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My son and I have been watching The Equalizer on DVD, and I was surprised to see Joel Surnow’s name in the credits as a producer. But it all makes sense. Surnow’s gig as a writer and producer on 24 may have turned him into a household name, but he cut his TV-thriller teeth with The Equalizer 16 years earlier.
There are lots of similarities in Robert McCall and Jack Bauer. Both guys have tried getting out of “the business,” but it keeps pulling them back in. Both deal with themes of vengeance and protecting the innocent. Both live in the shadows and break all the rules to achieve the desired goal. Let’s take a closer look and see how the two shows measure up.
Pacing. 24 has it all over The Equalizer on pacing. Robert McCall spends a lot of time sizing up the situation, talking to people, visiting neighborhoods, and setting up equipment to “equalize” the situation. Even the chase scenes are in slow motion. Jack Bauer, on the other hand, wastes no such precious time. He spends two seconds analyzing the situation and then makes his move. The chase scenes are fast and furious, and a beat-up and bloodied Bauer can often be found gripping the undercarriage of a speeding vehicle as he yells into his cell phone, “I’m fine, Chloe! Just download the satellite coordinates to my PDA!”
Protecting the Innocent. Both McCall and Bauer feel it’s their assigned mission in life to ensure the safety of innocent people. For McCall, it’s usually one person. For Bauer, it’s the entire planet – no, make that universe.
Technical Gear. McCall’s equipment usually consists of a listening device, some sweet weaponry, perhaps a DOS-based computer, and the almighty answering machine. Bauer routinely deals with anxiety-inducing drugs, nuclear bombs, satellite feeds, massive databases, and, of course, “the kit,” plopped down on the table to make people talk.
Back-Up. Though both McCall and Bauer work best alone, they have back-up, if needed. McCall knows useful people everywhere, even though they’re not always friendly. When things get really rough, he calls in Mickey, a maniacal vet who lives on the edge and isn’t afraid to “stick his finger in the fan.” Jack has dependable Chloe, always ready to hack into a mainframe or lie to her superiors for him. But Jack knows that anyone can turn against him at any time, so he tends to play it close to the vest.
Victims. In The Equalizer, the victims are as dumb as they come. In one episode, a farm girl gets into a stranger’s car in New York City. In another, a female cop walks right into a trap set by her dirty partners. Bauer’s victims, on the other hand, are well-connected terrorists and high-powered politicians who are keenly aware of wire-tapping devices and infrared technology.
Torture. McCall likes to torture people slow and easy, leaving scary notes and incriminating evidence in cars and apartments. He stalks people and loves it. Bauer is wilder, woollier, and has no problem slapping bad guys around or shooting his friends point blank, if necessary. Both McCall and Bauer have “the stare” going for them, though. Lord help me if I’m ever the recipient of that stare. I’d snap in a second.
Wardrobe. McCall is always clean-shaven and impeccably dressed in a suit and tie, handkerchief tucked neatly into his coat pocket. Bauer often sports a 24-hour stubble (or full beard, in some cases), and he’s usually wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, perhaps a tattered hoodie or corduroy jacket.
Emotional Baggage. Both McCall and Bauer have enough emotional baggage to fill up a silo. McCall lives alone and is trying to build a relationship with his estranged son. Bauer has a string of failed relationships in his past (mainly because the women end up dead), and a psychotic dad and brother who make The Joker look like Dora the Explorer. Why, it’s enough to make a federal agent turn rogue.
An Equalizer feature film is in the works, scheduled for a 2009 release date. Perhaps they should think about hooking Robert McCall up with Jack Bauer. Nah, they’d probably end up staring each other to death.
Clacked by Jane Boursaw 
on Sep 28, 2008 @ 00:03 EST5EDT
