I just found out a few days ago that this show was never released on dvd. So if you guys could, please go to tvshowsondvd.com and vote for it to be released! I wanted to buy it for my husband's birthday, which isn't until June. I had a few others in mind, but I know he would love The Equalizer.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
I voted for it. I had almost forgot about this show yet used to watch it regularly. Thanks...
Posted by eightieschick (Member # 4385) on :
Thanks Motley. I watched it on a semi-regualar basis. Back then I wasn't much of a tv watcher. I was too busy with college, work and parties! But I would love to see it again. We do have a few episodes on video, but it would be nice to get at least the first 2 seasons on dvd.
Posted by eightieschick (Member # 4385) on :
Please everyone vote for this, even if you don't like the show. If they can release the amt. of crap that they have on dvd, they can release the Equalizer! If you guys want something released and want me to vote for it, let me know.
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
I loved the show. I would watch it regularly. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the boy who played his son the same boy who was the leader of the bad boy gang on Karate Kid?
I've been seeing that there is an Equalizer movie in the works. I'd bet that when the movie does come out they would most likely release the season sets around that time.
Posted by eightieschick (Member # 4385) on :
Yes Bionic Bigfoot, that was William Zabka who played the bad boy in Karate Kid and I think Back to School. I think he was in the first 3 seasons. I wonder who they will cast in the Equalizer movie. Who do you think would be good to play the Equalizer and his son, and how about Mickey, and Control? Thanks for the vote Bigfoot!
Posted by logan5 (Member # 1467) on :
Yes, it's true! We always knew he was Oscar material!
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
I was thinking about this show today. Some of his fight moves were kind of fast yet suave. He had a move that was similar to Spock's where he would get someone on a pressure point.
Posted by Smayt Shatner (Member # 1500) on :
Aw the vulcan nerve pinch Riptide... ooh smarts a bit afterwards hehe
Posted by J2ME (Member # 5728) on :
Just picked this up a few days ago. I'm already on Episode 6(of 22).
It was something of a surprise to see Adam Ant in one of the episodes
I just hope it sold well enough for Universal to release the rest of the series. Posted by Nostalgic for the '80's (Member # 37454) on :
First of all - Mods., could you please move this thread to "'80's TV"? It's in "'80's Culture", and it's probably more appropriate in the TV thread - Thanks!
In any case, "The Equalizer" is one of the most underrated TV series of the '80's.
As a kid, I caught a handful of episodes on network TV back in the day & was impressed by what I saw, but never got into it that much at that time (possibly it was on too late and I had school the next day, etc.)
A while back, I got re-interested in the series, and ended up watching all four seasons back-to-back. Wow....This show is simply superb! I watch a lot of TV, and I would have to say that this is not only one of the top ten TV shows I've ever seen, but is definitely the BEST T.V. series of the '80's. The show is so good, it's hard to believe it was a network T.V. show.
First, the theme music by Stewart Copeland is sublime; amazing use of synthesizer(s) - though the sound is very '80's, it's also very unusual & interesting as well. The soundtrack in the show itself was also excellent.....It helps that I was (and still am) a huge fan of the rock/pop group The Police.
Ed Woodward was incredible in this series; though some actors merely portray characters, Woodward WAS the Equalizer.
I liked how the show went back and forth between stories involving McCall helping those in need, to episodes involving his past coming back to haunt him, to episodes with (at the time) topical cold war themes.
Great supporting cast as well, including Mickey Kostmeyer, McCall's son Scott, Jimmy, Chad Redding, Control, Harley Gage, and others.
I was also very impressed with the show's themes of redemption/making up for past mistakes.
The show really captures the NYC of the '80's perfectly; watching the series is like going back in time, and it's nice that it was (or at least seemed to be) filmed on location in the city.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the copious amount of well-known guest stars on the show, including John Goodman, Stanley Tucci, E.G. Marshall, etc. Many of these became big later, but you also had appearances by Telly Savalas & Robert Mitchum, who were big names by the mid-late 1980's.
