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Law & Order: Organized Crime
2021 American police procedural drama television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Law & Order: Organized Crime is an American crime drama television series that premiered on April 1, 2021, on NBC. The seventh series in the Law & Order franchise and a spin-off of Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the series stars Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler, reprising his role from SVU. The show features a "single-arc" storyline that takes multiple episodes to resolve.[1]
The first season premiered on April 1, 2021, and was renewed for a second season comprising 24 episodes but only 22 episodes were produced.[2] The second season premiered on September 23, 2021,[3] and the series was renewed in May 2022 for a third season,[4] which premiered on September 22, 2022.[5] In April 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on January 18, 2024.[6] On April 25, 2024, it was announced that the series was renewed for a fifth season and would move to Peacock.[7][8] The fifth season premiered its first two episodes on Peacock on April 17, 2025, with the first episode also having a special airing on NBC.[9]
On July 28, 2025 it was reported that the show's fifth season will reair in its original Thursday 10 PM slot on NBC starting on September 25, 2025, and that NBC could decide on whether to pick it up for a sixth season based on its ratings.[10][11]
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Premise
In the nation's largest city, the vicious and violent members of the underworld are hunted by the detectives of the Organized Crime Control Bureau. These are their stories.
– Opening narration for seasons 1–4 spoken by Steven Zirnkilton[12]
The series centers on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character Elliot Stabler, a veteran Detective who returns to the NYPD in New York following his wife's murder. Stabler joins the Organized Crime Task Force, led by Sergeant Ayanna Bell.
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Cast and characters
Main
- Christopher Meloni as Detective 1st Grade Elliot Stabler, a former Manhattan Special Victims Unit detective who returns to New York after retiring from the police department several years earlier. He joins a task force within the Organized Crime Control Bureau to find his wife's killers and becomes its second-in-command.
- Danielle Moné Truitt as Sergeant Ayanna Bell, squad supervisor of the OCCB task force and Stabler's current direct superior and partner.
- Tamara Taylor as Prof. Angela Wheatley (seasons 1 & 2), a former math professor at Columbia University, ex-wife of Richard Wheatley, and a suspect in the hit ordered on Kathy Stabler.
- Ainsley Seiger as Detective 2nd Grade Jet Slootmaekers (seasons 1–5), a former independent hacker who is recruited to the OCCB task force on Stabler's recommendation. She was requalified as an NYPD officer to work with the OCCB task force. In season 3 episode 16 ("Chinatown"), she is promoted from Detective 3rd Grade to Detective 2nd Grade. In season 5, she leaves the OCCB task force to work with the FBI.
- Dylan McDermott as Richard Wheatley (né Sinatra) (seasons 1 & 2), son of notorious mobster Manfredi Sinatra, now a businessman and owner of an online pharmaceutical company who leads a second life as a crime boss, and was a suspect in the murder of Stabler's wife. He was presumed murdered by Angela after she discovered that Wheatley murdered their son Richie.
- Nona Parker Johnson as Detective 3rd Grade Carmen "Nova" Riley (season 2), an undercover narcotics detective working under Brewster's command to infiltrate the Marcy Killers. She retires from the NYPD and leaves New York after the murder of the gang's leader Preston Webb.
- Brent Antonello as Detective 2nd Grade Jamie Whelan (season 3), a detective with the OCCB. Formerly at the Belle Harbor, Queens Precinct. In the season 3 finale, he is shot and paralyzed by Kyle Wilkie and later dies in the hospital.
- Rick Gonzalez as Detective 2nd Grade Roberto "Bobby" Reyes (season 3–present), an undercover detective with the OCCB.
- Dean Norris as Randall Stabler (season 5; recurring season 4), Stabler's older brother and a real-estate developer based in Florida.
Recurring
- Ben Chase as Detective 1st Grade Freddie Washburn (season 1), a detective from the Narcotics unit recruited to the OCCB task force, and Bell's former senior partner in Narcotics.
