Queen Latifah starrer The Equalizer canceled after five seasons at CBS

CBS has officially canceled The Equalizer after five seasons, as confirmed by Variety. The show, led by Queen Latifah, was the last remaining bubble series at the network. Its season finale, scheduled for May 4, will now serve as the series finale.

The cancellation follows a series of other recent CBS decisions, including the axing of the freshman multi-cam Poppa's House, along with FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted. Additionally, a backdoor pilot for a potential Equalizer spinoff aired earlier this season but will not move forward.

While the cancellation of The Equalizer may not be entirely unexpected, given its status as a bubble show in the previous season, it was co-produced by CBS Studios and Universal Television. This made it a less financially viable option for CBS, especially as the network has already greenlit several new shows for the upcoming season. These include a new addition to the FBI franchise starring Tom Ellis, the comedy pilot DMV picked up to series, and spinoffs for Fire Country and Blue Bloods.

Previously, CBS also announced a pickup for Matthew Gray Gubler's drama Einstein, but that series has been pushed to the 2026-2027 season. In terms of renewals, CBS confirmed a two-season extension for the comedy Ghosts and additional seasons for Tracker and NCIS.

The Equalizer was a reimagining of the 1980s series, with Latifah playing Robyn McCall, a former CIA operative who aids people in dire circumstances. The series also starred Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, and Lorraine Toussaint. Developed by Andrew Marlowe and Terri Miller, it was based on the original series co-created by Richard Lindheim. The show’s executive producers included Joseph C. Wilson, Queen Latifah, Debra Martin Chase, Shakim Compere, John Davis, John Fox, Loretha Jones, and Rob Hanning.