It'll be a long summer for Law & Order: Organized Crime fans.
The Stabler-centered crime drama's cliffhanger made our jaws drop, and there's behind-the-scenes uncertainty, too.
Law & Order: Organized Crime will be back for Season 5, but on Peacock, and how that will affect things is still a mystery. Still, we know a lot about the new season, so read on!
Organized Crime Is a Different Type of Law & Order Show
Although it was initially billed as a spinoff about Law & Order: SVU's Elliot Stabler coming home, Law & Order: Organized Crime quickly proved to be different from the other shows in the franchise.
Bell, Stabler, and the rest of the team investigate mobs, gangs, and other criminal organizations.
By their nature, these investigations take months to complete -- in real life, they could take years as investigators slowly and painstakingly work their way up the food chain, arresting low-level criminals and pressuring them to turn against their bosses.
Nobody on TV has that kind of time, but the Organized Crime Unit often takes eight episodes or more to catch the bad guys, so viewers must be patient.
Additionally, these criminals are the worst of the worst and are often extremely violent, and the series experimented with depicting graphic violence during the early seasons.
None of that makes the series unpopular.
It has a devoted fan base that made their voices heard when NBC failed to renew the series simultaneously with the other two Law & Order shows.
Law & Order: Organized Crime's Renewal Comes With a Major Change That Is Perfect for The Series
Fortunately, this series was not canceled. Instead, Law & Order: Organized Crime is moving to Peacock for its 5th season.
While we don't know exactly how that will affect the series, we have some idea about what's in store for Season 5. Bookmark this post, as we will update as more information becomes available.
In the meantime, let's dive in and discuss what we know already!
Has Law & Order: Organized Crime Been Renewed?
Law & Order: Organized Crime was on the chopping block for a while.
Fans panicked when the series wasn't renewed at the same time as the other Law & Orders.
It didn't look promising because it had only been granted a half-season order for 2023-2024 (which turned out, ironically, to be the case for all scripted shows because of the writers' and actors' strikes), so it seemed likely NBC would cancel it.
However, in April 2024, the series received good news when it was announced that it had been renewed as a Peacock-only show.
This means it will stream exclusively on Peacock and not be shown on NBC at all, freeing up the 10/9c time slot on Thursdays but still producing new episodes.
Why Was Law & Order: Organized Crime Moved Exclusively to Peacock?
Despite fan speculation that the series was moved to Peacock as a last-ditch effort to save it, the decision had nothing to do with that.
NBC's overnight ratings for Organized Crime were less robust than the ratings on Peacock, which streamed new episodes starting 24 hours after broadcast on NBC.
Since most of the audience was already streaming the show on Peacock, network executives moved it there instead of filling a broadcast spot with programming that few were watching live.
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Viewers who don't currently have Peacock will have to subscribe before Season 5 begins to watch it, which may make the move seem unfair if you are somebody who watched on NBC.
However, networks have to go where the most viewers are, so from that perspective, the move makes sense.
We don't have any info yet on when the series will begin streaming new episodes, but it will likely be sometime in the fall of 2024.
What Happened at the End of Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4?
The series ended with a major cliffhanger that tied together the Stabler family drama with a dangerous case.
Stabler's wayward little brother, Joe Jr., had been working undercover with the drug supplier and dealer they were trying to catch, but a raid went sideways, and Joe Jr and Redcoat are now in the wind.
Meanwhile, at home, Stabler fought with his son, Eli, when Eli announced he had enrolled in the police academy, and was later shocked to learn that Eli's girlfriend was pregnant and that Stabler was the last in the family to know.
These cliffhangers give fans a lot to talk about while waiting for the new season to drop.
Given what else is going on, Stabler's relationship with Eli is especially precarious. He's too busy trying to save Joe Jr. and break up Redcoat's inner circle to spend much time with his son.
And, of course, the big question hanging over everyone's heads is whether he'll successfully save his troubled younger brother.
What Storylines Can We Expect on Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5?
Stabler's family will continue to be a prominent part of the series.
It's unavoidable considering that Joe Jr. is in trouble and Eli has become closer with Randall than with his father, plus Stabler's mother still has dementia despite how lucid she's seemed recently.
It's also good news. Stabler's difficulty being there for his family and fear for his kids has been a big part of his character since the beginning of Law & Order: SVU.
In those days, Stabler worried about his teenage daughters and feared the horrible things he saw at work could happen to his family.
Similarly, Law & Order: Organized Crime is more enjoyable when Stabler's family drama is part of it. Stabler's work often leaves him broken, leading to some messed-up but compelling interactions with the people he loves most.