- Michael Rivera as Detective 2nd Grade Diego Morales (season 1), a detective originally from the Gun Violence Suppression Division recruited to the OCCB task force.
- Shauna Harley as Pilar Wheatley (season 1; guest season 2), Richard's current wife.
- Nick Creegan as Richard "Richie" Wheatley Jr. (season 1; guest season 2), Richard and Prof. Angela Wheatley's older son, who aspires to follow in the family business.
- Jaylin Fletcher as Ryan Wheatley (season 1), Richard's and Pilar's son.
- Christina Marie Karis as Dana Wheatley (season 1; guest season 2), Richard and Prof. Angela Wheatley's only daughter who assists her father in his crimes.
- Ibrahim Renno as Izak Bekher (season 1), an Israeli criminal with combatant experience at the IDF..
- Charlotte Sullivan as Detective 3rd Grade Gina Cappelletti (season 1), an undercover detective assigned to the OCCB task force.
- Autumn Mirassou as Maureen "Mau" Stabler, Stabler's oldest child.
- Allison Siko as Kathleen Stabler, Stabler's second daughter.
- Jeffrey Scaperrotta as Richard "Dickie" Stabler, Stabler's oldest son and Lizze's twin brother.
- Kaitlyn Davidson as Elizabeth "Lizzie" Stabler, Stabler's youngest daughter and Dickie's twin sister.
- Nicky Torchia as Elliot "Eli" Stabler Jr., Stabler's youngest child.
- Michael Totter as Joseph Stabler Jr., Stabler's younger brother. (Seasons 4 & 5)
- Keren Dukes as Denise Bullock (recurring seasons 1–3), the ex-wife of Ayanna Bell, and birthmother of Jake, their shared son.
- Diany Rodriguez as ADA Maria Delgado (season 1), an ADA who formerly worked with the task force.
- Wendy Moniz as ADA Anne Frasier (recurring seasons 1 & 2, guest 5), the prosecutor on the Wheatley and K-O case.
- Daniel Oreskes as Lieutenant Marv Moennig (recurring seasons 1 & 2), the commanding officer of the OCCB task force.
- Nicholas Baroudi as Joey Raven (season 1), the owner of the Seven Knights club.
- Steve Harris as Ellsworth Lee (season 1), Angela Wheatley's attorney.
- Mike Cannon as Detective 3rd Grade Carlos Maldonado (season 2), a detective formerly under Brewster's command, but who now works under Bell's.
- Rachel Lin as Detective 1st Grade Victoria Cho (season 2), a detective formerly under Brewster's command, but who now works under Bell's.
- Lolita Davidovich as Flutura Briscu (season 2), the wife of Albanian mobster and gang leader, Albi Briscu.
- Antino Crowley-Kamenwati as Hugo Bankole (guest season 1; recurring season 2), a VP in the Marcy Killers organization.
- Izabela Vidovic as Rita Lasku (season 2; guest season 4), a waitress who was trafficked by the Kosta Organization.
- Caroline Lagerfelt as Agniezjka "Agnes" Bogdani (season 2), Reggie Bogdani's mother and Albi Briscu's sister.
- Robin Lord Taylor as Sebastian "Constantine" McClane (season 2), a notorious hacker and high-security convict who escaped prison.
- Gregg Henry as Edmund Ross (season 2), a businessman who was involved in a sex trafficking ring with the Kosta Organization.
- Wesam Keesh as Adam "Malachi" Mintock (season 2), a hacker who created an app for the Kosta Organization, now forced to assist the Organized Crime Task Force in order to avoid prosecution.
- Jen Jacob as Bridget Donnelly (season 2), Frank's second wife (whom he cheats), and mother of their son, Elliott, named after Stabler.
- James Cromwell as Miles Darman (season 2), a neighbor of Stabler who was hired by Wheatley to charm Bernadette.
- Liris Crosse as Officer Tanisha Carling (season 2), a member of the Brotherhood.
