The Equalizer (S04E04) Review/ Recap | Mike Epps Guest Stars As A Con Man Robyn Needs To Save Det. Dante’s Former Partner

Plot Recap

Made You Look – Delilah, Aunt Vi, Robyn

Delilah participates in a “Peer Ear” student counseling program because she is a good person. As you can imagine, not everyone looks at her positively because of this. Many call her “Dull-lilah” since they think nothing is happening in her life, and she has no right to give advice.

This hurts Delilah, especially since they made a whole social media page dedicated to her and clowned on her. It’s so bad she even skips a few classes, which leads to Aunt Vi and Robyn being called. But, with Delilah as mature as she is, she thinks about what was said, notes that the comment section isn’t completely bad, and realizes all this means is that she needs to find her people.

Naturally, she thinks she’ll find them in the military, which leads Aunt Vi to push her to look more local.

Turning Over A New Leaf – JJ, Robyn, Mel, Harry, Dante, Rose, Charles

Detective Dante’s old partner, Vice Detective Rose Garcia, was undercover, investigating the Blanco Syndicate run by Charles Benson. She got caught, and Detective Dante fears the worst, so despite his boss being against working with vigilantes, he calls on Robyn and her team.

Lucky for Det. Dante, M.E.L., is doing better than ever and has become quite an asset. Not to be outdone, the original Mel, too, helps immensely. This is especially true when it is decided that to get to Charles; they need someone like JJ, who knew him before he became a notable figure in the criminal world.

To make a long story short, JJ and Charles worked together with a third party until a job went wrong, the third member of their crew was killed, and JJ got locked up. Now, with six months left in prison, JJ is asked to help save Rose and potentially take down Charles, which required Robyn to guilt him into helping.

However, working with a con man means dealing with JJ straying away every now and then. But, with a tracker swallowed in some food Robyn gave him, Mel and Robyn find him every time.

A Little Reward For Good Behavior – JJ, Robyn, Dante, Rose, Charles

With Charles dealing in chemical weapons, he isn’t the type to let too many close because they could easily become liabilities. So, when it comes to JJ, he gives him a longer leash than expected. But JJ doesn’t do anything directly against Charles for most of the episode. He may leave a door open and help Robyn get into a casino to look for Rose, but it isn’t until nearly the end of the episode he acts against Charles and damn near gets killed doing so.

In the end, however, Rose is saved, JJ learns the woman he has been communicating with while in prison isn’t a catfish, and for saving a cop, Robyn and Dante allow him to get a piece of Charles’ empire. Specifically, they set up a $200,000 missing money account for him, which, because of his gambling addiction, JJ has Robyn hold.

Cast Guide

Character’s Name	Actor’s Name
Delilah	Laya DeLeon Hayes
Aunt Vi	Lorraine Toussaint
Robyn	Queen Latifah
JJ	Mike Epps
Mel	Liza Lapira
Harry	Adam Goldberg
Detective Dante	Tory Kittles
Detective Rose	Gisela Chípe
Charles	Elliot Villar

New Character Description(s)

JJ

JJ is a conman and a gambling addict who has spent almost a decade in prison due to a burglary gone wrong. However, with losing a friend in that burglary and time passing, he seems to desire to turn his life around, though he can be easily tempted.

• The actor is also known for their role in “I’m a Virgo.”

Rose Garcia

Rose Garcia is a vice cop who got Marcus Dante through the academy and was one of his first (platonic) partners on the force.

Charles Benson

Charles Benson used to run and do crimes with JJ and a woman named Sylvia, until a botched robbery got Sylvia killed and JJ put in prison. Since then, he has risen through the Blanco Syndicate’s ranks, and now he runs not only a casino but also traffics guns and other illegal items.

• The actor is also known for their role in “The Chi: Season 2, Episode 7.”

Review

Highlights

Strong Guest Stars

I’m not saying Mike Epps deserves an Emmy for his guest-starring role, but I do think “The Equalizer” is really pushing the idea that no one should be strictly seen as a one-and-done character. They may not become the type of recurring role where they are in every other episode, but the door will be left open, and they will have reason to come back into Robyn’s life, which I appreciate. It makes it feel like you need to take note of this person or that person, whether it is Mike Epps, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kaci Walfall, Imani Lewis, or Leilany Celeste.

Delilah’s Storyline Could Be Its Own Show

Sooner or later, while “The Equalizer” will undoubtedly be a steady check for Laya DeLeon Hayes, it will end up holding her back. Mind you, she has done “God of War: Ragnarok,” “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” and other productions during the run, but it just seems like she doesn’t need the star power of Queen Latifah or Lorraine Toussaint to hold down a scene anymore.

Even something as small as her being made fun of and her reaction to it, I’d say she led the scene more than shared it with Toussaint, and it truly pushes me to wonder since her IMDB doesn’t push there is anything on the horizon, what’s next for her?

On The Fence

Dante and Robyn’s Relationship

Just let it die. Not either character, but the idea that things could become romantic. In my mind, just push the idea that because both have been single so long and have become close to someone of the opposite sex, they didn’t know what their feelings meant. This dragging out when they or will they plot is doing neither any favors and, as likely said before, both have so much better storylines that could become their focus. Why go for every show’s safety net of pairing two people up as a lifeline?

So, Are We Going To Sidestep What Was Established In The Past?

Here is what I’m trying to figure out: How is Aunt Vi going to get on Robyn about her relationship with Dante, considering Trish has been nowhere to be seen forever? How can Robyn be part of a major task force with Dante, considering Captain Watkins just said, not even in a past season, but this season, she doesn’t want vigilantes being part of cases?

There are probably other things I don’t remember, but it seems we’re sidestepping certain storylines and topics when they aren’t convenient.

Background Information

Episode Title	All Bets Are Off
Release Date	March 17, 2024
Network	CBS
Director(s)	Solvan “Slick” Naim
Writer(s)	Rob Hanning
Previous Episode	Season 4/ Episode 3
Series Page	The Equalizer
Character Guide	The Equalizer Cast and Character Guide