The third season of The Equalizer premiered and ended on CBS.
Synopsis
In this season, McCall goes against an atheist bomber, a Wall Street raider, two hit-men, more KGB, more Mafia, a serial killer, a sexploiter pimp/pornographer, a deranged dramatist, an alcoholic AIDS avoider, a murderous master manipulator, a greedy diplomat, an enemy espionage agent, a lost lover, welfare slumlord scammers, a psycho ransoming rapist, a psycho stalker ex-husband, a psycho murderer ex-con, a vengeful industrialist, a casino boss, and a protégé turned femme fatale.
He stops a mass-murder at a mass, defends a developmentally disabled man, frees a scientist-defector, saves an army career, prevents a psychic's fatal future, thwarts thespian threats to the theatre troupe, saves a six-year-old, reunites a father and son, derails dancer danger, turns teens from thug-life, rescues a reporter from revenge, liberates a kidnapped boy, helps an amnesic woman, frees hostages, houses a homeless family, protects two single mothers, one single father, and two families of three.
McCall is arrested once, shot thrice, forgives an enemy, loses a friend, gains a daughter, and buys a bar.
Episodes
Cast and characters Main
Recurring
Notable guest stars
Telly Savalas as Brother Joseph Heiden, who used to be a terrorist (with Loeber as his protégé) until Heiden began seeing a strange man mourning his horrific acts. He describes his conversion to McCall, who finds it hard to believe and forgive because Heiden killed his godson. William Atherton as Martin "Alpha" Loeber (alias Brad), a Marxists that hates God and religion, thus he sets out to kill as many as he can, starting with a blind monsignor. Moira Harris as Linda, Loeber's girlfriend who he uses as "cover." She doesn't want to believe anything bad about "Brad" from McCall, Mickey or even her own mother. Tom Atkins as FBI Special Agent Frank Standish, leader of an FBI-NYPD Joint Task Force to apprehend Loeber. Elizabeth Franz as Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, Linda's mother who knows "Brad" is up to no good. Lynne Thigpen as Cleaning Lady, for the dentist that McCall never finds. Lee Breuer as Benjamin Harris, who "procures" anything Loeber needs to carry out his nefarious plan. Nicholas Georgiade as Agent #2, part of the JTF who hears Brother Heiden's briefing. Ted Beniades as a Police Officer, who responds when Mrs. Thomas and McCall are rammed by a truck and knocked into the water.
Vincent D'Onofrio as Davy Baylor, a mentally disabled man falsely accused of the murder of his coworker Cheryl Jansen (played by co-star Mary Kane). William Converse-Roberts as Will Rattigan, another of Davy's coworkers who was having an affair with Cheryl. Ann Wedgeworth as Irene Baylor, Davy's "hovering" mother who can't seem to let go and allow his independence. John Randolph as Jack Rattigan, Will's father, who is disappointed in himself for battering his own wife for years in front of his son, and disappointed in his son for not learning compassion and overcoming his father's abusive disease. Thus he is through making excuses for Will, refusing him an alibi. James Eckhouse as the District Attorney, who requests remand for Davy to undergo psychiatric evaluation. Nancy Giles as the court Bailiff.
John Heard as Ron Parrish, a Wall Street risk arbitrageur who uses criminal means and other people's funds to enrich himself. Dennis Boutsikaris as C.R. Heaton, who is left hanging to answer to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, facing economic ruin and jail time for insider trading. Ashley Crow as Samantha Chesborough, who is mistaken for Fraunces Tavern waitress Wendy who is targeted for murder by Parrish, because Wendy, as Heaton's girlfriend, learned of their crimes and tried blackmailing them. Patricia Richardson as Sandy, who hangs about Fraunces Tavern hoping for the right opportunity to present itself, or himself, or both. She provides McCall insight into Wendy's connection to Heaton. Oliver Platt as Norm Jameson, a thug who does Parrish's bidding by going after Wendy when they realize they abducted the wrong woman, Samantha. Paul Perri as Craig Rose, a thug who does Parrish's bidding by going after Wendy when they realize they abducted the wrong woman, Samantha. David J. Steinberg as Freddy, a carny who helps McCall engineer a unique way of setting up Parrish to prove his murderous, criminal intent to law enforcement.
Michael Moriarty as Dr. Peter Kapik, a Czechoslovak genetic scientist who has made a DNA break-through that could be very valuable to the Soviet Eastern Bloc for its potential use in biological warfare. Kapik seizes an opportunity to break free of his Russian handlers to see an old flame. Maureen Mueller as Alina Jennings née Polivka, Peter Kapik's old flame, who has since married Wayne. As a defector herself, Alina is leveraged by Sarka to set up Kapik to be captured, or failing that, to kill him herself. Failure will result in her parents being killed. Jamey Sheridan as Wayne Jennings, Alina's husband. Liliana Komorowska as Sarka, the KGB Agent tasked with setting up or killing Kapik; she threatens to kill Alina's parents if Alina doesn't complete the mission. George Gerdes as a Russian Spy. Adam LeFevre as Foster, a State Department agent who takes Dr. Kapik into protective custody. Lola Pashalinski as Vera Polivka, Alina's Mother. Warren Keith as a TV Reporter.
Robert Mitchum as Richard Dyson, Southern Control and Robert McCall's former Agency colleague. When Dyson learns McCall was abducted by the KGB, he suggests breaking Harley Gage out of prison, as Gage was their best agent in Moscow. Dyson and Gage will infiltrate the Russian regional facility to rescue Robert. Control (Lansing) and Southern Control (Mitchum) are work against each other at cross-purposes, with Dyson trying to locate and free McCall and Control trying to keep him sequestered, providing the actors a chance to shine dramatically. Frances Fisher as Francesca, a KGB agent trying to capture Robert McCall before he can be used in a prisoner exchange. She was also Gage's handler and lover in Moscow. Frankie Faison as Zudo, owner of a Curio shop. Joseph Tobin as Weber/Cronin, an Agency operative.