- Eddie Yu as Officer David Yoshida (season 2), a member of the Brotherhood.
- Justin Grace as Ron Bolton (season 2), a member of the Brotherhood.
- Sebastian Arroyo as Officer Jessie Santos (season 2), a member of the Brotherhood.
- Patrick Murney as Officer Scott Parnell, a member of the Brotherhood.
- Tim Ransom as Officer Stanwood (season 2), a member of the Brotherhood.
- Wass Stevens as Dominic Russo (season 3), an enforcer associated with Vincent Bishop and Teddy Silas.
- Kevin Corrigan as Vincent Bishop (season 3), a former construction foreman associated with Teddy Silas.
- Michael Drayer as Kenny Kyle (season 3), a career criminal and a suspect in the murder of Henry Cole.
- Janel Moloney as Deputy Inspector Lillian Goldfarb (season 3)
- Christopher Cassarino as Vaughn Davis (season 3), a gang leader who recruited fake cops to rob and assault civilians. He is also the foster brother of Bobby Reyes, Manny Rivera, and Dante Scott.
- Pooch Hall as Dante Scott (season 3), a recently released drug dealer who joins a criminal gang run by Vaughn Davis. He is also the foster brother of Vaughn Davis, Bobby Reyes, and Manny Rivera.
- Daniel Jenkins as Leonard Baker (season 3), the former sexually abusive foster father of Bobby Reyes, Vaughn Davis, Dante Scott, and Manny Rivera.
- Ayelet Zurer as Agent Tia Leonetti (season 3), an agent with Italian police.
- Mark Ivanir as Michael Abramov (season 3), an Israeli criminal who operates from Eastern Europe, and smuggles gold and sweatshop workers into the United States.
- Tate Ellington as Professor Kyle Vargas (season 4–present), an artificial intelligence expert who joined the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
- Abubakr Ali as Detective Samir "Sam" Bashir (season 4), a detective with the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
- Nicole Shalhoub as Captain Nazanin Shah (season 4), the commanding officer of the Hate Crimes Division.
- Will Janowitz as Eric Bonner (season 4), the son of Judge Clay Bonner and the brother of Chief Meredith Bonner, who became a serial killer.
- Stephen Lang as Angus Boone (season 4)
- Lois Smith as Doris Boone (season 4)
- Kiaya Scott as Becky, Eli's girlfriend and mother of their son, Owen. (season 4-)
- Garland Scott as Sergeant Hunt, Eli's training officer (season 5)
Special guest stars
- Dash Mihok as Reggie Bogdani (season 2), Albi Briscu's nephew who serves as Stabler's boss during his time undercover infiltrating the Kosta organization.
- Vinnie Jones as Albi Briscu (season 2), an Albanian gangster who is the last remaining member of his organization from the old country. He serves as Jon Kosta's underboss.
- Michael Raymond-James as Jon Kosta (season 2), the founder and leader of the Albanian mafia called the Kosta Organization.
- Guillermo Díaz as Sergeant/Lieutenant William "Bill" Brewster (season 2), the sergeant of a Narcotics task force and was previously Ayanna Bell's boss before she was transferred to the Organized Crime Control Bureau. He is promoted to lieutenant and takes over as commanding officer following Lieutenant Moennig's departure.
- Ellen Burstyn as Bernadette "Bernie" Stabler, Stabler's mother. (season 2-)
- Mykelti Williamson as Preston Webb (season 2), a construction magnate who is actually a dangerous crime kingpin in charge of the Marcy Killers organization; he is affiliated with Congressman Kilbride. He is killed in the season 2 finale.
- Denis Leary as Frank Donnelly (season 2), a longtime member of the NYPD who has a history with Stabler. Donnelly is revealed to be the leader of The Brotherhood, a crime syndicate of dirty cops within the NYPD. After the Brotherhood is uncovered and arrested at the end of the second season, Donnelly commits suicide to avoid disgrace and prison.
