Rap legend-turned-actress Queen Latifah was full of gratitude, even though she was saddened that her prized show, “The Equalizer,” had been suddenly canceled.
CBS’s decision to terminate “The Equalizer” came as a shock just two days before the anticipated airing of its fifth season’s last episode on Sunday, May 4.
Queen Latifah conveys her gratitude for 5 seasons
Latifah, 55, who starred as Robyn McCall in the popular crime drama, expressed her gratitude for her fans’ longtime loyalty when she addressed her 8 million Instagram fans.
“Stepping into a kick-ass role like Robyn was everything I hoped it would be,” Queen Latifah wrote in a dramatic photo showing her pointing a pistol with the caption, ‘I’m the one you call when you can’t call 911.’ “The Equalizer blew past every dream we had for it, and having the opportunity to do this for five seasons honestly feels surreal.“
“Thank you to our amazing cast, crew, producers, and writers!“ continued Queen Latifah, whose real name is Dana Elaine Owens. “And I can’t say enough about the FANS! Y’all have been so loyal, loud, and 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 told fans she has big projects upcoming
The Grammy, Golden Globe, and Emmy Award winner said she wouldn’t be gone from TV and films for long. “Don’t worry — I’ll be back kicking ass in something new real soon.“
The Equalizer series was a reboot of the 1980s classic with a large loyal fanbase. They pushed the show to the top of USA TODAY’s “Save Our Shows“ poll.
However, The Hollywood Reporter states that the show’s audience fell from a high of 7.9 million viewers to 6 million this past season, and CBS and Universal Television decided to pull the plug due to declining viewership.
Queen Latifah’s show isn’t the only one that got the ax. According to Deadline magazine, during the usual annual bloodbath before the start of a new TV season, shows like “FBI: Most Wanted,” “FBI: International,“ “S.W.A.T.“ and “Poppa’s House“ were also canceled.
Fans are crushed by the cancellation but also grateful
Like Queen Latifah, her fans were deeply affected by the news. They expressed their gratitude for the five seasons but lamented the show’s ending, feeling lost.
Another fan expressed their love for the show and Queen Latifah, saying, “Right when you and Dante get together! CBS ain’t right! We been watching! Love you Queen! ❤️ I’ll be watching reruns on Hulu.”
Another viewer said in Latifah’s comments section said, “I am happy for the something new but 💔💔because I am going miss Robin and the cast❤️.“
A third person waxed poetic: “That was my favorite show. I would stop everything to watch it. I’m extremely disappointed and will boycott CBS going forward. I left a comment on People magazine to cancel Tracker, 1929, Firefox Country, and some of those NCIS shows — there are nearly a thousand of those. How disappointing. I purchased the first season of The Equalizer; I’ll continue to watch the show there.“
Another viewer made sacrifices because of their love for the show. “No matter how late they played it or delayed it, I stayed up to watch. Thank you for giving us 5 great seasons.” This dedication is a testament to the show’s impact on its audience.
But another Latifah fan was outraged. “What? Are they serious. This was one of my favorite shows that I look forward to watching every Sunday. I am heartbroken.💔 Nevertheless, I wish you, Queen, all the best. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽.”
“This show gave everything and I absolutely loved the family dynamic in so very upset I was waiting for the next season and to know it’s not coming is truly heartbreaking NEW NETWORK US PLS.“
