A.R.L.A." Barry, "Opposition?" McCall, "Michael Rosa (Jon DeVries)." Barry whistles, "Who's Carla?" McCall, "A woman." ...he loved. Company bureaucrat Jason Masur surveils. Rosa explains, Carla (Alberta Watson) married Ambassador Vezay Holden (George Morfogen). McCall approves, "Morality, Integrity..." Rosa, Nobel Prize candidate...there's a contract, her too. "Dreams for constitutional independence...her influence." McCall, "So the Inspired must be killed along with the Inspirer...the trigger?" Rosa, "Me...We can save her." Rosa loved her too. Masur, "Hit'em." Barry, "We're taking Rosa! Stay out of this, McCall." They escape. Masur, kill McCall too. Agent, "They won't let us." Masur, "There is no 'They,' I am the 'They.' To hell with Control." McCall fails to convince Carla to flee; "He hides, they win." Interrupted by the hostess (Dee Hoty), Sarah Claxton (Lori Cardille) introduces herself, "And you are?" McCall, "Leaving." Jimmy needing more money for his divorce lawyer, nonetheless gives McCall the Secret Service plans. McCall and Rosa make their own plan. A bearded man greets McCall at Carla's yacht. Rosa surveils from outside...
9	9	"Mama's Boy"	James Sheldon	Heywood Gould	November 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)	61219	13.5/21 [10]
Ronald Baines (Adam Horovitz) delays his friend Jeffrey Sims (Alex Winter) from seeing "charming" but "ruthless psychopath" drug dealer Eugene Benton (Mark Soper) while discussing "sheep." Victoria Baines (Christine Baranski) brags about Ron to clients (Richard Frank), as Jim Cronin (Bob Gunton) announces her promotion. Victoria confronts Ron, finds drugs, cash, and hires McCall. Lt. Burnett says, "no drug reports" at Ron's private school, "but It's everywhere...like a plague." Burnett has Benton's Staten Island mug shot...no conviction. McCall deals; Benton's supplier for letting Ron "off the hook." Victoria visits Selden Gallery, greeted by Vanessa (J. Smith-Cameron), to enlist her ex-husband Gilbert (Jim Dale). He's not interested; "The boy is on his own." Sonny and Ralph (Billy Wirth) confront Eugene, "You shorted us." Ralph pulls a switchblade. Eugene kicks him. "Protect your interests, mama's boy." Ron hits Sonny. McCall, seeing Ronnie dealing, confronts him. Jeffrey OD's. McCall passes single women (Jill Larson) at Gilbert's gallery, and Vanessa urges Gilbert to help his son. Gilbert recognizes Maureen Sims at Jeffery's funeral. McCall, "Speedballs...cocaine and heroin." Gilbert, "What can I do?" McCall, "I'm setting a trap." McCall hires Taekwondo master McGowan to test Benton's martial arts, then poses as a client.
10	10	"Bump and Run"	Richard Compton	Story by : Jim Trombetta Teleplay by : Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow	November 20, 1985 (1985-11-20)	61214	11.8/19 [11]
Two thugs walk. "Al'right!" says the first (Mark Baker). "He was 73 years old, the man you killed," protests Defense Attorney W. Donald Polk (Brian Bedford). "You're missing the point...Nobody calls us!" says the second thug (Joe Maruzzo). They purse-snatch an old lady (Sylvia Kauders). They're followed...they're shot! .44 Magnum. Sgt. Oliver Gant (Charles Brown) finds the advert, and visits McCall. The copy-cat vigilante leaves a message. McCall gets tracing tech from Ronnie (Mark Linn-Baker). Foreign student Sydney Blake (Laura Ashton) kills D.J. in a "bump and run" car-jacking. A detective (Robert Silver) and lawyer (Geoff Pierson) say they'll learn where she lives. Abmennet (Charles S. Dutton) and Tessor (Nathan George), vow to make her pay for D.J.. Mickey guards Sydney, and falls for her, to McCall's dismay. McCall tries to find the .44 dealer. Jimmy, "Not my area...Sugar Fly Simon (Meat Loaf)." Copy-cat calls are traced to the 74th precinct. Gant, Who used it? "Anyone with a quarter," answers a precinct policeman (Bobby Moresco). The copy-cat goes after Tessor and Abmennet, who go after Sydney...
11	11	"Desperately"	Donald Petrie	Charles Grant Craig	December 4, 1985 (1985-12-04)	61221	12.4/20 [12]
Robert is ill. "Pharmacy, Mr. McCall." Harvey starts pitching useless products; negative ion machines, gravity boots, electric vibrating socks... Desperate housewife Allison Webster (Blanche Baker) is lured by a stranger, Geoffery Dryden (Ray Sharkey), into breaking into an apartment where he murders a man. Pantero (Carlos Carrasco), who followed, grabs Dryden and tells him off. Allison's friend Samantha Page (Tovah Feldshuh) helps her contact The Equalizer, who deduces he is a professional hit-man. He convinces her to report to the authorities. A police lieutenant (Richard Portnow) assures them, "We'll get him." McCall doesn't seem convinced. Allison is worried he'll find out where she lives, and doesn't know how to tell her husband Ross (Luke Reilly). McCall asks Dana Caldrin for intelligence on the hit-man's identity. Dana also gets the name Macklin (David Margulies), who hired him. Dana's working girl contact Sindee provides more first-hand "crazy, monster-ama, weird" details. McCall must track down Dryden before he kills both Allison and Samantha.
12	12	"Reign of Terror"	Richard Compton	Story by : Steve Bello Teleplay by : Steve Bello & Coleman Luck	December 11, 1985 (1985-12-11)	61220	13.2/22 [13]
Doctor Timms (Lester Rawlins) quits the hood because he's just too tired of dealing with Crips thugs "Head" (Joe Maruzzo), "Primo," "Rat Heart" (Paul Calderón), and the rest. The incoming Dr. Elly Walton (Lonette McKee) refuses to pay their drug tribute, so her nurse Irma Portman (Rosemary De Angelis) calls The Equalizer. Dr. Walton sends McCall away from her free clinic; she doesn't want "another man with a gun." So, McCall visits Immanuel Pena (Tomas Milian), who he helped defect from Cuba twelve years ago. McCall hears Pena's story of torture and forgiveness, and why he stopped carrying a gun. Dr. Walton calls the precinct asking for her friend and old flame, Lt. Mason Warren. Mason confronts the gang, beats up Head, and warns them to leave Elly alone. But he hasn't worked the local 3rd street precinct in years. So the Crips intimidate all her patients instead. Rat Heart even prevents Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez from taking their six month-old baby girl for a life-saving treatment. McCall must strategize on how to defeat them without using lethal force.
13	13	"Back Home"	Alan Metzger	Story by : Neil Cohen Teleplay by : Joel Surnow & Maurice Hurley	December 18, 1985 (1985-12-18)	61209	13.6/23 [14]
Resident thugs Ben (Paul Herman) and Joe (Jude Ciccolella) terrorize elderly residents of a rundown apartment block with a Dobermann. Monty Wynn (Allen Swift) plays cards with Mrs. Washburn (Helen Hanft) waiting for his wife Lilly (Anne Pitoniak), then calls The Equalizer to end the harassment from landlord and bank owner Guthrie Browne (Frank Converse). McCall has George Cook (Charles Hallahan) protect them. McCall asks Treasury Department bank examiner Wilhite about Knickerbocker Trust and Guthrie. To surveil Guthrie, McCall poses as a customer to Eileen Arden (Jean De Baer) and talks to his limo driver (Frank Adonis) to plant a bug. Guthrie meets a dubious character. Enter Sterno, and his "creamy pork puppy" (cream cheese, sauerkraut, hotdog). McCall, "License numbers, car numbers. I want names and faces put to them." He discovers that Guthrie hired hit-man Karn to kill his estranged wife Andrea Browne (Marisa Berenson). Lt. Mason Warren plants information to misdirect anyone checking on McCall. Sterno helps McCall arrange a disturbance at Browne's bank which prompts Browne to order the building to be torched. The race is on to get everyone to safety and save the building.
14	14	"Out of the Past"	Richard Compton	Cyrus Nowrasteh	January 15, 1986 (1986-01-15)	61224	12.2/20 [15]
Ex-con Fenn (Brad Dourif) picks up Eddie Washburn (Stephen McHattie) and throws him a get-out-of-prison party, complete with cake and call girls; Gloria (Jasmine Guy), and her "twin sister" Gretchen. But Eddie is desperately ill and Gloria doesn't want that business! Eddie is dying and dreaming of vengeance. He harasses Walter Wesley (Barry Primus) who testified against him. Walter's wife Kay (Sandy Dennis) calls McCall for protection. Kay is McCall's ex-wife, and mother to their son Scott. McCall enlists Eddie's parole officer, Michael Cub (James Gammon). They find Eddie and Fenn at Mothers piano bar, named for its proprietor, Mother (Sylvia Miles). Cub roughs Eddie up and warns him away from Walter. Eddie remains undeterred. After Eddie shoots Cub, Walter confesses to being more than just a witness against Eddie, and McCall arranges a meeting to resolve their grievances.
15	15	"Dead Drop"	Donald Petrie	Maurice Hurley & Joel Surnow	January 22, 1986 (1986-01-22)	61230	13.3/22 [16]
An innocent florist, Barry Konig (James Murtaugh), is targeted after his name is marked on mail in a dead drop by doorman Sam Jacobs, who is stabbed by "the guy in the blue coat with the fur collar" (Robert O'Reilly). Inspector Logan (Barry Snider) interrogates Barry as a suspect. A police Detective (Richard Portnow) says something "doesn't scan." He hands an advert to Barry, who calls after he is nearly killed. McCall assembles a team of contacts including Mickey Kostmayer, Jimmy, Dana Caldrin, Sterno, and Ginger Brock (Robin Curtis) to stake out and tail anyone using the drops. Dana's girl Sindee provides the name Grant Lawseth (David Leary), an NSA agent, who shows up at a diner to meet "red parka man." As they all try to reason with Lawseth to call off the hit on Barry, Control's nemesis Jason Masur shows up threatening to fire McCall's contacts. Regardless, after consideration they continue to help McCall to find "the big fish" in control of the ring (James Eckhouse). McCall reports his findings to Det. Mason at the 75th precinct, and warns Masur not to push Control or it will become personal.
