The Equalizer: Season 3/ Episode 16 “Love Hurts” – Recap and Review

Thanks to Fisk, Robyn reunites with an ex as Delilah goes through a situation that pushes her to question if she’ll let her identity get in the way of her career.

Release Date (CBS)	May 7, 2023
Director(s)	Christine Moore
Writer(s)	Joe Gazzam, Ashley Charbonnet
Newly Noted Characters and Cast
Rick Dawson	Andrew Stewart-Jones
Diego	David Fumero
Previously Noted Characters and Cast
Fisk	Donal Logue
Robyn	Queen Latifah
Delilah	Laya DeLeon Hayes

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Plot Recap

Featuring: Fisk, Robyn, Delilah, Diego, Rick

With Delilah having an interest in the fashion industry, working at a boutique with name recognition and a connected owner seemed like a blessing. However, she comes to a crossroads as she learns her internship will be in the stockroom due to her hair. Will she be like the woman who hired her and straighten her hair for the sake of a job and the opportunities that could come with it, or stand strong? Her decision? She calls out the boss, her team lead, who doesn’t back her up, and leaves.

Because of her confidence, the team lead comes to her house and apologizes, but Delilah’s disappointment in her makes the words empty and hollow, and the gesture barely appreciated.

Switching to the main story, Fisk calls in Robyn to go after Rick Dawson, who he believes could help get a file with plutonium ring secrets. As always, Robyn doesn’t like Fisk thinking he has her at his beck and call, never mind him not giving up the full details, but she goes for her and Rick have history. Note, it is good history, since they slept together and still fancy one another. However, that was before he went ghost due to MI6 thinking he killed a potential asset named Diego Alcazar.

However, the truth is Diego found out who Robyn was and tried to kill her, and before Rick knew Robyn wasn’t still in their hotel room, he killed Diego, or thought he did, to save her. Thus putting his spy career on a three-year hold. But, now he has a chance to get his life back to normal by getting that file and, as a bonus, the surprisingly alive Diego.

But, with Robyn feeling the need to push back on Fisk and his “Not personal, it’s business” mantra, alongside his refusal to show his cards, while Fisk gets Diego, Robyn has the plutonium files wiped. Luckily, the deal for Rick getting his life back isn’t affected by this, but while he gets his life back, Robyn makes it clear that, while feelings may linger, she isn’t interested in trying to make two spies being together work.

Things To Note

What Could Happen Next

1. Robyn is going to get the opportunity to put Fisk in a life-or-death situation and question if she should let the man die

Review

Highlights

Delilah’s Subplot

While Delilah’s storyline felt a bit heavy-handed, and as a way to bring attention to the CROWN Act, there is no denying it did more than bring attention to hair discrimination. It also gave us insight into what Delilah wants to be and helped further her individuality. She wants to be in fashion, be it styling, marketing, or understanding the business, and that perhaps is one of the most notable character development she has gotten in a while. Especially in terms of something which wasn’t a result of trauma experienced.

Robyn and Rick’s Chemistry

At this point, it seems Robyn might be the rare female lead who doesn’t end up in a relationship, and that’s perfectly fine. But that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy seeing her flirt and clearly have chemistry with guest stars or Detective Dante.

In the case of Rick, it gives you a sense that, both then and now, Robyn is a woman worth losing it all for, and what truly makes this connection special is it went beyond whatever happened sexually or being in love with how much of a badass she is. Just them talking about watching a movie was cute and gave viewers the reminder that, as much as Robyn is “The Equalizer,” she is so much more than that, and she had a whole life before becoming someone’s mom or giving away her time for other people’s safety, comfort, and communities.

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