V22 N8

We can all agree that during the
highs and lows of life, it is crucial
to have family around — either
the one you have or the one you
build. Let’s look at two of many
television shows where family is integrated.
The Equalizer and Blue Bloods both started new
seasons last month — for the latter, it’s the last
of the series after more than a decade.
The Equalizer stars Queen Latifah as Robyn
McCall, an ex-CIA operative living a mysterious
life in New York City. Her skills help desperate
people in life-threatening situations.
This is the third reimagining of the character,
which has gone from TV in the 1980s with
Edward Woodward as the lead to movies in
the 2000s with Denzel Washington, and now
back to TV with Latifah. In this iteration, the
character is surrounded by family, namely her
daughter, Delilah (Laya DeLeon Hayes) and
her Aunt Viola (Lorraine Toussaint).
Integrating family members for Latifah’s
version of the McCall character is somewhat
new. This wasn’t as major a part of the former
The Movie Column
By guest columnist Will Rodebaugh, III
1980s TV series with Woodward and in the
movie version, Denzel Washington doesn’t
have children. Queen Latifah as a single mom
in this new telling of the vigilante story makes
her a more relatable character. No wonder
fans are back enjoying season four.
Moving from vigilantes to cops on the
street — Blue Bloods is about an intergenerational
family in law enforcement. Sadly,
this will be the series finale after 14 seasons.
The show stars Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck)
as the New York City police commissioner.
Frank’s father (Len Cariou) was the former
commissioner. Frank’s children are detective
Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), Assistant District
Attorney Erin (Bridget Moynahan), and officer
Jamie (Will Estes). The show follows all
these characters to highlight the challenges
they face in their fight for justice.
But at the end of the day, they gather for a
family dinner to discuss their work and personal
lives. This is a perfect example of how
a supportive family can be in the face of life’s
turmoil. Special note: Frank’s best friend and
former co-worker Lenny Ross was played by
the beloved character actor Treat Williams,
who was tragically killed in a car accident
last June. A tribute episode for Williams aired
earlier this month.
These two shows remind us that when
setbacks come our way, you can always count
on those people you call family!
This article is dedicated to Treat Williams
(1951-2023).
March 28, 2024 EXIT ZERO Page 33