16	16	"Wash Up"	Richard Compton	Mark Frost	January 29, 1986 (1986-01-29)	61228	11.9/20 [17]
McCall is hired by two skyscraper window washers, Pete (Bill Cwikowski) and Lenny DeWitt (Brian Tarantina) who are certain their boss Michael Riegert (Robert Davi) will kill them for forming a union. Complicating matters, McCall's housekeeper Lettie (Yvonne Wilder) and her two sons, Jorge and Ishmael, temporarily move into his apartment. Sterno gives McCall Riegart's background. Riegart loses his contract with Gibson, putting him under pressure to square his debt with a mob boss (Joe Spinell). Riegert puts crank into coffee served by the bartender (John Michael Bolger). Stan, the man at end of the counter, tells Riegert, "same old broken record," union talk. Torqued on crank, Riegert stabs Lenny and plants the switchblade on him. His bodyguard Rick backs his play. With two-against-one testimony, Lt. Isadore Smalls say's "Do the math!" Smalls leads McCall to Big Ed, and to Ladonna Page, Rigert's battered woman. She agrees to help Jimmy and Alex (Michael O'Hare) set up Riegart for arrest.
17	17	"Torn"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Joel Surnow & Maurice Hurley Teleplay by : Carl Eastlake	February 5, 1986 (1986-02-05)	61211	11.9/20 [18]
Jessie Moore (Caitlin Clarke) asks Det. Smalls for protection from her abusive husband Mike, who is about to be released from prison, just as McCall shows up at the precinct. Detective Smalls says he has no client business there, until Jessie's young daughter Laura (Melissa Joan Hart) says she's the one who called him. Jason Masur also hires McCall to find Brian (Charles Knox Robinson), who years ago betrayed McCall, sending Angela to her death. Masur says Brian needs money, and his paymaster is Veronica Whitney (Zohra Lampert). McCall inquires about Whitney from a saleswoman (Patricia Richardson), who happens to be her daughter. He's called away; Laura has disappeared. He gains insight from Mike's case worker O'Toole (Robert John Burke). Masur, says Brian is meeting an arms dealer; McCall sets a trap for Shumway. He discusses Angela with Lettia, who comments on justice versus vengeance. With Brian on the run, and Mike coming home, McCall is torn on which case to close first.
18	18	"Unnatural Causes"	Alan Metzger	Story by : Susan Woollen Teleplay by : Susan Woollen & Coleman Luck & Scott Shepherd	February 12, 1986 (1986-02-12)	61233	11.7/19 [19]
Mrs. Lenox (Lynn Milgrim) meets her date... he brought her an orchid. McCall is hired by aspiring actress Sally Ann Carter (Kim Delaney), who was duped by a flashy pimp, Anza Serrato (Bobby DiCicco). McCall warns him off. Francine Grant, a librarian helping McCall with research, becomes the latest victim of the Orchid Killer (Kevin Geer), who strangles lonely middle-aged women answering his "Mr. Goodheart" newspaper ad. A Patrolman (Joe Lisi) tells McCall that Det. Smalls is in charge. He asks him for details, but he has none. Anza roughs Sally up...again. McCall contacts Jimmy who suggests going to Anza's boss Mr. Peters who works for "those guys." McCall contacts a retired operative, Kelly Sterling (Gwen Verdon), who helps entrap the Orchid Killer.
19	19	"Breakpoint"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Scott Shepherd Teleplay by : Scott Shepherd & Don Carlos Dunaway	February 19, 1986 (1986-02-19)	61226	13.2/22 [20]
At Benjamin's (Joseph Kell) and Deborah's (Patricia Clarkson) wedding reception, terrorists kidnap philanthropist Gustav Herant (Aharon Ipalé), taking four hostages, raffling freedom for others. McCall remains, instead of Gary (Jeff McCarthy). Lieutenant Ferraro (Dann Florek) calls to negotiate. The terrorist leader (Tony Shalhoub) wants a television first. Findlay analyzes wedding photos. Mickey tries circumventing the barricade cop (Stephen Mendillo). The Reporter (Frederica Meister) publicizes hostages: Deborah Wade, City Councilman Frank Stevens (Sam Schacht), Gwen Hunter (Phyllis Newman), Otis Hendricks (Richard Hamilton), "...Gary Speer." The leader rants at the "traitor," Herant. Mickey storms the barricade...with PIZZA! Findlay (Earl Hindman) recognizes him. Mickey, "McCall's in there...might as well be two." Findlay, "Ferraro says you're a loose grenade with no pin...he's right!" Stevens eyes a knife near a distracted terrorist (Ned Eisenberg). The leader warns him. Mickey tries the sewers, basement, vents.... Deborah is assaulted by a terrorist (Tony Spiridakis). A "doctor" (Ron Frazier) slips McCall a .22 pen-gun, and is shot. Saved by his vest he's thrown out...and Otis too. Intent on stopping them, McCall starts with Deborah's molester. Mickey arrives late, but gets a shot in.
20	20	"No Conscience"	Richard Compton	Mark Frost	March 26, 1986 (1986-03-26)	61231	10.6/20 [21]
McCall and Jimmy ride with independent cabbie Mr. Signorello (Madison Arnold) to scare off racketeers with a camera...documentary style. In a club, Vicki (Kelly Curtis) writes her number on a matchbook and gives it to Mitchell (D. W. Moffett), a womanizer, who then gives it to Donna... or was it Dana (Nitchie Barrett). Mitch is kidnapped and beaten by an industrial spy (Linda Thorson), but has no clue what "it" is that they want. Given 36 hours to find "it" he hires McCall. They track down all the women who gave him their numbers, starting with Mary (Karen Morris Gowdy). Nope...Shelly? No... The blonde on the phone (Lara Harris)? No...that's not her. Mitch sees Vicki's friend Theresa (Laurie Metcalf) and remembers the matchbook. They check on Vicki and find it, but she's been killed. McCall has Jimmy analyze it and finds a microdot, but Theresa swaps it. McCall discovers the switch after his new contact, Mr. Signorello, reports in. McCall and Mitch have to take a big gamble with the spy and her thugs. Mitch tells McCall he's going to settle down... "Hi Mitch... I'm Chris... I'm Diane..."
21	21	"Unpunished Crimes"	Alan Metzger	John Burke & Grenville Case	April 1, 1986 (1986-04-01)	61227	11.1/20 [22]
Frank Donahue (Dan Hedaya), inventor of a fuel injector, claims IP theft by Penatrax CEO Stuart Cane (John Cullum). Whitney (Lee Wallace) says they never settle nuisance cases. Presented a logbook as proof, Cane sends Whitney and Gerry Brennan (August Schellenberg) out of the office, ostensibly on errands, giving Cane a chance destroy the logbook and fake a knife attack. Frank is hauled out. After they burn his remaining records, his young son Rick calls The Equalizer. Frank's workshop is sabotaged causing an explosion, so his frustrated wife Susan (Regina Baff) leaves with his eldest son Ed (John Cameron Mitchell). To help his client Rick save his family, McCall invites them all to stay at his home for the moment. Sterno gives McCall intelligence on Cane, including ties to Red Wind terrorists led by Gianni Greco (Jon Polito). McCall enlists Greco to run a game on Cane to uncover his unpunished crimes, with a little help from other CEOs, Charles Webber (Clifford David), George Cox (Walter Bobbie), and Richard Phillips.
22	22	"Pretenders"	Richard Compton	Scott Shepherd	April 8, 1986 (1986-04-08)	61234	10.8/20 [23]
Rookie reporter Beth Mackie (Chad Redding) suspects her neighbor John Parker (Tony Musante) of criminal activity. Officer Dysan, eyeing an empty wine bottle, asks "Were you alone last night?" and suggests earplugs. Beth's editor Brian Barclay (Philip Bosco) doesn't see a story. Her jerk colleague Flynn (Bruce Jarchow) just hits on her. Her sympathetic colleague Dack (Albert Macklin) refers her to The Equalizer. McCall suspects she just wants a story. A man (Ian Buchanan) is harried and dragged from Parker's apartment. The first guy (David Bailey) assures her, he just had "too much to drink." Parker sees, and threatens Beth. McCall warns Parker directly, then talks to Det. Smalls, who surreptitiously displays Parker's file. Jimmy says he's using a false identity and is protected by Control. McCall asks Karen (Grace Garland) at the Agency to find Parker's file. Karen, "We hit a little snag...I can't help you any longer." "...Classified. Notify Supervisor." Beth's friend Cynthia (Katherine Cortez) tries to relay what she saw in the apartment she sublet to Parker, but Cynthia is killed and Beth narrowly escapes. McCall gets Beth to a safe-house, and discovers Parker's plot, but not before Beth gets into trouble.

Season 2 (1986–87)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Rating/share (households)
23	1	"Prelude"	Richard Compton	Carleton Eastlake	October 8, 1986 (1986-10-08)	17.0/28 [24]
Dictator General Astiz, for whom Robert McCall engineered a coup, kidnaps American journalist Frank Morrow (Martin Shakar). His daughter Jenny (Lori Loughlin) asks McCall to rescue him. McCall tracks down Jacob Stock, who is in his surveillance van with Alex (Joseph Mosso), to ask him about Urgate, Strossner, and Captain Vincente (Jaime Sánchez). Stock, "Try The Paradise." McCall tries a con; he feigns indignity about the price of the drink from the bartender (Kelly Lynch). Implying he needs work, McCall convinces Vincente he'll make Frank talk, in order to reveal his location. He finds Frank's torture sanctioned by Agency operatives Eric (James Rebhorn) and Stoller (Tim de Zarn), so he confronts Control. Scott isn't pleased with his father for what he did in the past for the Agency. Robert says he doesn't really know the world enough to judge him. McCalls goes after Frank's abductors with a little help from Stock, Alex, Lieutenant Elmer, and the press.
24	2	"Nocturne"	Richard Compton	Carleton Eastlake	October 15, 1986 (1986-10-15)	17.5/28 [25]
Music critic Kate Parnell (Jessica Harper) hears a man's voice in an elevator. She cries, "It's him! Stop him! Don't you hear him?" "Who, dear... Who?" asks a kind woman (Alice Drummond). "The man that did this to me!" ...Blinded, by a rapist eight years ago. Detective Lt. Isadore Smalls hasn't much evidence, but provides McCall the police report. Hearing an intruder, Kate's friend Susan calls McCall, who grills the doorman Jeremy (Thomas A. Carlin) about his missing keys. Company agent Logan (Michael Parks), who is suicidal after a failed mission, tries protecting Kate. Matters worsen when Kate reviews Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson performing a hit single, "Count Your Blessings," from their new album. Someone shoots at Kate during their performance. McCall cashes a chit from computer expert Joshua (Brad Sullivan) to create a voice simulation, and Smalls sends an APB. Former police officer Julian Coe (Ron Frazier) hears the APB at Crime Division and leaves. McCall asks Coe's secretary (Tanya Berezin) about the voice. McCall and Logan race to intercept the suspect.