Though the first two seasons were great, IMHO Seasons 3 & 4 were incredible. There were so many stand-out episodes I can't list them all, but some of my favorite include the following - note this is by no means a comprehensive list:
Breakpoint (Season 1): IMHO, this was the best episode in the first season. Impressive acting here by Tony Shalhoub, whom I almost didn't recognize as the actor who became famous much later playing the detective Adrian Monk (Monk is also one of my favorite shows...)
Memories of Manon, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 2): Excellent.
Beyond Control (Season 2)
Blood and Wine, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3): Incredible opening episode, and IMHO definitely one of the top five episodes of the series. Telly Savalas was truly incredible in this, playing a completely different role from the past. The theme(s) of redemption were very pronounced here.
Mission: McCall Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3): I consider this to have the quality of a small film; great appearance by Robert Mitchum.
The Mystery of Manon, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 3)
Christmas Presence (Season 3): Amazing; very moving & poignant. Possibly the best stand-alone episode of the entire series.
The Last Campaign (Season 4): Excellent opening episode, and really set the tone for this superior final season.
Endgame (Season 4): Very disturbing & well-done; kept you guessing until the end.
Splinters (Season 4)
Silent Fury (Season 4): Extremely impressive.
Too bad the show didn't last longer; however, maybe it's best it ended in '89. In late '89 the Berlin Wall had fallen, and I'm not sure the cold war themes that were so central to the show would have been as relevant from 1990-on. Plus, by having the show go from '85-'89, it was a purely '80's show. And, four seasons is a very respectable length of time for a TV drama to last; in fact, the show was of such good quality that I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did (it seems that some of the best TV shows get cancelled after 1-2 seasons).
[ 03. October 2016, 13:38: Message edited by: Nostalgic for the '80's ]
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:I watch a lot of TV, and I would have to say that this is not only one of the top ten TV shows I've ever seen, but is definitely the BEST T.V. series of the '80's. The show is so good, it's hard to believe it was a network T.V. show.
Careful... that's quite a claim! It does have a superb theme tune.
My memories of watching this were of late-night repeats at the end of the 80's, it was always on along with another great 80's show 'Midnight Caller' (which I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it - even though it's never been released on dvd. It was the perfect late night TV show):
I also used to like 'The Highwayman' (with Sam Jones).
Posted by Nostalgic for the '80's (Member # 37454) on :
quote:Careful... that's quite a claim! It does have a superb theme tune.
Well, I do stand by this claim/comment. The Equalizer was the best TV series of the '80's.
Note that, despite my screen name, I didn't like many '80's TV shows (though I am a huge fan of '80's music & movies). I didn't like most sitcoms (with that stupid canned laughter) and many of the dramas didn't catch my interest either.
However, "The Equalizer" really stood out - the NYC setting, theme song & soundtrack heard within the episodes themselves, cold war/espionage elements, the incredible acting, the great storylines, etc. all came together to form a truly brilliant series.
Note that IIRC, all four seasons of this show are on DVD at this point.
[ 07. October 2016, 14:16: Message edited by: Nostalgic for the '80's ]
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
The Equaliser Rocks and is one of my favourite 80s US shows,forgot all about that show 'Midnight Caller' https://youtu.be/l-aDLchs1h4 Logan 5 though I can remember really enjoying it,if I remember right didn't it air quite late on BBC One here in the UK back in the day?
[ 09. October 2016, 03:40: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:Well, I do stand by this claim/comment. The Equalizer was the best TV series of the '80's.
I was only teasing - it's a great show. Not that I would compare it to something like 'Anne of Green Gables', 'Brideshead Revisited', or even 'The Young Ones', because the shows are too different. That's why I might be reluctant to call any series the best, just because there are so many different types of shows.
quote:Note that, despite my screen name, I didn't like many '80's TV shows (though I am a huge fan of '80's music & movies). I didn't like most sitcoms (with that stupid canned laughter) and many of the dramas didn't catch my interest either.
I have to say, while some of those 'canned' shows seemed very throwaway and silly even at the time, I've grown very fond - partially through notalgia - for that type of show. They seem so naive and innocent now. 'Kate and Allie' springs to mind...
quote:The Equaliser Rocks and is one of my favourite 80s US shows,forgot all about that show 'Midnight Caller' https://youtu.be/l-aDLchs1h4 Logan 5 though I can remember really enjoying it,if I remember right didn't it air quite late on BBC One here in the UK back in the day?
