How ‘The Equalizer’ ended after Queen Latifah series was unexpectedly canceled by CBS

That’s a wrap on “The Equalizer.”

The primetime thriller starring Queen Latifah aired its series finale Sunday night following CBS’s decision to cancel the show after five seasons.

Warning: “The Equalizer” series finale spoilers below.

The final episode sees Robyn (Latifah) and Dante (Tory Kittles) take their first romantic getaway together to a secluded cabin in the Poconos. But Salazar (Juan Javier Cardenas) tracks them down and shoots Dante.

Robyn is captured by Salazar’s team, but Harry (Adam Goldberg) and Mel (Liza Lapira) rescue her. Robyn defeats Salazar in a knife battle. She then finds Dante, who is badly hurt but has enough strength to propose to her. But before Robyn can answer, Dante collapses.

Luckily, Dante recovers in the hospital and Robyn happily accepts his marriage proposal when he wakes up.

Meanwhile, Robyn’s daughter Delilah (Laya DeLeon Hayes) learns that her favorite author can help her get into her dream school, Harvard University. And Aunt Vi (Lorraine Toussaint) decides with the Captain (Christopher B. Duncan) to find a new place to move into together.

The series officially ends on a happy note as Robyn and Dante host an engagement party with their loved ones.

Showrunner Joe Wilson told TV Insider that the episode was designed as both a season and series finale.

“We didn’t want to end with a cliffhanger,” he said. “Shows get a little older. We are going into our sixth season budget, and money becomes an issue. We weren’t sure what was going to happen, and if we did end up on that wrong side, we did not want the fans to feel incomplete or cheated in any way.”

“So we designed it in a way that can feel like an ending,” Wilson added.

Wilson also confirmed Robyn and Dante’s wedding was going to take place in Season 6.

“It is going to be crazier than the proposal. It is feature worthy, what we would do with it. And just the continuing, what does their relationship look like equalizing as a family business as she says in this episode,” he explained.

“The Equalizer,” which first aired in 2021, was a reboot of the 1985 series of the same name starring Edward Woodward.

The show’s viewership dropped by almost 2 million in its final season, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, the planned spinoff was pulled from consideration during CBS’s bloodbath of show scheduling in the early months of the year.

Latifah, 55, released a statement on Friday after news broke that the series was canceled two days before the Season 5 finale.

“Stepping into a kick-ass role like Robyn was everything I hoped it would be,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Shakim [Comper] 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,” added Latifah, who was also an executive producer on the series. “The Equalizer blew past every dream we had for it, and having the opportunity to do this for five seasons honestly feels surreal.”

Latifah also mentioned the cast, crew and fans in her tribute to the show, thanking them for the support, saying it meant the “world.”