- Jennifer Beals as Cassandra Webb (season 2), the wife of Preston Webb.
- Ron Cephas Jones as Congressman Leon Kilbride (season 2), a politician who fosters connections and seems to have one with the Wheatleys. He is also the mentor of Preston Webb and is affiliated with Marcy Killers.
- Camilla Belle as Pearl Serrano (season 3), the wife of Teddy Silas.
- Gus Halper as Teddy Silas (season 3), a construction foreman who gets involved in a murder investigation run by the OCCB task force. He is the husband of Pearl Serrano and the son of Robert Silas. He later helps OCCB to try to take down the New Westies organization, but he leaves in the middle of their investigation, and he gets arrested once again.
- Jennifer Ehle as Chief Meredith Bonner (season 4), police chief of the town of Westbrook, daughter of Clay Bonner and sister of Eric Bonner.
- Keith Carradine as Judge Clay Bonner (season 4), judge of the town of Westbrook, father of Meredith and Eric Bonner.
- Jason Patric as Detective Tim McKenna (season 5), Stabler’s former partner on the Anti-Crime Task Force.
Crossover stars from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson (seasons 1–3 & 5)
- Peter Scanavino as Assistant District Attorney Dominick Carisi Jr. (seasons 1 & 3–5)
- Demore Barnes as Deputy Chief Christian Garland (season 1)
- Ice-T as Sergeant Fin Tutuola (seasons 2 & 3)
- Raúl Esparza as Defense Attorney (Former ADA) Rafael Barba (season 2)
- Dann Florek as Former Captain Donald Cragen (seasons 2 & 4)
- Octavio Pisano as Detective Joe Velasco (seasons 2 & 3)
- Kelli Giddish as Detective/Sergeant Amanda Rollins (season 3)
- Molly Burnett as Detective Grace Muncy (season 3)
- Tamara Tunie as Dr. Melinda Warner (seasons 4 & 5)
Crossover stars from Law & Order
- Jeffrey Donovan as Detective Frank Cosgrove (season 3)
- Mehcad Brooks as Detective Jalen Shaw (seasons 3)
- Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Kate Dixon (season 3)
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Timeline placement
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Unlike the other Law and Order shows, this show lacks timestamps to its stories.
The show's story begins at March 6th, 2021, as the COVID 19 pandemic was still before vaccinations were made affordable, and marking a decade since Stabler left Manhattan's SVU. Kathy Stabler's tombstone specifies March 8th, 2021 as her death date, which happens two days after the events of the opening scenes. It takes a few months to put Richard Wheatley, Sr. and his crime family behind bars for their last known crimes.
Elliott worked 6 months undercover for the Albanian crime organization before season 2 began, meaning that the show is looming at 2022 by then.
On the 4th episode of season 3 ("Spirit in the Sky"), which happens on late 2022, Reyes specifically mentions that the time Elliott spent undercover with the Brotherhood was "a few months", as well. On the 5th episode of the same season ("Behind Blue Eyes"), Elliott goes to testify against the Brotherhood before the Christmas of 2022 (season 3's episode 9: "Last Christmas").
Elliot spent a few months working undercover in the Dominican Los Santos gang between the end of the 3rd season and the 4th season's premiere, but it was not stated how much exactly to conclude what year is the 4th season starts at.
Season 5 episode 3 ("Paranza Dei Bambini") mentions that it has been 9 months since the events of the 4th episode of the 4th season ("The Last Supper"), placing them between April or May of 2024 and January or February of 2025 as revealed on the season's finale.
Season 5 episode 9 ("Off The Books") is stated to be taking place on March 12th, 2025 on the season's finale ("He Was A Stabler"), on the episode itself it is mentioned that "Off The Books" takes place 6 months since the 4th Season's finale ("Stabler's Lament"), placing it in September of 2024 and meaning that the 4th to 13th episodes of the 4th season happened in 3 months of the same year (June to September 2024).