I used to watch it on ITV's 'Late Night Late'. It was the first through the night TV channel. I think that was the only channel that aired it. Equalizer was on there too, but I don't know if that aired on BBC before.
It didn't last, and it wasn't quality the way Equalizer or Midnight Caller was, but have fond memories of it.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
The Equalizer and Midnight Caller are both excellent crime shows with great, perfectly cast leads in Edward Woodward and Gary Cole. Both shows are like TV noir, dark, often depressing, that look at the worst of humanity through the eyes of an honorable, but flawed, hero. Another one that lasted one season and is really obscure is Vengeance Unlimited with the great Michael Madsen as a man known only as "Mr. Chapel," who, for reasons never made clear, rights wrongs for people in exchange for a favor. It's clear that he's helped a lot of folks so he can always get them to do something sketchy for him in his overall master plan. It's another dark noirish show from the creator of Eerie, Indiana, another fantastic show.
Posted by Pittsburghgirl (Member # 7514) on :
I loved Midnght Caller and one of husband's all time favorites was Vengeance Unlimited. He taped every episode. I don't think it ever had a proper release. So I am not allowed to throw away those VHS tapes lol!
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Hang on to those Vengeance Unlimited tapes. Or better yet, burn them to DVD-R before they disintegrate. I've seen people selling complete sets of Vengeance Unlimited DVD-Rs on-line so there definitely is a small cult out there for the show.
Posted by Nostalgic for the '80's (Member # 37454) on :
quote:Originally posted by Crash: The Equalizer and Midnight Caller are both excellent crime shows with great, perfectly cast leads in Edward Woodward and Gary Cole. Both shows are like TV noir, dark, often depressing, that look at the worst of humanity through the eyes of an honorable, but flawed, hero.
quote:Originally posted by Pittsburghgirl: I loved Midnght Caller
OK, you all have convinced me to check out "Midnight Caller" - never even heard of the show before this thread, but it sounds great. Unfortunately, this show is not available on home video - and it doesn't look like it ever has been.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Nft80s, you will love Midnight Caller--dark, beautifully filmed, jazzy music, it almost looks like a Michael Mann TV series. It's another one of those great "lost" series that have never been on home video in any form. I will give a shout out to two others that absolutely deserve DVD releases: (1) Strange Luck, another one from the creator of Eerie, Indiana, with D.B. Sweeney as the sole survivor of an airplane crash. He now is just about the luckiest person alive, and he gets involved in crazy things like a potato shaped like Elvis. (It's a hard-to-describe series--part mystery, part paranormal, part adventure, part romance--and the Fox Network had no idea how to handle it.); and (2) The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, another show that the Fox Network mishandled in their first year in business. Ostensibly geared to teens, Beans Baxter was a teen-spy show created by the brilliant Savage "Better Off Dead" Holland and was one of the smartest kids' shows ever. The great Kurtwood Smith from That 70's Show was the James Bond-like villain, and rock stars like Dee Snider and Ted Nugent showed up as guest stars. It too had a nice look and an amazing jazz theme featuring trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. There used to be a couple episodes of each series posted on YouTube.
Posted by J2ME (Member # 5728) on :
quote:Originally posted by Logan 5:
quote:The Equaliser Rocks and is one of my favourite 80s US shows,forgot all about that show 'Midnight Caller' https://youtu.be/l-aDLchs1h4 Logan 5 though I can remember really enjoying it,if I remember right didn't it air quite late on BBC One here in the UK back in the day?
I used to watch it on ITV's 'Late Night Late'. It was the first through the night TV channel. I think that was the only channel that aired it. Equalizer was on there too, but I don't know if that aired on BBC before.
Using the power of the BBC Genome Project, I can confirm that "Midnight Caller" did appear on BBC One. It debuted on 28th Jan '89 @ 21:35.
Now I need to getting back to watching both of these shows. Definitely two of the best from our favourite decade.
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
That Genome Project site is amaaaazing!
I definitely remember MC being on ITV, but I must've watched it a couple of years later when ITV got the rights. My memory has it about 91 on ITV Late Night Late.
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