25	3	"A Community of Civilized Men"	Alan Metzger	Daniel Pyne & Scott Shepherd	October 22, 1986 (1986-10-22)	12.9/21 [26]
The widow Julia Jacobs (Tammy Grimes) is pressed by Mr. Cooper (Lewis J. Stadlen) to pay her husband's debts. She asks McCall for help after collectors Michaels (Bruce Altman) and Wirth (Zach Grenier) vandalize her business. McCall, "IRS keeping you busy?" Wilhite, "Giving new meaning to, 'Uncle Sam wants you!'." Wilhite looks at Cooper's books. McCall warns Cooper. Grateful, Julia wants to get to know McCall. Preparing for his date, McCall finds a novelty from Adultarama...a signal to meet. A peepshow girl shows him to a private room...Control's there. He wants the Genesis list. McCall finds Julia murdered. Her daughter Valerie Jacobs (Jennifer Grey) can't understand why...and, "Who ARE you?" McCall suspects Valerie is being targeted by a third party, a ghost named Zahn (Lewis Van Bergen). While McCall is surveying a bombing, police officers Webster (Patrick Kilpatrick) and Cook ask Valerie to come to the precinct for questions. Out of the safe house, Zahn grabs Valerie, forcing McCall to confront Zahn.
26	4	"Joyride"	Russ Mayberry	Jim Trombetta & Charles Grant Craig	October 29, 1986 (1986-10-29)	14.4/26 [27]
Teens Michael Winslow (Christian Slater) and Steve take a hearse on a joyride, but are unaware of the crack cocaine in the coffin. Steve tries to find a buyer through their friend Rachel (Kristen Vigard). Mike's mother Ruth Winslow (Olga Bellin) calls McCall for help, so Mike and Mr. Winslow (Eddie Jones) show McCall the hearse, which now has a dead body in the casket. Before Control can find out, McCall pays off a gambling debt for Company agent Sonny Raines. In return, Sonny gives McCall intelligence on the hearse owner Norton R. Selby (Roger Robinson). McCall bugs Selby's office at his funeral home, and Jimmy records him. McCall and Raines go to find Steve and the drugs, and calls Det. Smalls when they find Steve dead. McCall and Raines go after Aurelio and Selby. McCall tries to save Rachel from herself.
27	5	"Shades of Darkness"	Donald Petrie	Jack V. Fogarty	November 5, 1986 (1986-11-05)	14.1/24 [28]
National Guard Lieutenant Dan Turner (Lenny Von Dohlen) sees deranged mercenary Rick Dillon (Bill Sadler) escape after murdering Nancy Polinski. Leo Barnes (Sam Coppola) witnesses Dan over Nancy's body. After being arrested, Dan's priest Father Martin O'Donohugh (Edward Binns), who was with McCall in the army, contacts The Equalizer for help. Judge Paula G. Walsh (Olympia Dukakis) releases Dan on his own recognizance, angering Nancy's father Frank Polinski (J. J. Johnston). Dillon tells Dan he is going to hunt him, and he starts with Dan's sister Lorraine. Martin takes McCall to see a recruiter (Caroline Kava) to identify the mercenary, and the hunt is on.
28	6	"Nightscape"	Aaron Lipstadt	Carleton Eastlake	November 12, 1986 (1986-11-12)	15.7/27 [29]
Three men in the subway brutally gang-rape Amanda Kaufman (Frances Fisher). She asks McCall to stop her husband Jim (Thomas G. Waites) from exacting revenge. McCall suggests she talk to a friend, so she calls Zena (Madeleine Potter). He asks Det. Smalls for computer access so his hacker contact Jonah can determine the suspects' routine; rob first, drink next, rape later. McCall intercepts Jim, just as he is about to shoot Ricky Franklin (Tim Guinee), Time (Mark Boone Junior) and another punk for harassing a woman. They are the wrong guys, but "vermin just the same." Jim leaves as police arrive. One of the rapists (Matthew Cowles) robs a watch from a guy and stabs him before committing their next rape. McCall and Amanda find Jim, and she reveals that she knows why he is so angry. McCall gets a tip from a bartender and races to intercede before the gang can rape Zena. McCall finally opens up and admits what he does for a living to his new love interest, Allison (Lisa Banes). "There's always one who wields the Sword of Damocles...."
29	7	"Counterfire"	Alan Metzger	Scott Shepherd & Coleman Luck	November 19, 1986 (1986-11-19)	16.0/26 [30]
McCall walks into a bar... while a comedian (Mickey Freeman) does his act... poorly. McCall meets Teddie's waitress Anne Fitzgerald (Lisa Pelikan) who asks him to protect her from being killed. He tracks down Terry (Laura Dean), a hooker who's been putting Anne's name in the obituaries. She says it was joke from her john, Thomas Marley Jr. (Vincent D'Onofrio). Elderly blind conman Tom Clark (William Hickey) fakes being hit by McCall's car, and a newsvendor berates him. Marley frames McCall for Clark's murder. NYPD Detective Lieutenant Kramer interrogates him. At arraignment, Judge Maurice Sanderling (Sully Boyar) denies bail, but Control arranges a distraction to extract him. Marley reports his progress to his incarcerated father (Leonardo Cimino). On the run with his face in the newspaper, his cabbie Mosley (Jihmi Kennedy) calls it in.After Marley tries to kill Anne, she tells McCall that Clark gave her that alias, and her real name is Diane Snyder, but is it really? McCall races to thwart Marley and clear his name. Includes Miguel Pinero's last screen appearance, as a Drunk.
30	8	"The Line"	Russ Mayberry	Steve Volpe	November 26, 1986 (1986-11-26)	15.9/28 [31]
McCall is called by Miriam Blain (Novella Nelson) whose son Randy is killed accidentally by five men of the West Grove Citizen's Patrol. They lie to Lt. Vocek (Joe Grifasi) saying Randy was committing a crime. Jimmy gathers intel on patrolmen and local police who try to set up McCall. When they fail, patrolman Al Weaver goes after Miriam in her home and she kills him in self-defense. Her son Eugene tries to buy a gun from local thug Jumpin' Jack (Giancarlo Esposito). Patrolmen Vic Roselli and Lou Marsh receive blackmail photos, so they suspect patrolman Ben Carrigan (Donald Buka), and they turn on each other. McCall intercedes when Vic tries to kill their leader, Marty Bennett.
31	9	"Tip on a Sure Thing"	Donald Petrie	Scott Shepherd	December 3, 1986 (1986-12-03)	16.2/27 [32]
McCall starts his day while Warner Wolf announces horse racing news on television. Maria Rivera (Denise Dumont), the wife of jockey Luis Rivera (Daniel Faraldo), calls McCall after a bookie named Chance (Robert O'Reilly) has his associate Pike (Ted Ross) kidnap their son Roberto in an attempt to fix the outcome of a horse race between Survivor Too and Notaquita. McCall enlists Sonny Raines' help, who leads them to his own "blind" bookie Barry (Nestor Serrano). Notaquita's trainer, Oscar Peabody (Roberts Blossom), tries to encourage Luis, but Mr. Greenleaf (Paul Gleason) learns of Roberto's kidnapping and tries to cash in as well. McCall and Ronny must find Roberto before the race begins to save him from being killed.
32	10	"The Cup"	Mario DiLeo	Story by : Andrew Sipes & Carleton Eastlake Teleplay by : David Jackson & Carleton Eastlake	December 10, 1986 (1986-12-10)	16.4/27 [33]
Mickey's brother, Father Nicholas Kostmayer (Dennis Christopher), hears Stephen Olenski's criminal confession right before a drive-by shooting. A policeman (Lanny Flaherty) confirms, Stephan is dead. Mickey and McCall watch the Argentinean soccer match as newscaster Diane Waters (Donna Fiducia) interrupts with details of the shooting. After a second attempt on Nicholas, his Bishop (Colin Fox) demands police protection from Lt. Elmer. McCall and Mickey learn that Stephen was part of a Polish group that was infiltrated in a KGB plot to discredit Solidarity using a false-flag assassination. Nicholas slips out, allowing Spetsnaz commander Monica another chance to kill him, but McCall and Micky intercede. They all race to a conference for the new Russian Ambassador Sikora to thwart the plan.
33	11	"Heartstrings"	Russ Mayberry	Loraine Despres	December 17, 1986 (1986-12-17)	15.4/25 [34]
Tommy, the newborn son of Vanessa Daniels (Michele Dotrice), is kidnapped by a nurse (Jana Schneider). Nurse Franks (Carol Woods) calls security, and the Chief of Administration Eugene Whitman (David Margulies) meets Vanessa just as FBI Agent Frank Carter (Sam Schacht) arrives. Carter predicts a ransom or disturbed person as the motive, but Vanessa rules it out and calls The Equalizer. McCall suspects an illegal adoption broker, so Mickey distracts hospital personnel while McCall checks maternity records. He learns that the client for Tommy is Hector Kouros (Aharon Ipalé), and Whitman arranges the adoptions. Control warns McCall that Kouros is an Agency asset, and thus off-limits. The kidnapping nurse calls Vanessa to meet, but it's a trap by Norrell (Michael Margotta). McCall and Mickey confront Kouros to get Norrell's location and must now save both Vanessa and Tommy.
34	12	"High Performance"	Russ Mayberry	Jack V. Fogarty	January 7, 1987 (1987-01-07)	17.3/29 [35]
Construction worker Sally Stevens (Patricia Charbonneau) witnesses hit-man Jordan (Michael Wincott) killing Mr. Tremayne's wife. Lt. Kramer arrives on-scene but there's no body, so she calls The Equalizer. She becomes the next target when Jordan and Tremayne (James Remar) see her watching them. Due to his acrophobia, McCall enlists Mickey's help to review the construction site. Mickey also finds a button from the wife's outfit in the apartment. To find who hired Jordan, McCall asks Dorian (Doris Belack) who else bought the same outfit from her clothing store. Armed with his identity, McCall sets a trap for him.
35	13	"Beyond Control"	Alan Metzger	Coleman Luck	January 14, 1987 (1987-01-14)	15.4/26 [36]
After the death of KGB mole John Ferman who infiltrated the Company, McCall and Mickey meet with Control who says he needs protection from KGB hit-man Paul Coble (Brian Bedford). He also asks McCall to retrieve top-secret files that Fermen copied from Exden Incorporated. An agent harasses Fermen's niece Elaine Ferris (Liane Curtis) at a café. She calls police after her apartment is tossed by another agent. The detective (Dan Ziskie) assumes the two incidents are a coincidence. Her neighbor Mrs. Hammerschmidt (Paula Trueman) hands her a letter from her uncle that was delivered, but it is in code. Assuming she must have the files, Coble goes after Elaine at her bank, but fails. As a distraction to escape, he kills her boss Winston Erdlow (Josh Mostel). Mickey and Elaine try to crack the coded letter. Coble abducts Control to trade McCall for the files. McCall takes out his own insurance with KGB Station Chief Petrov Durkin (Philip Kraus), and a stand-off ensues.