Episodes
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Production
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Development
In March 2020, NBC had given a 13-episode order to a new crime drama starring Meloni as his character from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Elliot Stabler. Dick Wolf, Arthur W. Forney, and Peter Jankowski, serve as the executive producers, with Matt Olmstead being looked at as showrunner and writer. The series came following Wolf's five-year deal with Universal Television, which will serve as the series' production company along with Wolf Entertainment.[13]
The series was originally planned to be set up in the twenty-first season finale of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, with Stabler's wife and son returning. The episode would also have revealed the whereabouts of the Stabler family following Meloni's departure as the character in season twelve. When asked whether or not the storyline would instead happen in the twenty-second season premiere, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit showrunner Warren Leight said that "it's pretty clear that Elliot will be in the SVU season opener".[14] Craig Gore was set to be a writer for the series, but was fired by Wolf on June 2, 2020, for controversial Facebook posts about looters and the curfew put in place in Los Angeles due to protests about the murder of George Floyd.[15] Gore had listed himself as co-executive producer on the series on his Facebook profile,[15] but Meloni announced Olmstead would be the showrunner for the series, not Gore.[16] The same day, the series title was revealed to be Law & Order: Organized Crime.[15] The first teaser for the series was released during the 30 Rock: A One-Time Special on July 17.[17] In July, Meloni stated he had not yet seen a script, and the writers were still working on the story.[18] By October, Olmstead had stepped down as showrunner,[19] and he was later replaced by Ilene Chaiken in December.[20]
In February 2022, Chaiken was replaced as showrunner by Barry O'Brien.[21] In May 2021, NBC renewed the series for a second season,[22] which premiered on September 23, 2021.[23] In May 2022, NBC renewed the series for a third season,[24] which premiered on September 22, 2022.[5] Bryan Goluboff was appointed showrunner for the third season, but left after three months, and was replaced by Sean Jablonski, who then also left due to "creative differences", and David Graziano took over for the final episodes of the third season.[25] In April 2023, NBC renewed the series for a fourth season that premiered on January 18, 2024,[26][6] with John Shiban as showrunner.[25] Shiban departed during production of the fifth season in fall 2024, marking the sixth change in showrunners over the show's five seasons.[27]
Casting
During the production of the series, in July 2020, Meloni announced Mariska Hargitay would make a guest appearance as her character from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Olivia Benson.[28] On January 27, 2021, Dylan McDermott had been cast in the series,[29] with Tamara Taylor,[30] Danielle Moné Truitt,[31] Ainsley Seiger, Jaylin Fletcher, Charlotte Sullivan, Nick Creegan, and Ben Chase joining the following month.[32] At the end of March, it was reported that Nicky Torchia, Michael Rivera, and Ibrahim Renno would appear in recurring roles.[33] In March, it was revealed that some of the actors who played members of the Stabler family as far back as 1999, in episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, would appear in the new series, including Allison Siko as daughter Kathleen and Jeffrey Scaperrotta as son Dickie, while Isabel Gillies appeared as soon to be murdered wife Kathy in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode that sees the Stablers return to New York, setting the scene for the new series.[34] In August, Ron Cephas Jones, Vinnie Jones, Lolita Davidovich, Mykelti Williamson, Guillermo Díaz and Dash Mihok joined the cast in recurring roles for the second season.[35][36] In early 2022, Jennifer Beals and Denis Leary joined the cast in recurring roles.[37][38] In July 2022, Rick Gonzalez and Brent Antonello joined the cast for the third season.[39] In August 2022, Camilla Belle and Gus Halper joined the cast for the third season.[40]
Filming
Like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the series is filmed on location in New York.[41] Production was set to begin on the series in August 2020,[42] but was announced in September that the series was the only one produced by Wolf Entertainment to not be given a start date for production.[43] The series later began production on January 27, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Meloni and Hargitay sharing pictures on set.[29][44] In the following months, the production on the series had been halted twice due to two positive COVID-19 tests; despite the halt, it was announced the series would still premiere on the same date.[45][46]
