Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01 “Gimme Shelter” felt more crossover-ish than the other two parts of the franchise’s huge premiere event. Or, rather, it felt like the most ambiguous of the three. The episode aired in the time slot usually dedicated to the Original Blend (if you will) instead of in its own 10:00 p.m. hour. And, perhaps as the biggest source of confusion, we saw members of both the Original Blend and SVU squads well before we saw anyone from OCCB.
So, it was kind of…half an episode-ish of Organized Crime and half an episode (ish) of a Law & Order crossover with SVU.
If you can put that aside, though, it’s successful enough at easing viewers into what comes in parts two and three. So, let’s call it Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01, even if it’s…eh, kind of not…as we discuss “Gimme Shelter” in detail.
Ok but we love the new guy
Even with all the setup for this massive case, which started with the war in Ukraine, continued with the murder of a young girl, took a trip to Captain Benson’s world through the trafficking element, and even involved a bomb, it was never really the case itself that was the most interesting part of this premiere. At least, it wasn’t for me.
Were there great action sequences? Yes. Some were surprisingly…a lot, even. Was the pacing that usual “dear God. WTF? What is even happening? How is so much time already up” feeling of an Organized Crime episode? Indeed.
But the intriguing thing about any procedural is the team. And that’s true whether we’re discussing a standalone or something like “Gimme Shelter.” That’s what viewers tune in for — the squad. It’s the only thing that, after decades and decades of watching thousands of episodes of television, makes any of these shows stand out.
To that end, we’ve got lots of characters worth discussing. And, first up, we have someone shiny and new. But, weirdly, he’s not an OCCB guy. Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01 actually wound up being the place where Law & Order, Original Blend, introduced its newest character. We are, of course, talking about Detective Jalen Shaw.
Mehcad Brooks fit in here, throughout all three parts, in a way that the new guy never should have been able to. But his initial appearance, in this episode specifically, hooked us.
The antagonism between him and, as my notes put it, “bland guy” Cosgrove simply worked. With the right writing, that’ll be a really interesting partnership (anti-partnership?) going forward. And there’s the potential for it to be effective in ways that the Bernard-Cosgrove partnership simply never was.
There’s definitely still some of that vibe here — but it’s just done much better. The actors have better chemistry, and Brooks is just good in this role. (He has come a long, long way from “Eggs in True Blood.”) When Shaw tells Cosgrove to “maybe refrain from threatening people,” we’re like “yes” instead of…”ok but, like, that was wooden and awkward.”
The question is whether or not the mothership will go with the bland dialogue and awkward both-sidesing their idea of “wokeness” this season. If it does, Brooks will have been wasted. Just like his predecessor.
Captain.
While we liked meeting Shaw and seeing him refuse to put up with Cosgrove’s shit, Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01 still spent far too much time with just one squad. And the wrong squad at that. It didn’t even start to feel like something other than the usual 8:00 hour until Olivia Benson showed up.
Which, of course, as we discussed in the review of the SVU hour, Mariska Hargitay elevated the whole damned thing. As she does.
She especially perked us up here. Because, until The Captain stepped off that elevator (in that suit!), we were like…are people sure this isn’t just a usual Original Blend hour? But — and probably only native-born Marylanders like myself will get this, but too bad — Hargitay can take anything from flavorless to infused with Old Bay. Thank God for that.
Obsession with a certain spice aside, there was really a powerful dynamic throughout the premiere event — but particularly here — in terms of really highlighting how much experience and knowledge Captain Benson has. Her entrance totally stole the show, not just because of who she is but how it was filmed. And everyone just deferred to her. It was clear that she’s the center of this universe.
…which is, of course, totally what she deserves. (Insert proud heart-eyes from Detective Stabler here. Which, like, same.)
And then, about halfway through…we finally organized some crime.
Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01 finally started to feel like an actual Organized Crime episode, though, when Elliot Stabler came crashing onto the scene and tossing threats around. The problem, of course, is that it also still felt…off. It’s one of these situations where, sure, we loved seeing Stabler get in Cosgrove’s face. We’re unapologetic Elliot Stabler apologists here, so we love seeing him do a lot of things. Bonus: We can’t stand Cosgrove.
However.
At the same time, this seems more like the kind of thing his undercover “Brotherhood” self and/or the old Stabler from years ago would do. So, it was a great entrance…but also, kinda, a bad one?