36	14	"Carnal Persuasion"	Leon Ichaso	Dennis Manuel	January 21, 1987 (1987-01-21)	15.5/25 [37]
Judge Howard Tainey (John Cullum) offers to release tugboat skipper Jake Hughes (John Laughlin), who was convicted of heroin possession, but only if his wife Lisa Hughes will have sex with him. Lisa insists the drugs were planted. She calls McCall who asks Judge Paula G. Walsh (Cynthia Harris) about Tainey. She says Tainey has powerful allies. While Jimmy monitors Tainey and Mickey protects Lisa, McCall questions dock dispatcher Zeke (Louis Zorich). Zeke says Antonio (Raymond Serra) framed Jake who refused to smuggle for him. Tainey is also receiving bribes through Antonio's man Frank (Rocco Sisto). McCall confronts Tainey to save Jake and stop the smugglers.
37	15	"Memories of Manon"	Tony Wharmby	Coleman Luck	February 4, 1987 (1987-02-04)	15.0/25 [38]
38	16				February 11, 1987 (1987-02-11)	15.2/25 [39]
Part 1 : A joint American/Canadian task force, led by Quebec police Inspector Phillipe Marcel (Anthony Zerbe), is destroying mob operations along the Eastern seaboard with the assistance of an informant code-named Chrysalis. Mob boss Frank Dorgan (George DiCenzo) and his associate Jean Carmack (Jon Polito) kidnap Phillipe's daughter Yvette (Melissa Sue Anderson), and threatens to kill Phillipe if she doesn't provide the identity of Chrysalis. Yvette turns to her godfather Control, who asks McCall to protect the Marcels. Control reveals that Yvette is the daughter of McCall's beloved former operative, Manon, but doesn't reveal her other secret. To get Yvette away from Mob enforcers Ernie Slackman and Al Geiger, McCall asks Mickey and Billie Bump (Maurice Hines) to carry out an operation of "diversion and psychological warfare." McCall meets with Yvette to tell her he will help, and that he knew her mother. Later when Slackman tries to kill Yvette, McCall and Mickey force him tell who ordered it. Mob boss Tom Calvert who is under indictment puts pressure on Dorgan to take care of Chrysalis. So Dorgan orders Slackman to abduct Yvette again, and in the process Mickey is shot. Part 2 : Dorgan tells Carmack he's going to grab federal agent Blanchard, head of the task force. McCall tells Phillipe he suspects exactly that. McCall must now play Dorgan against Chrysalis to thwart Chrysalis' plans and save the Marcels. But his plan back-fires when Slackman gives Yvette the impression that McCall wants to trade her for money. Yvette escapes McCall's protection and is caught again by Dorgan, so she must give up Chrysalis' identity to save herself. McCall and Phillipe go through with their plan to trap both Dorgan and Carmack. McCall must then come to terms with his own connection to Yvette.
39	17	"Solo"	Alan Metzger	Carleton Eastlake	February 18, 1987 (1987-02-18)	15.8/26 [40]
McCall stops a robbery for bartender Stan, attracting the attention of Sarah McGee (Lindsay Crouse). She tries tricking McCall into staying with her for protection. Dubious, he leaves just as she is grabbed by Detective Sergeant Gunther Cole (Kevin Spacey). Unaware who he is, McCall shoots Cole, who is saved by body armor. Seeing Cole's badge, they flee. She claims she was framed for killing Cole's partner, and has been checking clubs frequented by her lover, Max to clear her name. Still dubious, McCall asks Jonah to check her story. Unable to find Lt. Kramer, McCall talks instead to Sergeant Worley (Leon Russom), but Det. Cole is there too. McCall is too sly to be interrogated, so Cole leaves with a warning. He checks one of the clubs for Max, but the manager (Bruce Hubbard) can't or won't help. Jonah verifies Sarah was framed to hide the theft of weapons from her warehouse, Armstech. McCall tracks down the perpetrators.
40	18	"A Place to Stay"	Alan Metzger	Story by : Marc Rubin Teleplay by : Marc Rubin & Carleton Eastlake & Coleman Luck	February 25, 1987 (1987-02-25)	18.5/30 [41]
Thirteen year-old Lynn Rowan runs away to NYC from abusive father Walter Rowan (Ed Lauter). She's hassled by street people, including "Scam" (Rick Aviles) who tries selling “A Place to Stay” for "only fifty bucks." Her parents follow, but they're frustrated. NYPD Detective Sergeant Alice Shepard says 50,000 run away annually. Her mother Melanie hires McCall. Lynn meets Judy who says she can find work with photographer Griswald (Kario Salem), but a street woman (Bethel Leslie) berates Judy for selling herself. McCall asks Shepard where to start; she says "The Deuce," 42nd street. The street woman tells him Lynn might be in next month's Puppy Love, like Judy. So he questions a porn shopkeeper (Tim Cappello). With new photos, Griswald meets Peter Marstand (Trey Wilson). Suspecting abuse, McCall confronts Walter. Shepard asks them to come to the morgue; McCall checks Judy's belongings for clues to find Lynn. Shepard tries to save yet another teenage girl from the city streets.... An end-credits PSA reads: The producers express their appreciation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington, D.C. for their advice and guidance in the development of this episode.
41	19	"Coal Black Soul"	Richard Compton	Scott Shepherd	May 6, 1987 (1987-05-06)	14.6/27 [42]
Alex Hayes (Mitchell Lichtenstein) is a serial killer who cannot stop himself from targeting middle-aged women. He hires The Equalizer to kill him. McCall reports it to Lt. Elmer who wants to know why the killer called him. His next client is Dr. Stephanie Davis (Patricia Kalember), who asks him to save her from a peeping tom. He promptly catches Rags Maloney (Chris Elliott) in the act, and then asks her out to dinner and a little romance. Meanwhile, Hayes bumps into Frances (Gale Garnett) who just missed her bus. The next morning Hayes calls again to warn McCall to stop him, just as he is walking Jill to her stranded car. When McCall gets home he finds a note with an address, just as Hayes arrives at the theater dressing room of Dorothy Hermes (Lois Smith). McCall arrives in time to save her, but Haynes escapes and goes after Dr. Davis next.
42	20	"First Light"	Richard Compton	Jack Fogarty	May 13, 1987 (1987-05-13)	15.7/28 [43]
Scott McCall and Jenny Morrow talk about dating at a store where she works for Harry Dawson (Mike Nussbaum). Two thugs, Woods and Porter (Ira Lewis), vandalize the store and beat Harry. Scott chases them out. Harry suspects real estate developer Victor Thorpe (Marco St. John), who is buying up the neighborhood. Robert is out of town, questioned by Lorraine Watson (Kaiulani Lee) at a Senate Hearing against Control. So Scott becomes "The Equalizer" and confronts Thorpe, who denies involvement. Terrance Booth trashes Harry's home, then hires theater set designer Ernie Frick (Quentin Crisp) to recreate "Barracks M." Harry is threatened via his wife's headstone, with a scratched-in death date; 3/29/1987...tomorrow! Booth abducts Harry, so Scott calls his father. Robert's testimony settles the hearing, saving Control, so he returns to help. Harry wakes up in Barracks M. Booth calls Harry a traitor, for which he wants "Vindication" saying, at "first light" Harry will die. Robert explains the significance of the date on the headstone, but for 1944 (i.e., WWII). Scott does some detective work of his own and gets a lead to Frick, from which Robert gets Booth's location. Robert and Control lure the actual traitor to Booth.
43	21	"Hand and Glove"	Alan Metzger	Coleman Luck	May 20, 1987 (1987-05-20)	12.7/22 [44]
Invalid Deborah Whitten (Barbara Garrick) has a nightmare of a hooded figure trying to killer her. When she wakes, the hooded figure is in her room. Her uncle Kenneth Whitten (Charles Keating) wants to call her psychiatrist, not the police. She claims the figure will kill her, just like her father. Her cousin Ken Jr. (Mark Soper) only believes "in her" before leaving for a triathlon. Scott visits his father with a new client, Shirley Gossett, who then claims Scott is the father of her unborn baby. Robert sets him straight about sharks (i.e., con-women). Deborah describes another vision to her psychiatrist Dr. Spaulding (William H. Macy). Whitten suggests institutionalizing her, so she leaves and meets Scott. Robert takes the case and plants a bug on her wheelchair. Scott finds her will and Whitten Manor building plans while Robert listens to the bug. When she screams he barges in, but Whitten forces him to leave. Kenneth starts the commitment process and Deborah is taken to another house. Robert tells Scott to follow and observe, but don't act. When Scott sees a hooded figure approach the house, he acts, and so must Robert.
44	22	"Re-Entry"	Aaron Lipstadt	Story by : Dennis Manuel Teleplay by : Scott Shepherd	May 27, 1987 (1987-05-27)	13.4/23 [45]
Former Chemerc security specialist Harold Winter (John Goodman) is abducted at gunpoint by Garnet (David Johansen). Slate (Joe Morton) tells him to commit a robbery at Chemerc or else. At a bar, Harold meets Joan Hawkins and his former Chemerc boss George Hershey (Graham Beckel). Harold asks Joan to take care of his son Chris if anything happens to him. Sensing trouble, Chris calls The Equalizer, but Mickey answers. Chris explains he can't call the cops because his dad had previously sold Chemerc secrets, but George didn't press charges. McCall interrogates Wizard-o-Electro owner Archie (Steve Buscemi) about what Harold wanted; a machine to copy an access card stolen by a pickpocket (Stewart Copeland). McCall develops a plan to catch Slate and Garnet in the act, but Garnet kidnaps Chris. Slate calls Joan to tell McCall to call off his plan or Chris dies. McCall and Mickey must now improvise to save both Chris and Harold.

