A New Law & Order Takes on Organized Crime

Christopher Meloni headlines a highly-anticipated expansion of the Law & Order franchise

After years of suggestions and rumours, it’s official: Elliot Stabler is back.

Following a decade away from the police-detective role he originated on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999, Christopher Meloni reprises the part in the latest addition to the NBC franchise from executive producer Dick Wolf with the premiere of Law & Order: Organized Crime. Reintroduced in the SVU episode immediately preceding the new show’s debut (9 p.m. on NBC), a formerly retired Stabler is drawn back onto the force by a personal tragedy, now heading up a New York task force targeting the city’s biggest crime syndicates. Co-stars include Canadian Bones alum Tamara Taylor, Canadian Rookie Blue alum Charlotte Sullivan and The Practice‘s Dylan McDermott.

“When you say ‘Yes’ to something like this,” the amiable Meloni reflects, “you can have all the fantasies you want about what it’s going to be like, how it will turn out, etc. I must say the reality has been very comfortable, though I wouldn’t say ‘effortless,’ since getting back into being the lead of a one-hour show takes effort. But it feels right and good, OK in all ways.”

L&O fans are well familiar with the Stabler character—who was written out of SVU in 2011 amidst a contract dispute between the actor and producers—but Meloni attests this isn’t exactly the cop you remember. “I think what plays into it is the environment that he finds himself in. Policing in society is a big topic now, and certain aspects of the show will reflect where we’re at with that. We hopefully find Stabler a little older and wiser, but also with the heroic qualities that I think he possessed before.”

While he maintains his reason for agreeing to play Stabler again is a story for “years down the road,” reappearing on Special Victims Unit means Meloni has a much-anticipated reunion with Mariska Hargitay, who has played Olivia Benson since that show started 22 years ago. She’s the real-life godmother to Meloni’s daughter, indicating their closeness, but the actor admits to having had butterflies over reteaming with her on camera.

“Prepping for it was nerve-wracking,” he says. “I had no doubt that the chemistry would find its familiar place, and that’s how it played out… but I did have the thought, ‘How is this going to work?’ ”

Though Law & Order: Organized Crime hit a couple of speed bumps on the way to premiering—a change in showrunners (it’s now Empire and The L Word veteran Ilene Chaiken) and a production shutdown over a positive COVID-19 test—Meloni considers it “a hall pass” to be back filming on the streets of New York. “We’re doing it under very strict guidelines, and everybody has to follow the protocols, but we’re getting things done.”

Law & Order: Organized Crime airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on City & NBC