On July 19, 2022, Johnny Pizarro, a crew member working on the show, was fatally shot while filming was underway for the third season.[47][48][49]
Filming on the fifth season, set to air on Peacock, began in August 2024.[50]
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Release
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Broadcast
On June 16, 2020, it was announced the series would air on Thursdays on NBC at 10 p.m. Eastern Time, the former timeslot of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, with the latter moving up an hour to 9 p.m. The series was the only new series on NBC's fall lineup at the moment for the 2020–21 television season.[51] In August 2020, the series was pushed back to 2021[52] and on February 4, 2021, it was announced the series would premiere on April 1, 2021, as part of a two-hour crossover with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[53][54] The first season consists of eight episodes.[55] The series moved from broadcast to streaming for season 5, with NBC airing the premier episode on April 17, 2025 after the Law & Order and SVU crossover.[56]
Streaming
The series is available on the streaming service, Peacock, with episodes being released on the service a week after they air on NBC for the service's free tier, and the next day for the paid tier.[51] In 2024, it was announced the series will move permanently to streaming on Peacock for season 5 premiering on April 17, 2025.[7][56]
International
In Canada, Organized Crime airs on Citytv in simulcast with NBC, unlike past American-set Law & Order series which have all aired on CTV.[57] Because of commitments to other Thursday night programming like Grey's Anatomy, CTV aired the direct lead-in episode of SVU out of simulcast in the 10:00 p.m. ET/PT timeslot, airing directly against the premiere of its spin-off on Citytv.[58][59] In 2021, all Law & Order series moved to Citytv, airing simulcast with NBC. Like in the United States, the series moved to Citytv's streaming service Citytv+ for season 5, releasing new episodes on the same day as Peacock, but unlike NBC, which aired the first episode after SVU, Citytv did not due to commitments to Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent. In Australia, Organized Crime airs on the Nine Network on Monday night timeslot starting April 12, 2021.[60]
Home media
The first two seasons have been released on DVD for Region 4, with all yet to be released for Region 1.
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Ratings
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Reception
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While the show was well received by long time fans of the franchise, there were criticism of several aspects of it.
Jet Slootmaekers' ever-changing background information
The character of Jet Slootmaekers was first introduced as a civilian white hat hacker whom Elliot knew from a bust of a network of Romanian criminals who operated in Italy while communicating through a video game app, a few years prior to the show's beginning. Later episodes tried to introduce her as an NYPD cop, in the second season she was already described as a Detective 3rd Grade; and in the 16th episode of the third season, she was promoted to Detective 2nd Grade. Fans noted that in-reality, people like Jet whom are technology experts have no field missions, and are office-oriented law enforcement personnel and that no officer makes it to Detective 2nd Grade so young (Jet is in her 20s).
Frank Donnelly's ties with Stabler
Upon his debut, Frank Donnelly knew exactly where to find Elliot who was drinking in a random bar on the 15th episode of the second season, despite never being in touch with him, and only met him in a barbeque occasion 15 years prior. This was never explained.
Eli Stabler's writing
Eli's character was aged-up, as he was 21 years old by the fourth season (takes place in 2024) instead of 17 years old (born on November 16th of 2007, as seen on SVU). This raised a lot of fan speculations to why this was done.
Fans also noted that there is no chance in reality that a cop fresh out of the police academy, like Eli, would be doing the field missions he was assigned to. Noting that rookie officers are sent to patrol missions with more experienced cops.
The show's pace
The fans claim that the show's stories were either dragging in length or wrapped up too soon; the latter mostly refers to the cases shown in the third season when the format of a serialized show was altered to "1-2 episodes per new villain" format after the Silas Arc was wrapped up. This was also a repeated fans' rant about the 4th and 5th seasons, where a lot of the events leading the plot were "rushed over" due to these seasons' rather short length.
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Notes
References
External links
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