Season 3 (1987–88)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Rating/share (households)
45	1	"Blood & Wine"	Alan Metzger	Coleman Luck	September 23, 1987 (1987-09-23)	14.4/24 [46]
46	2
Part 1 : Martin Loeber (William Atherton) blows up the Harlequin Club, "and that's just the beginning" he tells the media, calling himself "Alpha." McCall and Mickey save Agency operative Rudy Bagler from thugs. Brother Joseph Heiden (Telly Savalas) meets with FBI Detective Frank Standish (Tom Atkins) about the bombing. Loeber poses as music teacher Brad Hartman to his girlfriend Linda (Moira Sinise). Linda's mother Elizabeth Thomas (Elizabeth Franz) finds "Brad's" shotgun. Linda doesn't believe her because it's now gone. So Elizabeth calls McCall. Loeber tries to kill them both; only McCall survives. He tells Control it was a professional hit. Mickey surveils Loeber, and McCall asks Rudy to check his Manhattan Network for hit-men. Loeber learns McCall's identity from his contact Kroslick. Mickey puts a tracker on Loeber's car, but Loeber has his own locater. He drives to Standish's house, plants a nitro-bomb on Mrs. Standish, and kills an FBI agent in a fiery car crash. Det. Standish arrives on-scene with Brother Heiden, who McCall sees... and recognizes... Part 2 : McCall tells Standish that "Brother" Heiden is a terrorist, but Standish is undeterred. McCall describes how Loeber could've faked his own death. He tells Mickey to watch Linda while he finds a dentist and a crematorium. Heiden narrows the search for targets to a religious festival. A young nun tells Loeber about a mass by a blind monsignor. So he tells Benjamin Harris to find him "a new pair of eyes" (i.e., contacts), and takes the VX nerve crystals Harris procured. McCall finds the crematorium destroyed, and the dentist gone, according to his cleaning lady (Lynne Thigpen). Heiden describes his conversion, but McCall replies how his godson died at Heiden's hands. Loeber dupes Linda into helping him, claiming that McCall killed her mother. McCall learns about the stolen VX from Control. Loeber poisons Standish, putting him in critical condition. Rudy demands $100,000 for Loeber's new "eyes" or he'll give him to McCall. Loeber offers Rudy more to kill McCall. They meet, but Loeber escapes and abducts Mickey and Linda. Loeber calls McCall with instructions to save them. Loeber interrupts Heiden's prayers, shoots him, and assumes the monsignor's identity. McCall must diffuse a bomb... Brother Heiden must stop a mass... and Heiden asks McCall to forgive him. Includes appearances by Ted Beniades as a Police Officer, and Nicholas Georgiade as an FBI Agent.
47	3	"Suspicion of Innocence"	Russ Mayberry	Robert Eisele	September 30, 1987 (1987-09-30)	14.0/24 [47]
An intellectually challenged department store shipping clerk, Davy Baylor (Vincent D'Onofrio), witnesses the murder of his coworker Cheryl Jansen. Afraid the police will shoot, he flees and calls "Mr. Equalizer" for help. McCall takes him to Lt. Kramer, who thinks his motive was sexual. The prints match, as Davy inadvertently touched the pipe. Despite McCall's objections, Davy goes to The Tombs. McCall meets Davy's mother Irene (Ann Wedgeworth), who can't see Davy until his arraignment. The D.A. (James Eckhouse) requests remand for psychiatric evaluation. Davy panics and flees again. McCall prevents the court officer from shooting him, then bluffs Lt. Kramer about Davy's location. McCall takes Davy back to crime scene to relive that night, hoping for clues. He asks Jimmy for a background on Cheryl. Evidently, she had an affair with Davy's coworker Will Rattigan (William Converse-Roberts). McCall rattles Will, so Will goes to his father Jack (John Randolph) asking him to provide an alibi. Irene dupes Jimmy to get Davy away from McCall. Davy flees his mother's grasp, and the killer comes looking for him. Includes an appearance by Nancy Giles as the Bailiff.
48	4	"In the Money"	Aaron Lipstadt	Ed Waters & Scott Shepherd	October 7, 1987 (1987-10-07)	14.2/24 [48]
Norm Jameson (Oliver Platt) and Craig Rose (Paul Perri) abduct Samantha Chesborough (Ashley Crow) from her apartment. McCall and Mickey find the body...still alive! Mickey protects her while McCall investigates. Jameson chases the actual target, Fraunces Tavern waitress Wendy Muller, who is run down by Rose's car. But Wendy left a clue for Samantha, so McCall talks to Sandy (Patricia Richardson) at Fraunces Tavern, who tells him about Wendy's "playmate" C.R. Heaton (Dennis Boutsikaris) who performs mergers and acquisitions; the "King of Junk Bonds." Drawn into Wall Street's dark underbelly, McCall presses Heaton, who panics and calls risk arbitrageur Ron Parrish (John Heard) about Wendy. Parrish cuts Heaton loose to deal with the SEC on his own. Facing economic ruin and jail time for insider trading, Heaton shoots himself. Jonah hacks "Ma Bell" for phone records on who called Heaton before his suicide. McCall sets a trap with the help of his carny contact, Freddy (David J. Steinberg).
49	5	"Encounter in a Closed Room"	Jim Johnston	Story by : Ann Lewis Hamilton & Scott Shepherd Teleplay by : Ann Lewis Hamilton	October 14, 1987 (1987-10-14)	12.7/22 [49]
A TV reporter (Warren Keith) interviews Czechoslovakian genetic scientist Dr. Peter Kapik (Michael Moriarty) about his DNA breakthrough shortly before Kapik escapes his Russian handlers. Peter visits his friend Alina Jennings (Maureen Mueller) and her husband Wayne (Jamey Sheridan), but State Department Agent Foster (Adam LeFevre) takes Kapik into custody. Alina meets her mother, but KGB agent Sarka (Liliana Komorowska) confronts her; she knows she is Alina Polivka who defected from Russia. Sarka threatens her parents, Emil (Noberto Kerner) and Vera Polivka (Lola Pashalinski), unless Alina does a job. Alina notices another Russian spy (George Gerdes), and calls The Equalizer, but Control wants McCall to disassociate. McCall contacts NYPD Detective Sgt. Alice Shepard, who transferred to Intelligence Division. Shepard meets Alina, who is watched by Sarka, who is now watched by McCall. Sarka tells Alina to kill Peter or her parents will die. McCall and Shepard track down Emil's "Wolf" clue, which leads to Nordic Nights Import/Export. Alina confesses to Wayne that the KBG have her parents, and goes to meet Peter to kill him. McCall tries to rescue her parents, but is captured, so he must improvise to escape. Sarka goes after Kapik herself.
50	6	"Mission: McCall"	Alan Metzger	Ed Waters & Scott Shepherd	October 28, 1987 (1987-10-28)	13.4/24 [50]
51	7			Story by : Ed Waters & Coleman Luck Teleplay by : Ed Waters & Scott Shepherd & Robert Eisele	November 4, 1987 (1987-11-04)	13.1/23 [51]
Part 1 : Scott McCall visits his father Robert but the place is trashed. A masked man with a gun in his tattooed hand escapes. Control gives Scott a ticket out of town, but he follows Robert's contingency plan instead; a video recording to contact Mickey. Mickey leads Scott to former Agency colleague Richard Dyson (Robert Mitchum), via Zudo's Curios, but Zudo (Frankie Faison) isn't cooperative. Scott and Mickey meet Dyson, who is actually Southern Control. Control wants Dyson "out of this" but Dyson has leverage. So Control confesses Robert was to be exchanged for twelve Agency agents, but the KGB took him first. Dyson tells Mickey that Harley Gage was the best man they ever had in Moscow, so they free Gage from prison. Gage meets his KGB lover Francesca (Frances Fisher), who questions his loyalty. Dyson confronts Control that the KGB doesn't have Robert; Control does, which angers Scott. Control explains that Robert would've given himself up to save a dozen colleagues, so he kidnapped Robert to save his life and buy more time. Francesca and Borda invade Control's safe house, killing Weber/Cronin (Tobin Bell) to get to Robert, but he resists and is shot.... First appearance of Richard Jordan as Harley Gage. Part 2 : Mickey and Scott hold Control at the safe house so he can't undermine them, while Dyson and Gage infiltrate the Russian regional facility to rescue Robert. Control distracts Scott to transmit a code from his watch which summons his agents to free him. After Gage kills Kamarov, he seduces Dr. Zara Klemik to get her pass to the lower level where Robert is held. Dyson knocks out some soldiers to get their passes. Colonel Vlasov suspects Dr. Klemik and follows her while she gets a message from her "top secret" contact, Tangent Zero (Control); she has two infiltrators! So she arranges to help Dyson and Gage. Dyson gives her a surprise present for the control room to help them escape.
52	8	"Shadow Play"	Russ Mayberry	Robert Eisele	November 11, 1987 (1987-11-11)	12.8/21 [52]
Defense Department Logistical Officer Andrew Banks (J. T. Walsh) testifies at a Congressional hearing about arming and training Angolan counter-revolutionaries, as ordered by Control, while his counselor (Tibor Feldman) advises him. Chacon (Paul Calderón) sets up a sniper position, but cannot get a clean shot. An agent tells Det. Shepard that security was pulled and her intelligence unit is disbanded. Chacon makes another attempt on Banks; Banks and Shepard defend each other. Alice goes to Robert about the shooting, so Harley and Mickey offer to help while Robert recovers. Control warns Gage off, but Gage asks Rudy Bagler what he knows about Lyle Murdoch (Tom Klunis) the Federal Agent in Charge, William Virgil (Walter Bobbie) a DOD agent with White House ties, and Renaldo Duran (Tomas Milian) an international banker with ties to Meyer Lansky. Chacon hunts down Gage at McCall's apartment. McCall suspects Control, but Gage, suspecting Bagler, barges passed his butler Robbie (Ethyl Eichelberger) and threatens him; Rudy claims Virgil set up Andrew. McCall consults Billy Bump and gets a codename; Excelsior. A shootout ensues and Chacon grabs Shepard. Mickey, Gage, Banks and McCall all try to save Shepard.
53	9	"Inner View"	Marc Laub	Jim Trombetta	November 18, 1987 (1987-11-18)	13.2/24 [53]
Psychic Karen Alden (Katherine Cortez) is awoken from a surreal dream at the police station by a female detective (Starletta DuPois) who advises her not to hold anything back or be named an accessory to murder. McCall is there as well, trying to convince a Lieutenant (Ron Vawter) that Miss Sarah Hendricks (Toni Kalem) has identified the Scrapbook Killer. Karen asks her detective who he is; The Equalizer. She calls him after having a vision of the killer's next murder. Since McCall is still working with Sarah, he asks Harley Gage to help Karen. Karen provides Gage details that he recognizes as lyrics to a song by Archon called "Shadow Man" (Terrence Mann). McCall checks in when Gage is nearly shot. Gage returns to talk to Archon's singer Jarret (Paul Hipp) and is threatened by their roadie (Tim Cappello). Gage gives a description; Jarret gives a name. Sarah and Karen trade notes, and McCall uses Karen's vision to their advantage. End-credits read: This episode is dedicated to the memory of Ernie Palinkas whose contribution to The Equalizer was invaluable.
54	10	"The Rehearsal"	Alan Metzger	Robert Eisele	December 2, 1987 (1987-12-02)	9.9/17 [54]
McCall and Harley Gage watch as Everett Austin (George Morfogen) directs Sandra Benning (Jennifer Van Dyck) and Josh (Ned Eisenberg) in a stage play rehearsal. Someone watches from above in the lighting bridge, calling to Sandra saying, "Elise..." She alerts McCall, mentioning that someone has left her romantic notes. They find the phone lines cut, the stage door jammed, and all the exits booby trapped with bombs. With a janitor scheduled to arrive who will set off the bomb, they have one hour to find who set the trap. McCall and playwright Jenna Rydell get separated from the rest. She finds an old playbill from Dark Night, another of Austins' productions, starring Elise de Venn and her boyfriend Michael (Chris Cooper). Stage manager Phil Davine explains to Gage what happened a year ago, revealing a motive to his madness.
