Bob Sassone at TVSquad reports that THE EQUALIZER is the latest TV series up for a big-screen redo. I always felt THE EQUALIZER, about an ex-spy-turned-vigilante, was an under-appreciated series (with a great theme by Stewart Copeland). It was shot on location in NY and, as I recall, was very well written and produced (by James McAdams and Matthew Rapf, fresh off of KOJAK). When star Edward Woodward was sidelined by a heart-attack, Robert Mitchum stepped in for a few episodes to take his place. Mitchum was so good, I was almost sorry when Woodward came back.
I’ll heartily agree with you about both the series and the theme song (the MP3 runs through my playlist regularly).
I dread, though, the idea of the big-screen treatment, because you know that this retired intelligence operative will be played by some WB pseudo-star of all of 34 years…
A great show, and a great performance by Edward Woodward. It felt oddly realistic, not showy or glamorous, and gritty, which I’m sure was helped out by the NYC shooting.
That said, yeah, what WB twerp do you figure they’ll get to play McCall? Since they’ll undoubtedly cast someone entirely too young, our best hope is someone like Colin Ferrell, who I think could play the role and at least has the right accent.
Hi Lee,
I loved this show – hope it comes ouut on DVD soon. That said, I thought Mitchum’s appearances on the show were as McCall’s friend, not as McCall himself. I’m thinking specifically of when the Soviets kidnapped McCall and Mitchum helped engineer his rescue with Mickey and company. And I remembering incorrectly? It’s been a while, heh.
Best,
Jon
The most important detail: Whoever they get to play The Equalizer has to walk like a duck, just like Woodward.
I didn’t mean to imply that Mitchum was playing McCall…but rather than he stepped in as the lead of the show while Woodward recuperated from his surgery.