The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 15 Review: Deception
What The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 15, “Deception,” does best is start the episode with Mel and Harry fighting, making us believe this has something to do with her PTSD and disappearing so often. Jumping to that scene back in time to witness Mel struggling with panic attacks and pulling a gun on a random guy teases viewers into thinking the perfect couple might be fighting after all.
Mel confessing to her therapist that she hasn’t been honest about her “episodes” with Harry and Harry telling Robyn he is worried about her, plus calling Dante about it, are all signs that something is going on between them. All the signs that could perfectly set the mood for a fight to happen at a bar.
However, knowing the relationship these two characters have, it is hard to believe they would argue so publicly. The hunch that there is more to that scene is confirmed when we discover it is just a setup to catch the man who conned Evelyn.
Nevertheless, the tension between Mel and Harry is real. No, it won’t end in divorce like they insinuate when fighting in front of Nigel, but the fight opens the floor for Mel to be honest about her feelings.
When Mel’s mom mentioned on The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 10, “Dirty Sexy Money,” how similar she and her father were, we didn’t expect to see it put into practice so soon. The same shame her father had all those years, which prevented him from speaking his truth, is the one ruling Mel’s actions now as she is embarrassed to tell Harry she is struggling.
That generational shame and trauma prevent Melody from being honest with her husband, even though Harry has never made her feel embarrassed about her PTSD. On the contrary, he has always been an extremely supportive husband.
It makes sense, however, that Mel has two outbursts on the episode. Her storyline went from mentioning her PTSD in every single episode to shoving it under the rug and never speaking of it again. That is the perfect representation of how recovery works.
One can be perfectly fine, and then something triggering happens. That is how Mel’s recovery is going. She was okay being back at work, but now she might second-guess herself.
It will be interesting to see if she decides to take a step back again or push through.
The other great thing that happens on The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 15, “Deception,” is watching Dante play the role of vigilante.
When the show first started, Dante was the vigilante’s number one enemy. As the episodes went on and he fell in love with Robyn, he came to understand that sometimes you have to blur the lines of the law to fight for justice.
This is exactly what he explained to his captain when he took his job at the NYPD back. But, once again, viewers didn’t expect to see him working within those grey areas so soon after his return.
When Dante discovers there is nothing he can do to help Evelyn get her money back legally and put Nigel behind bars, he steps into the shadows and takes matters into his own hands. After Mel cannot continue with the task, Dante punches Nigel and gets them access to his phone, unlocking it and saving the $250,000 lost.
The Marcus Dante from the beginning would have never done this, but the Marcus Dante who is in love with Robyn and knows why the trio does what they do is totally okay with bending the rules from time to time.
It would have been interesting to see if he would have done the same had Robyn been available to work.
While it’s always great to see Robyn in action, it’s nice to see her taking time to spend with Delilah as well. The balance between her personal and professional life is important, and so far, the season has only given her character that balance through her dates with Dante.
Because she has always found a way to be present in Delilah’s life, it was weird that she hadn’t addressed her change in behavior until this episode. However, their conversations on “Deception” are definitely worth the wait. Robyn not only speaks as her mom but also as someone who lost her way in her teenage years.
Now, we’re all waiting to see where Delilah ends up after high school.
What did you think of this episode of The Equalizer? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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The Equalizer airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature who works in PR. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.