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Queen Latifah attends the 18th Annual ADCOLOR Awards at JW Marriott LA Live on November 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)© Getty Images

Queen Latifah breaks silence after CBS cancels hit TV show: 'I'll be back'

The Equalizer ran for five seasons

Rebecca Lewis
Los Angeles correspondent
May 4, 2025
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Queen Latifah has thanked fans of The Equalizer for being "so loyal, so loud, and so ride-or-die," the day after CBS cancelled her show after five seasons.

"Stepping into a kick-ass role like Robyn was everything I hoped it would be. Shakim and I at Flavor Unit are always excited to bring these kinds of roles and projects to life—and then we just hope you love them as much as we do," she wrote.

Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall and Liza Lapira as Melody "Mel" Bayani in The Equalizer© CBS via Getty Images
Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall and Liza Lapira as Melody "Mel" Bayani in The Equalizer

"The Equalizer blew past every dream we had for it, and having the opportunity to do this for five seasons honestly feels surreal," she continued.

"Thank you to our amazing cast, crew, and producers and writers! And I can’t say enough about the FANS! Y’all have been so loyal, so loud, and so ride-or-die—and that’s exactly why we keep doing this. We can’t thank you enough. It means the world to us."

Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall and Tory Kittles as Detective Marcus Dante in The Equalizer© CBS via Getty Images
The Equalizer will end after five seasons

Queen Latifha concluded: "And don’t worry—I’ll be back kicking ass in something new real soon. Can’t wait to share it with you."

The Equalizer was a reimagining of the 1980s series; Queen Latifah starred Robyn McCall, an everyday single mom raising her teenage daughter who is actually a former CIA operative now quietly working as an anonymous guardian angel in search of her own redemption.

Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall in The Equalizer© CBS via Getty Images
Queen Latifah starred as Robyn McCall in The Equalizer for five seasons

Season five will conclude on May 4 and CBS made the announcement two days prior, on May 2.

It means that the series has not been given a planned final episode, and it is unclear what fans can expect from the last moments of the show and its characters.

The upcoming 2025/2026 season of CBS will look dramatically different as the network has made a series of brutal cuts.

Shemar Moore as Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson in SWAT© CBS via Getty Images
Shemar Moore's SWAT has also been canceled

Shemar Moore's SWAT was canceled for the third – and apparently final – time, with reports suggesting CBS did not engage in renewal talks, instead choosing to end the long-running series, which had been saved twice before.

After six seasons, FBI: Most Wanted which starred Dylan McDermott, has also been canceled; it was the first spin-off in the FBI franchise, and followed the Bureau's Fugitive Task Force which focuses on tracking and capturing criminals on the Most Wanted list.

Vinessa Vidotto as Special Agent Cameron Vo, Luke Kleintank as Special Agent Scott Forrester, and Carter Redwood as Special Agent Andre Raines© Getty
FBI: International has also been canceled by CBS

FBI: International, which was launched in 2021 and was the second spin-off in the FBI franchise, was also canceled; CBS also canceled Poppa’s House, The Summit, Blue Bloods, and After Midnight

The Neighborhood has been given one more season.

Shows that received a renewal included NCIS: Origins, Matlock, Elsbeth, Fire Country, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, NCIS, NCIS: Sydney, Survivor, The Amazing Race, Trackerand Watson.

Teaser trailer for The Equalizer 5x18, the series finale

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