55	11	"Christmas Presence"	Michael O'Herlihy	Coleman Luck	December 16, 1987 (1987-12-16)	13.4/24 [55]
For his Christmas tradition, McCall takes Gage to his favorite restaurant, but it's "For Sale," so he finds his old Company friend, Pete O'Phelan. At Kelly's Bar, Kelly Stigman (Martin Shakar), Bishop, Spicer, and Martin (Dean Norris) conspire to do something about six year-old Mickey Robertson (Corey Carrier) who has AIDS; they don't want him in the neighborhood. Stigman throws a smoke grenade into Mickey's room that starts a fire. His grandmother Phyllis Robertson (Jacqueline Brookes) tells an investigator who can't or won't help, so Mickey calls "Mr. Manhattan." McCall gives Gage his Christmas Gift; to meet Mickey and check out Kelly's bar. Gage also talks to Dr. Feinberg (Don McManus), who says Mickey's father Dave Burton is still alive, but unable or unwilling to visit, because Mickey's mother was an intravenous smack addict. While Gage confronts Dave, masked men trash the Robertsons' apartment. McCall says he'll do some undercover work on Stigman, and for back-up, sends Pete to Gage. First appearance of Maureen Anderman as Pete O'Phelan.
56	12	"A Dance on the Dark Side"	Jonathan Perry	David Lightstone	January 13, 1988 (1988-01-13)	12.2/21 [56]
Detective Charlie Kelly claims undercover cop Del Larkin (David Andrews) fed lies to the Organized Crime Task Force about Bruno Dominic (George DiCenzo), and threatens to turn Del in. They struggle and Charlie is shot. Larkin slips into Captain Maldisi's office to use the phone. Police switchboard operator Risa (Brooke Smith) takes a break, leaving only Jill O'Connor (Amanda Plummer) on duty. Jill accidentally overhears Larkin talking to a woman about Kelly's death. Jill's life is threatened, so she calls McCall. He meets with Maldisi and Det. Shepard who is on temporary attachment with the task force. Shepard takes Jill's statement and contacts IAB. Del meets Simone Peters (Madeleine Potter) and wonders what to do. At the funeral, Robert asks Charlie's wife Maureen (Marilyn McIntyre) about Del, who he confronts, despite Alice's objections. Gage gets Larkin's phone records with Dominic and Simone; McCall takes a calculated risk. At Pete's restaurant, the team learns about Simone's other identity, Susan Petersborough, and her profession. Includes an appearance by Matt Mitler as Detective Bates.
57	13	"The Child Broker"	Mark Sobel	Mick Curran	January 20, 1988 (1988-01-20)	13.9/24 [57]
Eddie is killed by a car while being chased by a gang of boys, Danny Winters (Christopher Collet), Bobby (Jerry O'Connell), Press (Frank Whaley), Slick (Sam Rockwell), and Streak (Max Casella), who are led by the manipulative and ruthless Shep Morrow (Thomas G. Waites). Morrow's girlfriend Sylvie (Frances Ruffelle) ensures their loyalty with money and seduction. Sensing that Danny is troubled, his girlfriend Amy (Lycia Naff) tries to help. But Morrow turns up at Danny's home to get him ready for a robbery. Amy calls The Equalizer to save Danny from Morrow. Danny's single mother, Irene Winters (Mary-Joan Negro), is also worried, so she applies some tough love. After Amy and Gage are threatened, McCall sets up Morrow with the help of Gage and a fellow agent (Anthony LaPaglia).
58	14	"Video Games"	James A. Contner	Peter McCabe	January 27, 1988 (1988-01-27)	13.4/24 [58]
Chauffeur Eddie Mason (Daniel Davis) drives Christine Hayes (Vanessa Angel) to Warren Briggs (Andreas Katsulas), where a receptionist (Colleen Flynn) connects clients with high-end call girls. Briggs blackmails Gina Harper (Darlene Vogel) with her video tape, then pays Christine to be with Serge (Tony Ganios) while he records them. Afterwards, Eddie pays her to "just talk." His wife Angela meets The Equalizer through Pete at her restaurant. She says Eddie is an investigative reporter who is missing. His boss Rennick tells Gage about Eddie's story on prostitution. Gage pilfers Eddie's notes that lead to a hotel clerk (Paul Zaloom), who talks about the "stunning broads" Eddie sees. Christine is found strangled to death, with her madam's message on her machine. Gage knows Joy Tang (Ching Valdes-Aran), who he leverages for her client list. D.A. Francis Scanlon (John Bedford Lloyd) owes McCall, so he tells Gage about the "whore wars" and that Christine was going to testify. Gage follows Eddie driving Suzanne (Annabelle Gurwitch), and confronts him. Eddie finds his daughter Janelle's tape and attacks Briggs, so Steiner (Hunt Block) grabs Eddie. Now, McCall and Gage must rescue Eddie.
59	15	"Something Green"	Luis Soto	Kevin Droney	February 10, 1988 (1988-02-10)	11.9/20 [59]
Greedy diplomat Raymond Gephardt (Jon DeVries) plans on keeping ten million dollars he has been helping to launder from corporate raiders and mobsters with his go-between lawyer Mr. Binder (Ronald Hunter). But that is not enough; he also wants to kidnap his son Paul (Macaulay Culkin) away from his ex-wife Anne (Lisa Eichhorn). NYPD Detective Lt. Borley (Leon Russom) is first on-scene, but he says diplomatic immunity has tied his hands. Anne asks McCall, with help from Kostmayer and Gage, to stop them from leaving the country.
60	16	"The Mystery of Manon"	Bradford May	Coleman Luck	February 17, 1988 (1988-02-17)	11.9/19 [60]
61	17				February 24, 1988 (1988-02-24)	9.3/17 [61]
Part 1 : Inspector Phillipe Marcel (Anthony Zerbe) is summoned to Brighton Park Zoo and, seemingly, shown his long-dead wife, Manon Brevard Marcel (Anne Heywood). He sees experiments from 1985, Vladivostok Labor Camp, and Instructions to kill Control and McCall within 24 hours or Manon dies. A newscaster (Roger Grimsby) reports on a timber wolf released from the zoo, as Robert and Jimmy listen. Control delivers bad news about Ben Silva, and good news about Yvette Marcel (Melissa Sue Anderson). Yvette asks McCall to help her father. Control gets the files on Manon. Scott finds an amnesiac woman. McCall finds a tape with a particular song from Manon's past; he suspects Control planted it. McCall finally tells Scott the truth about Yvette. Control tasks Sterno to find Phillipe. Yvette sees Manon outside McCall's apartment. Phillipe tells Control and McCall to meet him at the zoo; to kill them. But someone shoots Phillipe as Yvette arrives. Phillipe dies telling her the truth about McCall... Part 2 : Scott and Yvette embrace as siblings. Yvette and McCall come to an understanding. The amnesiac woman resurfaces, and Scott finds her beaten and bloody. She sees a photo of Control and McCall and screams; listening in from a bug is Arthur Trent (Lawrence Dane). Scott, Yvette, Control and McCall compare notes. McCall, Control, and Sterno must discover the true identity of the woman who believes she is Manon, expose the shadowy party controlling her, and rescue Scott who has been taken captive.
62	18	"No Place Like Home"	Tobe Hooper	Robert Eisele	March 16, 1988 (1988-03-16)	13.5/24 [62]
On a street full of homeless people a raggedy man asks McCall for food. Bill Whitaker (Michael Rooker) arrives home to find his evicted wife Paula (Kelly Curtis). While an HRA/DSS social worker finds them shelter, their son Billy calls The Equalizer. A security guard shuffles them to a squalid room. Jim Harding (Leo Burmester) tries to scam Bill and they fight. McCall warns Harding off, and asks Jimmy to find the owner, while Mickey protects them. While Vegas (Richard Bright) surveils, Mrs. Morales says Harding threatened her. The guard prevents entry to reporter Jackie Chenier (Valarie Pettiford), who's doing a documentary on the Alexandria. Mickey shows Bill a homestead renovation; "a chance to work for a place...to call my home." Jimmy reports the hotel was bought (i.e., stolen) by Mr. Amar (Michael Lerner) from Robert Nichols (Ed Lauter), who McCall talks with next. McCall "makes things very unpleasant for Mr. Amar," by subletting Amar's own apartment, as he's informed by the doorman (Thomas A. Carlin). Amar calls Vegas to frame and kill Bill... then McCall.
63	19	"Last Call"	Michael O'Herlihy	Robert Crais	March 23, 1988 (1988-03-23)	13.2/24 [63]
Psycho rapist Lewis Fipps (Joe Maruzzo) leaves a red-light grindhouse followed by his compliant brother Frank (Michael Cerveris) as shots are fired by international hit-man Gant (James Rebhorn). Pete O'Phelan declares, "last call." The young, beautiful Susan (Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick) tries to lift a purse from Lucy (Kathleen Bates). Ben just wants to pay his tab and leave, while Mickey argues with Lucy's husband Joe (David Schramm) to let Susan go without pressing charges. Lewis and Frank run in, take everyone hostage, and warns Gant about all the collateral damage inside. Frank tries calling for help, but the line is cut. Mickey suggests an alternate method; enter The Equalizer. Lewis tells him to kill Gant or he'll start killing hostages. McCall asks Woody (Peter Sellars) to hack Fipps' criminal record, and provide his mercenary contacts. McCall asks Jameson (Tony Azito) about Gant's motive; $500,000 payable by the raped and mutilated girl's father, Vincent Brennard (Charles Keating). When neither Gant nor Fipps back down, McCall must intervene before anyone is killed... or raped.
64	20	"Regrets Only"	James A. Contner	Robert Crais	March 30, 1988 (1988-03-30)	14.0/25 [64]
Susan Foxworth (J. Smith-Cameron) is walking with Mark and a car follows her. She yells and kicks the car thinking it's her psychopathic, stalker ex-husband, Dr. Gary Edward Foxworth (Philip Kraus). Instead, an irate woman jumps out and yells back. At home, Gary calls her again and again. It's "a little hard to believe" for Detective Bishop (Jean De Baer). Susan calls McCall, who confronts Gary after talking with his assistant Marge (Debra Jo Rupp). Gary claims Susan is mentally unbalanced. McCall refers Susan to a counselor. Gary attacks her in the market. After Pete O'Phelan and McCall mull it over, he pleads with Bishop, but she still won't act. Mickey investigates Gary's background, while McCall "pushes back," setting Garry off. A skinhead takes Gary to buy a gun from Young (Tony Longo). Gary hires him to "stomp" someone; himself. McCall is arrested for aggravated assault. Bishop hands McCall a restraining order. Mickey tries to convince Sister Sara (Polly Holliday) to show him Gary's student files. McCall confronts Bishop with the malicious, vindictive, chilling facts. They act.