Whether the Redcoat case is wrapped up quickly to make room for something else, Stabler's job will continue to interfere with his relationships with his family, and we're here for that.
How Will Being on Peacock Change The Storyline Expectations?
The series may get grittier since it's on Peacock. Streaming services have fewer restrictions on content, similar to HBO or other premium cable stations.
Thus, there may be more explicit sex, violence, or language than you'd get on NBC.
However, it's unlikely that the writers would add these things just because they can—they would simply take advantage of looser restrictions if it fits the story.
However, considering that the series is chasing down a drug kingpin that Joe Jr has gotten mixed up with, the content may be similar to Breaking Bad -- something that couldn't happen if it was on network TV.
Will There Be Room for Benson and Stabler's Romance On Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5?
It's unclear whether Benson and Stabler's romance will proceed. The writers seem ambivalent about this and often tease fans with small steps forward, only for nothing to happen.
The crossover appearance on Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 3 Episode 22 seemed like a breakthrough. Stabler gave Benson a compass necklace before heading off on assignment, yet the two characters never crossed paths during the following season.
If it doesn't happen, it's not because Organized Crime is on Peacock. NBC owns Peacock, so the network could coordinate a crossover appearance with Law & Order: SVU regardless of where each show airs.
Benson and Stabler's phone conversation on Law & Order: SVU Season 25 Episode 13 suggests the two understand each other completely, so there's still a glimpse of hope for their relationship.
However, after getting burned so many times, it's understandable if Bensler fans don't want to hope and take a wait-and-see attitude toward the romance.
Which Cast Members Are Returning For Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5?
Unless Peacock announces something different, we can expect that all principal cast members are coming back. The cast includes:
Main Characters
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Danielle Moné Truitt as Sergeant Ayanna Bell
- Rick Gonzalez as Detective Bobby Reyes
- Ainsley Seiger as Detective Jet Slootmaekers
- Tate Ellington as Dr. Kyle Vargas
Recurring Characters
- Dean Norris as Randall Stabler
- Michael Trotter as Joe Stabler, Jr
- Ellen Burstyn as Bernie Stabler
- Nicky Torchia as Eli Stabler
- Kiaya Scott as Becky
There will likely be guest stars who stick around for several episodes to play villains or other cops.
One actor who likely will NOT be guest-starring is Dylan McDermott. Although the series purposely made whether Richard Wheatley had died ambiguous, McDermott is currently starring on FBI: Most Wanted.
As much fun as it would be for McDermott to play a dual role for a crossover in which his FBI character had to help find and arrest his Organized Crime character, that's not likely to happen any time soon.
Besides, last time Richard Wheatley was around, he and Stabler got distracted trying to one-up each other, and we don't need that with a limited number of episodes in the new season.
Will There Be Crossovers With Other Law & Order Shows?
As discussed earlier, the move to Peacock shouldn't preclude crossovers with other Law & Order shows since NBC owns the streaming platform.
There have been no official announcements about crossover shows, but that could change.
If a case requires the expertise of more than one unit, a crossover would make sense.
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Additionally, characters from one show could make cameo appearances in another to consult during a brief scene.
Law & Order: Organized Crime will have fewer episodes to film than other shows in the franchise, so that may make it easier to schedule crossovers since the actors will have more time in their schedules.
However, NBC may want to save money by not having high-priced actors from other shows on set, so this could go either way.
We also know that Found Season 2 will air in Law & Order: Organized Crime's old time slot and will deal with missing persons' cases. Although these shows are very different, there could be crossovers due to the subject matter.
When Will Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 Premiere?
The exact date is not known yet.
Traditionally, all three Law & Order shows have premiered on the same night, so the Organized Crime premiere will likely air in late September or early October, along with the premieres of its sister shows.
However, since the other shows will likely have 20+ episodes in their season and Law & Order: Organized Crime has far less, it's unclear how the schedule will dovetail.
There is also no news on whether all ten episodes will drop at once or will be released one at a time on a schedule.
How Many Episodes Will Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 Have?
Peacock has ordered ten episodes of the series.
This is about the number of episodes other streaming-only shows, such as Netflix's Heartstopper, have per season, so all ten may drop simultaneously.
If this happens, viewers who hate waiting for each new episode in a long arc could binge-watch the entire season at once.
However, it's also possible that even with a limited number of episodes, Peacock will release them one at a time, as Disney+ is doing with the eight-episode newest season of Doctor Who.
Is There a Trailer For Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5?
Not yet. Bookmark this page, as we will share one as soon as it becomes available.