Once that confrontation was over, though, things started to fall into place.
While we didn’t get nearly enough Sergeant Bell — in this episode or the other two parts — there was a really nice dynamic during what little bit of time we did get to see her and Stabler together. Ultimately, Bell left the decision of where to go with the case up to her detective. It’s another one of these “we have mutual trust and support” situations, and it’s a partnership we can’t wait to see really grow even more this season.
We also learned about Vince — the CI Elliot’s been working with — and the six months OCCB has been trying to gain intel on the Sirenko Organization. We probably could’ve cut out more than a fair bit of that background, though, considering Sirenko was over by the time the premiere event ended. And so was Vince, unfortunately.
But it was what it was. More case exposition, less of our OCCB team, and all.
The really low blow in all of this was Cosgrove guilting Stabler over a 15-year-old’s death — hello, past trauma! — in order to get things moving forward. The only “good” part of having to watch that was seeing how Christopher Meloni made his character process it all. He really went from Super Big Bad Cop Man to something so sweet and gentle in the blink of an eye.
But even once everyone got in on the action together, it still really felt like all the things we love about this series were rushed. Sure, Jet and El had their usual great dynamic, but there was so much to set up and slog through, we didn’t get to really rest with them or enjoy them. And yeah, we can talk about Elliot Stabler and his never-ending lack of buttons, or the way he basically adopted Vince as his billionth kid, or any number of other things. But they weren’t really in service to these characters, or even to setting up this third season, specifically.
So, realistically, someone just slapped a “Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01″ label on an 8:00 p.m. episode that could have been any of the three series — but was really just mostly extra of the “classic” one — and called it a day. It had its moments, especially wtfever that was in Liv’s office, and it certainly wasn’t the most upsetting of the three hours by any stretch.
Sure, the episode was entertaining.
But eh.
It was just, kinda, a means to an end.
More on Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×01 “Gimme Shelter”
- “I promise I’ll socialize so I won’t get weirder.” Ok but hear me out: Why.
- ”I just like how he’s always leaning. Against stuff. He leans great.” Jordan Catalano has been replaced as the world’s best leaner by Elliot “Can’t Button Buttons” Stabler. And honestly? Good for him.
- Cosgrove out here, lying to his daughter about how “low” the chances of bad things happening are…right before witnessing a murder. Idiot.
- Evidently, a 15-year-old is now “a little girl.”
- “What does that even mean? He’ll pay for it? Even if you catch him, even if he goes to prison, that girl will still be dead.” Your daughter is smarter than you, my dude.”
- Basically, my only problem with Shaw was how he seemed almost…excited about doing the family notification? Buddy, we get that you’re new to Homicide and want to learn or whatever, but…Ava is dead. You’re bringing her aunt terrible news. T.H.I.N.K.
- No, but seriously. Liv just had energy in that first appearance here.
- And there’s something so personal to me about the way she had that high collar…with a lack of talent for buttoning buttons outmatched by only Zaddy Stabler. LOVE seeing partners’ habits rubbing off on each other!
- “So, how can I help?” Max Goodwin found dead.
- Elliot: Back off. Me: You didn’t mean it when you told Olivia that, and you’re gonna cave with this dude, too, huh?
- El: “Don’t do it. Get the hell out of the club now.” Me: This is how I feel when I watch you do dumb things. El: “You gotta be kidding me.” Me: Exactly. How does it feel, bald man???
- Actually, while we’re at it…that whole “real police” thing from Cosgrove was 1) icky, considering what his racist ass thinks “a good cop” is, and 2) completely off-base for where Stabler is after last season. Did…did no one think about actual consistency, not just in terms of character growth in the past 20-plus years…but also in terms of what Organized Crime, specifically, has done for its leading man? No? Ok!
- Tag yourself. I’m embarrassing myself by admitting I’d absolutely be the chick trying to hook up with Zaddy Stabler if he stepped in the club, too.
- What is personal space? Oh, right. Elliot and Olivia don’t know.
- That little smile before “thanks, Liv.” Shut all the way up. I’m fragile!
- “I want it all!” Me at them and their stupid, overdue relationship.
- “I’ll call Stabler.” Smooth, Captain.
- 293847398473 people, and all I see is Liv. I have become Elliot Stabler, I guess.
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Law & Order: Organized Crime airs Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.