65	21	"Target of Choice"	Mark Sobel	Kevin Droney	April 6, 1988 (1988-04-06)	14.2/24 [65]
Jonathan Grey (Michael Parks) gets a surprise party from his son Devin (Lenny Venito) and wife Marian (Verna Bloom), who is disabled by multiple sclerosis. Joy fades when flowers arrive from paroled murderer, Willie Jay Hawkins (Kevin Geer). Hawkins terrorizes Johnny's family in revenge for testifying. Marian calls McCall. Kostmayer tails Hawkins. D.A. Francis Scanlon says Hawkins staged the murder to claim it wasn't premeditated, avoiding murder one (25 to life) to get manslaughter (8 years). Hawkins goes to ground so McCall has Jimmy and Pete guard Marian. Marian visits her doctor Claudia (Cecily Adams); Hawkins is already there. Cellmate Roscoe Lee Boyd looks for Hawkins too, but Mickey and Jimmy are prepared. Mickey rattles Hawkins, who pays a hooker (Denise Faye) to check out Mickey. McCall confronts Boyd, who goes after Hawkins himself, but Hawkins has a plan. McCall must hurry to save Hawkins' "target of choice" and end the terror.
66	22	"Always a Lady"	Marc Laub	Story by : Scott Shepherd Teleplay by : Peter McCabe	May 4, 1988 (1988-05-04)	11.9/21 [66]
At his casino, Tony Costa (Joseph Mascolo) discovers $800,000 missing. He suspects McCall's former protégé, Meredith Browning (Anne Twomey). To find it, he tasks Johnny Sax (Lewis Van Bergen). McCall and Pete return from the theater, and Meredith calls for help. McCall's mind flashes back to Honeywell, Southern Control, and Meredith captured. McCall arrives, but apparently, Meredith was murdered. McCall tells Sgt. Alice Shepard she ran a Company "travel agency." Detective Barry Calloway reports, "Shotgun blast to the head... no prints." Wondering, McCall reminisces and calls her name. A hooker, Cynthia (Rita Jenrette), breaks his dream. "For $200 you can call me Meredith all night long." Control sends Mickey and Pete to the funeral. Angela (Susan Gibney) tells McCall she worked for Meredith in "customer relations" but coworker Donna Morgan was fired. Cousin Jean Carson returns Meredith's bracelet; McCall's gift inscribed, "Always a Lady." Mickey produces the medical examiner's report and says Donna must've skipped town. By request, Alice has Sax arrested. McCall sets a trap for Costa and Sax. Calloway tells Shepard they still haven't found the money. McCall suspects where to look....

Season 4 (1988–89)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	U.S. viewers (millions)	Rating/share (households)
67	1	"The Last Campaign"	Richard Compton	Lee Batchler & Janet Scott Batchler	October 26, 1988 (1988-10-26)	17.0 [67]	11.9/18 [67]
A reporter, Leslie (Freda Foh Shen), asks if Assemblyman Phillip Wingate (Stanley Tucci) is running against incumbent Senator Virgil Thomas Blake (E. G. Marshall). While publically supportive, he secretly wants Blake's resignation and endorsement. Wingate's assistant Cindy Claussen (Laila Robins) discovers blackmail material on Blake. Having heard of McCall from Susan Foxworth, she asks for help. Jay Trescott (Jay Patterson) drugs Cindy. Her neighbor Darlene (Yvonne Bryceland) tells McCall, "Medics took her." Sterno finds her committed to Longview Psychiatric Institute. At a free clinic, McCall asks his friend Dr. Wolff (Wendell Pierce) for help. Since Wolff can't get her out, he commits McCall; paranoid schizophrenic. "I am quite wonderful at feeling hostility, Dr. Quentin." "Hrmm... OK... spies, adventurism, overthrow governments... I see," replies Dr. Quentin (Larry Keith). Pete gets in too; "bi-polar disturbance." Robert prevents Jay from drugging Cindy, and they hear her story. Pete keeps eye on Jay and protects Cindy. After fencing, Wingate blackmails Blake. McCall asks Blake to help, but he's afraid, so he rattles Wingate to "resign, Resign, R E S I G N."
68	2	"Sea of Fire"	Alan Metzger	Story by : Peter McCabe Teleplay by : Peter McCabe & Coleman Luck	November 2, 1988 (1988-11-02)	16.1 [68]	11.7/18 [68]
Cristo (Keith David) and the Demon Lords watch as "Goat" gets jumped in to run a "franchise." Principal Elena Rodriguez (Seret Scott) complains to Arthur Williams (Reginald VelJohnson) about school resources. The Demons rape Alicia. Elena calls The Equalizer. They stab Eduardo Sanchez, who reported it. McCall and Elena talk to Alicia. Mrs. Sanchez (Socorro Santiago) frantically arrives at the ER. Frustrated, Sgt. Shepard doesn't have the manpower. McCall requests off-duty volunteers from the Gang Task Force, who seize forty-three guns from school. McCall starts teaching Physical Science 800. The subject? Death! A thanatology field trip to the morgue. The Demons watch an autopsy by the ME (Harsh Nayyar). Cruz is sickened; Goat chastises them. "Hitter" Phillip Borchek (David Strathairn) explains his profession, until he was shot in the face with a .38, and had an out-of-body experience... an ocean, but not water... a Sea of Fire. McCall wants Alicia to return to school, and testify. Elena asks Williams for time before dismantling the school. Williams argues with McCall. Cristo and Goat try to trap McCall. Mickey protests McCall going in unarmed.... Includes an appearance by Karina Arroyave as a school girl.
69	3	"Riding the Elephant"	Donald Petrie	M.K. Lorens	November 9, 1988 (1988-11-09)	14.7 [69]	10.6/16 [69]
A kickboxing match goes poorly for Narong Bansari (Russell Wong) as drug dealing slaver Jimmy Thanarat (Mako) watches at his sports arena. At the Rose of Bankok massage club, Narong gives Manika (Elizabeth Sung) his mother's necklace, but she can't wear it, doing what she does. Jimmy breaks them up; he won't let either of them out of their contracts. Narong says he'll do anything. At Pete O'Phelan's on his birthday, McCall reminisces with Control about "riding the elephants" in Angola. Thai national Sirit Bansari (James Hong) finds China white heroin in a crate his son Narong was holding for Jimmy, so Sirit chastises Narong. Sirit throws the heroin in the trash. In the shadows, Flack sees it. Narong warns Sirit the "ghost soldiers" will kill him if they don't find it. Sirit disowns Narong, so he asks Manika to flee with him. She calls The Equalizer. He intervenes to save Sirit, but learns Control buys intelligence from Jimmy, giving Jimmy a free hand. Sirit tries to buy Manika's freedom for his son, but Jimmy holds Sirit hostage. McCall, Mickey and Narong have to be careful, but quick to get him back.
70	4	"Eighteen with a Bullet"	Richard Compton	Bruce A. Taylor	November 16, 1988 (1988-11-16)	16.3 [70]	11.4/17 [70]
Eighteen year-old singer Beverly Heat (Vitamin C) is on the rise, while Gina Rox (Amy Morton) is on the decline. Beverly's mother Evelyn Weaver (Caroline Lagerfelt) finds her drunk and warns her. Evelyn asks McCall to help Beverly escape the clutches of her manipulative manager Greg Rivers (Bruce Payne). Mickey provides McCall background; Rivers specializes in teens, swindles their earnings, hooks them on drugs, and discards them. They visit Graham (Terrence Mann), who was the hottest DJ in town. Graham says Rivers ruined his career and moved on to Gina Rox. Jealous of Beverly, Gina threatens Greg with cops and reporters, regarding the pay-offs, the drug deals... She's not heard from again. Beverly takes fan calls Live on the air with a WZAD DJ (Ken Ober). Mickey turns the tables on Rivers by calling in. Outside, he separates Rivers from Beverly and drives off so McCall can enlighten her. At Gina's apartment, he shows her the future. Then he starts in on Rivers, with voice-modulation help from Graham.
71	5	"Day of the Covenant"	James A. Contner	Robert Eisele	December 7, 1988 (1988-12-07)	11.0 [71]	7.7/12 [71]
Twelve years removed from the violent Soweto uprising, Scott and his girlfriend Zandili (Kasi Lemmons) play a happy tune. She leaves with "cousin" Ben (Michael Genet). A masked man tries to kill her, and they flee. Robert asks why Special Branch is after her. He draws out the gunman, an Afrikaner named Voorhees (Theodore Bikel). McCall asks why he would harm a defenseless girl. "Defenseless? Kafir bitch," he replies before ranting about Blood River and his "Day of the Covenant." He claims she's a terrorist who killed his wife by bombing his SAP station. McCall takes him to Anton Jooste (David Leary), an NIS operative at the South African Consulate. Ulysses (Jihmi Kennedy) tells Mickey she led an uMkhonto cell, but the ANC wouldn't operate in America. Having learned her past, Robert confronts Zandili. She leaves, but now Jooste is after her. Ben helps Zandili escape Jooste and his impimpi. McCall deduces the next target is the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Cooperation and Development (Tobin Bell). Note: The opening scene portraying the South African government crackdown on the 1976 anti-apartheid Soweto uprising is an excerpt taken directly from the 1987 film, Cry Freedom (starring Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline), filmed in Zimbabwe. It ends with another excerpt of a speech by Desmond Tutu. [72] [73]
72	6	"Splinters"	Paul Krasny	Coleman Luck	December 14, 1988 (1988-12-14)	15.1 [74]	10.8/17 [74]
John Allenwaite (Kevin Conway) is informed the operation is underway. Mickey leads a clean-up mission. His team is ambushed, killed, and he is captured. McCall answers a coded call from Control who suspects the mission was compromised by Parmelee (Tom Klunis). For the enemy operation, McCall confronts Gropman (Richard Bright)...with his retirement fund and a toilet. The project is called "Intangible Plastics" (i.e., psychological warfare). "We call the procedure, Spinter," Allenwaite explains to his audience, as Mickey, unconscious, has a vision of McCall implanted. For Mickey's location, McCall confronts Parmelee...with a garbage truck. Mickey next envisions a murdered woman, Serena (Tracy Kolis). Allenwaite's assistant (David Brisbin) increases the dosage. Allenwaite waits for McCall; Parmelee is of no further use. McCall learns the Company has been infiltrated by a KGB unit, using agency finances to research brainwashing. McCall must overcome Mickey's programming, before Mickey kills him. Includes an appearance by Christopher Meloni as Team Leader.