J. T. Walsh as Andrew Banks, a career Army Major, who is now a Logistical Officer for the United States Department of Defense. As a witness called to testify at a Congressional Hearing, he has made himself the target of assassination to prevent exposing criminal activity, separate but, related to the arming and training of Angolan counter-revolutionaries, which was ordered by Control. Tomas Milian as Renaldo Duran, a Cuban international banker and financier with ties to the Mafia, including Meyer Lansky. Thus Duran has no qualms against hiring a hitman to take out Banks. Gerry Bamman as an unnamed Congressman, who poses the questions to Banks at the hearing. Paul Calderón as Chacon, a hit-man hired to kill Banks. Walter Bobbie as William Virgil, a Department of Defense agent. Ethyl Eichelberger as Bagler's Butler.
Katherine Cortez as Karen Alden, a psychic with an "Inner View" who has been having visions of murders committed by the so-called Scrapbook Killer. The female detective at the precinct doesn't believe her, so Karen calls The Equalizer after seeing McCall and Sarah talking about the killer to a Lieutenant. Karen provides Harley Gage details that lead to the killer. Terrence Mann as Shadow Man, a fan of the rock band Archon, who imagines he is the "Shadow Man" from Archon's new single. Toni Kalem as Sarah Hendricks, who has identified the Scrapbook Killer from a composite sketch after he assaulted her in a subway train. Sarah helps by providing a bracelet that triggers Karen's vision of the killer. Starletta DuPois as a Female Detective, who warns Karen to tell the truth, or be named an accessory to murder. Paul Hipp as Jarret, the lead singer of Archon. Ron Vawter as a Lieutenant, who is very dismissive of McCall and Sarah. Tim Cappello as a Roadie for rock band Archon.
Chris Cooper as Michael, a deranged former stage actor who had been horribly disfigured, and now haunts the theatre, fixated on actress Sandra Benning, who he mistakes as his beloved Elise. George Morfogen as Everett Austin, director of a play's stage production. Jennifer Van Dyck as Sandra Benning, an actress who has been receiving romantic notes left in her dressing room. Ned Eisenberg as Josh, an actor for the play.
Jacqueline Brookes as Phyllis Robertson, grandmother to Mickey who lost his mother to AIDS, having contracted it intravenously as a heroin addict. Martin Shakar as Kelly Stigman, owner of Kelly's Bar, who hates having a kid sick with AIDS in his neighborhood. He rouses his buddies into ousting him and his grandmother. But Kelly has his own sickness to hide.
Joseph Hindy as Dave Burton, Mickey's father, who didn't want to walk away from his son, but couldn't stand his wife's drug addiction. Corey Carrier as Mickey Burton, a six year-old boy who is the target of Kelly's ire. Mickey knows he's going to die, and gives Gage a list of Christmas presents for his grandmother, including a cat, "...so she won't be alone." Mickey treasures his "Mr. Manhattan" poster and misses his father. Maureen Anderman as Pete O'Phelan, who was Director of Research for ten years at the Company with her husband Mark who was in "Personnel." They left and opened a restaurant-bar named Pete O'Phelan's, but their past debts caught up with them, and Mark took ill and died. McCall finds the place closed but becomes half-owner, using the restaurant to meet clients and talk strategy with his team (much like the re-imagined show uses Mel Bayani's Haven Bar as a base of operations). Matthew Kimbrough as Spicer, a Kelly's Bar patron who becomes fearful, and expresses concern over Kelly's escalating violence against Phyllis and Mickey. Dean Norris as Martin, a "silent type" Kelly's Bar patron who doesn't comment on Kelly's plan at all. Don McManus as Dr. Feinberg, who tells Gage about Mickey's mother and father.
David Andrews as Del Larkin, an undercover cop who lies to the Organized Crime Task Force. He tries explaining to his best friend, Detective Charlie Kelly (played by co-star William Carden), that he "went in too deep" and that he's "on to something" to "bring these guys down." Kelly calls him an accomplice and tries to take Larkin in, but Kelly is inadvertently shot with his own gun in the struggle. George DiCenzo as Bruno Dominic, a mob boss. Madeleine Potter as Simone Peters, Larkin's lover, who but reports to Dominic and has another alias and profession. Amanda Plummer as Jill O'Connor, a police switchboard operator learning to dance in her off-hours, who accidentally overhears Larkin talking about Kelly's death, after which he threatens her life, so she calls The Equalizer. Marilyn McIntyre as Maureen, Kelly's widow. Brooke Smith as Risa, a police switchboard operator. Matt Mitler as Detective Bates.
Christopher Collet as Danny Winters, a high-school kid who gets mixed up with a bad crowd. Matters get worse when one of their own, Eddie, is hit by a car and killed while Danny and the gang chase after him. Thomas G. Waites as Shep Morrow, the ruthless leader of a robbery gang consisting of impressionable teenage boys who he indoctrinates with "survival of the fittest," crime "family" dogma. Frances Ruffelle as Sylvie, Shep's girl who reinforces his leadership and is not above using her feminine wiles to ensure loyalty, especially with the eldest, Danny. Lycia Naff as Amy, Danny's concerned girlfriend who notices the changes in Danny's behavior, and sees the boys with lots of money and shop-lifted goods. Not wanting to get them into trouble and arrested, she calls The Equalizer.