What We Want to See in Future ‘SVU’ & ‘Organized Crime’ Crossovers
Former partners Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) are back in each other’s orbits, with the latter now part of a new task force on his own spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime. And the SVU captain has stopped by a few times to check on how he’s doing after he lost his wife, Kathy (Isabel Gillies), in a car bombing he thought was meant for him. (The man who detonated the bomb was watching and knew who was in the blast zone.)
After kicking off Organized Crime with a crossover that started on SVU on April 1, there’s already another major event coming up, with the two episodes airing on May 13 (the spinoff’s fifth). This time, it’s to help Benson as she looks into her brother Simon’s (Michael Weston) death (he overdosed in SVU Season 21).
Ahead of that investigation and team-up, we’re taking a look at just what we’d like to see from future crossovers. (SVU has already been renewed through Season 24 and Organized Crime‘s Season 2 pickup seems inevitable.) Scroll down for our hopes.
Law & Order: SVU, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC
Law & Order: Organized Crime, Thursdays, 10/9c, NBC
More Character Shakeups
For the most part, the crossover has come from Benson showing up on Organized Crime to spot Stabler’s PTSD and then join his kids for the intervention they held for him. ADA Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) popped up to help the unit in their investigation into mobster Richard Wheatley (Dylan McDermott) by turning one of his men, Izak (Ibrahim Renno), into a mole in his organization. As much as we love seeing Benson and Stabler together again, we’re also very interested in seeing his interactions with the members of the squad he didn’t know — and more of him and Sergeant Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) outside of catching up.
Let’s also see how the rest of the squads mesh. Will Benson and Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) prove to be an unstoppable force if they work together? What will SVU think of hacker Jett Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) since most of the time they get their information from TARU (Technical Assistance Response Unit) over the phone?
Stabler Helping Benson
It already looks like we’ll be getting this in the May 13 episode, and honestly, after Stabler left without a word to his partner and was gone for a decade (and didn’t reach out during ordeals like William Lewis, which was in the news), he owes her.
Callbacks to Past Cases
Sure, it’s great to look to the future, but there were certainly quite a few cases over the years that weren’t wrapped up neatly with a bow. Why not have one from Benson and Stabler’s time as partners (and after Season 1, so Fin could have been involved) come up again and require both units to work it?
More Non-Case-Related Character Moments
The nature of the events of the first crossover — Kathy was injured, then died — kept the focus on the investigation while balancing Benson and Stabler’s reunion and the family’s loss. When Carisi showed up on Organized Crime, it was all business. Let’s get to know these characters via their interactions with one another. Let’s see SVU‘s Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Organized Crime‘s Detective Diego Morales (Michael Rivera) discuss something they do off the clock. Let’s have Gina Cappelletti (Charlotte Sullivan) somehow cross paths with Officer (soon to be Detective) Katriona “Kat” Azar Tamin (Jamie Gray Hyder) and the two have a normal conversation before the former is revealed to be undercover.
Lighter Moments
So far, pretty much every moment involving characters from both shows has been heavy, as a result of what happened to Kathy and Stabler’s grief. It’s understandable. But that’s where bringing in the other characters would help — they can share lighter moments that don’t take away from what he’s going through.
More of a One Chicago Feel
It could be because Organized Crime is so new and we’re still thrilled to see Meloni on screen again as Stabler. But the crossovers just don’t feel as seamless as others in Dick Wolf‘s universe (like when a character pops up across the shows in the One Chicago and FBI franchises). Hopefully, that changes after this upcoming two-part event.
From TV Guide Magazine
What to Expect From 'The Hunting Party's Love Triangle and Mystery
Manifest alum Melissa Roxburgh and the showrunner of NBC’s Hunting Party tease TV Guide Magazine about what’s ahead for the “government conspiracy that just keeps unfolding” — plus, the series’ “good” love triangle. Read the story now on TV Insider.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services