73	7	"Making of a Martyr"	Bradford May	Wayne Powers & Donna Powers	January 11, 1989 (1989-01-11)	16.0 [75]	11.3/18 [75]
Brandon Thorton (Tom Noonan) wakes from a dream of being shot and paralyzed. Sylvia Thorton (Barbara Williams) gives a gun control presentation. In the audience is pro-gun Congressman James Harcourt, and gun-violence victim John Kelly (William Converse-Roberts). She receives threatening calls. Brandon calls McCall. Sylvia argues for police, not vigilantes. McCall asks Shepard for a wiretap. A policeman (Harry O'Reilly) rousts Mickey from his surveillance van outside the Thorton's home, allowing Kelly entry. Shots are fired, but he escapes. The forensic detective (A.L. Sheppard) finds fibers but no prints. Shepard and McCall argue motive, but agree on a computer search. Sylvia goes live on WFQB-FM's Talkback with Chris Perley (Bobby Rivers) about her upcoming television debate with Harcourt. She talks about the man threatening her. He calls in and fires a gun. She calls him a coward. McCall suspects Sylvia is orchestrating it, and repudiates making a martyr of herself. McCall and Mickey review Shepard's research, establish motive, and confirm their suspect. At the TV-8 Facing Facts studio, Kelly gains entry and plants a gun after fooling the stage manager (Bruce Kirkpatrick). During the interview with Sally Jessy Raphael, he fires the gun....
74	8	"The Sins Of Our Fathers"	Paul Krasny	Tom Towler	January 18, 1989 (1989-01-18)	16.6 [76]	11.1/17 [76]
It's a normal day at the playground with Carlo Jr., his nanny Estrella... and mafia guards Blanda and Disimone (Michael Sergio). Carlo is taken. Mobster Carlo Alberto "The Angel" Santelli (Al Shannon) is livid, shouting at Tommy Dio (Tom Signorelli). Lettie and McCall discuss Shakespeare before the call from Carlo's mother, Natalie Santelli (J. Smith-Cameron). Mickey describes what happened. McCall smells a military operation. They contact Carter Brock (Joe Morton), who got a letter, $5,000, and "one very weird tape of instructions." Santelli is contacted; "I don't want money, I want YOU Angel. I'm going to kill everything you love." Jonah hacks the D.A. and The Times for Santelli's rap sheet: assault, racketeering, extortion, drug smuggling in Turkey... and murder. "No Disposition!" McCall intends to change that. Natalie meets McCall, Carlo has her tailed, Mickey intercepts them. Santelli demands to know who's helping her. Mickey has the tape analyzed at InterTex Sound Lab; "modern technology triumphs again...the original dulcet tones of the kidnapper." Armed with identity and motive, McCall tries to find Sarah Booth (Randy Danson), open Natalie's eyes, get her into WITSEC, save the son, jail the father, and read Sonnet 73 to Lettie. Just a normal day.
75	9	"The Visitation"	Bradford May	Robert Eisele	February 1, 1989 (1989-02-01)	15.6 [77]	11.0/17 [77]
International arms dealer Daniel Ruger (James Tolkan) is selling nerve gas, so (coughing) small-time gun smuggler Asa Lazar (Joseph Ragno) won't deal. Ruger can't trust him, so Garrick (Mike Starr) and Tillerman (Randle Mell) grab him. Lazar flees into a residence, but the new mother (Mel Gorham) denies entry. Garrick shoots him, but catches a fatal strain of African orthopoxvirus. At Pete O'Phelan's, McCall dines with an old flame, Dr. Lauren Demeter (Jenny Agutter), an epidemiologist at the U.N.'s International Health Organization. [78] The Medical Examiner performs Lazar's autopsy, and quickly enlists Dr. Phil Molinari from the Dept. of Health, Bureau of Contagious Diseases. Molinar sends blood to the CDC, and calls his colleague, Lauren. Lt. Brannigan's mass round-up of suspects tips Carpenter who says, "The Mayor would want the people to know." McCall convinces him to grant 48-hours to isolate Lazar's killers. Mickey finds Bagler's cousin, Dr. Harriman (Martin Shakar); a "top quack in NYC" who "lost his license for performing unnecessary surgeries." He finds Tillerman, but Lauren takes Ruger's number, trying to deliver the serum to anyone who needs it. Now McCall and Mickey must rescue Lauren.
76	10	"Past Imperfect"	Russ Mayberry	Gail Morgan Hickman	February 15, 1989 (1989-02-15)	17.2 [79]	11.9/19 [79]
Corman (Kenneth J. McGregor) welcomes Ray Quintero (Hector Elizondo). Ray's chauffeur (Frank Adonis) hands him the phone. "Hello, Ray. Goodbye, Ray." The chauffer tries to garrote him, Corman tries to shoot him, but Ray escapes. Big Brother Jimmy visits Thomas and his mother Cecilia Romero (Katherine Cortez). Men try to kidnap Tomas. Ray shoots one, the others escape. Jimmy scoffs at Lt. Brannigan's theory. Mickey identifies him as David Lance. McCall sees his tattoo; "What we need is an expert on strange and esoteric information." For meaning, Mickey leverages Luther Munson (Brad Sullivan). McCall tells Jimmy and Cecilia about the Darien Cartel, and Ray Quintero. "Name mean anything to you Mrs. Romero?" She tells her story, while Tomas eavesdrops. Mickey spots Company surveillance men. McCall berates the first man (Peter Mackenzie) and orders the second to contact Control. Control and Justice Department agent Elliott Jarvis (Rudolph Willrich) want Ray's testimony. McCall hears Ray's story. Jimmy dissuades Tomas from running away. Corman comes after Tomas, and Garfield is shot. McCall suspects a Company mole. Ray gives his testimony and is shot. At the funeral the priest (Al Carmines) reads "a mystery" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Tomas gets his own special chauffeur.
77	11	"Trial by Ordeal"	Marc Laub	Coleman Luck	March 1, 1989 (1989-03-01)	13.9 [80]	9.8/16 [80]
McCall is summoned by Prosecutor Charlie McGuinness (Roy Dotrice). Lights reveal the Sword Star. "I think you know what this is, "says the Judge (Sylvia Sidney). "A Company tribunal... a bloody kangaroo court!" Convened by Internal Operations, McCall has "been reclassified Category Red." He recalls Control warning, it's too dangerous to resign (years ago in "The Equalizer" [81] ). The Judge reminds McCall of his oath upon joining 29 years ago. Prosecutor, "You and Control met, and exchanged an envelope..." (in "A Community of Civilized Men" [82] ) "What exactly were the contents of that envelope?" McCall, "A mail order for a dozen new bowties...I had just discovered a secret sauce." But it's Control on trial; establishing his own network in Violation #28 of the Morrison Directives. Treason! The penalty? Death! He's asked about utilizing Control's network (in "Counterfire" [83] ). As evidence, is his quid pro quo with Control (in "First Light" [84] ). If Control is convicted, McCall also goes on trial. Having worked for the Operations Director (in "Beyond Control" [85] ), Mickey testifies about Exden Doc. #1344-H (25 years of assassinations, government destabilization, currency manipulation... Everything!). Control's letter is entered into evidence; the Sand Star Confederation declaring, "We the undersigned pledge our lives, and our resources to the worldwide defense of human rights, accepting as our mission, the overthrow of any force that shackles the freedom of human conscience, by unjust imprisonment, false trial, torture, and execution." The Judge asks Control, "Do you disavow this document?" "No, I do not." The Tribunal finds him guilty, but a death sentence requires unanimous peer agreement. McCall calls for a statement; Control makes his plea... to free the "prisoners of conscience..."
78	12	"Silent Fury"	Russ Mayberry	Donna Powers & Wayne Powers	March 8, 1989 (1989-03-08)	14.4 [86]	10.0/16 [86]
McCall helps a deaf robbery victim. Cynthia Nixon appears.
79	13	"Lullaby of Darkness"	David Jackson	Coleman Luck	March 30, 1989 (1989-03-30)	16.9 [87]	11.9/19 [87]
McCall is called on to help a mother and daughter escape their abusive home life.
80	14	"17 Zebra"	Alan Metzger	Jacqueline Zambrano	April 6, 1989 (1989-04-06)	17.4 [88]	12.1/19 [88]
McCall investigates the death of several homeless people who have died from heart attacks while in ambulances.
81	15	"Starfire"	Bradford May	Robert Eisele	April 13, 1989 (1989-04-13)	16.7 [89]	11.7/19 [89]
McCall helps a man (Michael Moriarty) who is convinced he is an alien being hunted by killers. George Plimpton appears.
82	16	"Time Present, Time Past"	Gordon Hessler	Tom Towler	April 20, 1989 (1989-04-20)	15.1 [90]	10.8/18 [90]
Scott and a Bulgarian defector (who was aided by his father) are kidnapped, and Scott enters his father's line of work when he tries to rescue the man.
83	17	"Prisoners of Conscience"	Marc Laub	Robert Eisele	April 27, 1989 (1989-04-27)	14.7 [91]	10.4/17 [91]
McCall tries to free a Chilean poet from the grasp of a man who killed his father years ago.Edward Woodward's son Tim Woodward plays Captain McCall.
84	18	"The Caper"	Alan Metzger	Tom Towler	May 4, 1989 (1989-05-04)	15.0 [92]	10.8/17 [92]
A cleaning woman (Maureen Stapleton) witnesses a murder and tries to solve it.
85	19	"Heart of Justice"	Bradford May	Gail Morgan Hickman	May 11, 1989 (1989-05-11)	14.6 [93]	11.2/18 [93]
A man hellbent on getting revenge on the men who attacked his wife enlists McCall's help when he finds out someone else has gotten to them first.
86	20	"Race Traitors"	Robert E. Warren	Donna Powers, Wayne Powers, & Gail Morgan Hickman	June 29, 1989 (1989-06-29)	11.6 [94]	8.3/16 [94]
McCall comes to the aid of a black family being harassed by racists. Guest star Laurence Fishburne.
87	21	"Endgame"	Alan Metzger	Coleman Luck	August 10, 1989 (1989-08-10)	11.2 [95]	8.3/15 [95]
A man who is a master of strategy games uses his knowledge to plot revenge against two sisters.
88	22	"Suicide Squad"	Marc Laub	Jacqueline Zambrano	August 24, 1989 (1989-08-24)	11.2 [96]	8.2/15 [96]
McCall aids a young student who has turned to drug dealing after he loses his athletic scholarship at college. Ving Rhames appears.

Home releases

At present, the following DVD sets have been released. ^[97]

DVD set	Company	Release date
The Equalizer: Season 1	Universal Home Video	February 12, 2008
The Equalizer: The Complete Collection; Limited Edition	Visual Entertainment	August 19, 2014
The Equalizer: The Complete Season 2	Visual Entertainment	August 26, 2014
The Equalizer: The Complete Season 3	Visual Entertainment	October 24, 2014
The Equalizer: The Complete Season 4	Visual Entertainment	November 25, 2014

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External links

• The Equalizer at IMDb
• List of  The Equalizer episodes at epguides.com