‘Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03’ Review: “Catch Me If You Can”

Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03 “Catch Me If You Can” delivers probably one of the best Stabler/Bell scenes yet, great scenes of them separately mentoring Whelan and Reyes, and a lot more.

Sure, we also make progress — only to…kind of hit another dead end, actually — in the case. But what’s most interesting to us, and always has been, is the personal aspect.

And that’s just getting better and better.

This partnership

For all the good content in Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03 — and there’s plenty — the strongest comes from what happens after the police work is done for the day. Christopher Meloni and Danielle Moné Truitt just deliver in that bar scene. And there’s really no other way of putting it. So, let’s say it again: Meloni and Truitt just deliver.

There’s that self-deprecating way Sergeant Bell talks about being “a baby-saving hero who can’t even pick up her own child.” Where, sure, she’s trying to make light of how bad things are, personally, right now. But it’s so obvious, through the delivery, that she’s not even there yet in terms of being able to do that much.

So, of course, Elliot’s going to try to fix things by telling Ayanna, “you’re my hero.” It’s who he is — he just always has to try making everyone else around him feel better. (Hi, childhood trauma response and just, you know, trying to be a good dude in general.) But the comment also speaks to so much more. Because it’s easy to believe that Ayanna is one of Elliot’s heroes. As she should be.

This is a guy who’s been there, who can support his partner — the woman who happens to, in a totally badass way, be his superior as well.

Mirrors…are…pain.

But then, he’s…Well. He’s also Elliot Stabler. So, when he hears the bad news about Officer Murphy dying, he does a very “old” Elliot thing and finds a mirror to punch. Was it at all healthy? No. But does it speak to Detective Stabler’s development going out the window? Also no. Sometimes, when things “hit too close to home,” as Elliot puts it when Ayanna checks on him, we take a slide backwards.

But, at least in Elliot’s case, there’s someone there to keep him from falling too far. And there’s so much depth — so much meaning — to pull from even just this portion of the scene. From Bell gesturing to the bartender to cut them off, to the slow way Stabler stalks toward that bathroom, to her pained look before she goes after him…That doesn’t even get into Meloni’s shaky exhale before answering if he’s ok or the way his voice has that different quality when he does answer. Or the hesitation from Truitt before she even asks the question because —let’s be real — she already knows the answer…

So many things to discuss.

Again, it’s just incredible work.

Bell gives Stabler his moment before coming to check on him and asking if there’s anything she can do. But he doesn’t “feel much like talking anymore,” so she gets ready to give him his space.

The performances here speak volumes about the kind of pain these characters are trying to survive, how much they respect and need each other, and even how much they’re disappointed in themselves — even as they’re expressing that pride in each other.

Then, there’s that just nuts shot of the mirror with Elliot’s reflection in the broken glass, which is such a great image to show where he is mentally. As in, he is not in a good place. And what he sees of himself is not what we see. It’s that distortion from the broken glass. Something ugly, something messy and not worth looking at…something damaged.

But, since there aren’t shards all over everywhere and there’s still somewhat of a reflection worth seeing, our people may be cracking. They may even be broken. They’re just not beyond repair. There’s hope.

The mentors

So far, we’ve seen more time with Elliot playing “reluctant dad” to Jamie than…much of anything with Bobby Reyes, actually. But Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03 changes that. There’s a really good dynamic between Detective Reyes and Sergeant Bell. In some ways, it even developed even more quickly than the feel of Whelan/Stabler.

Working backwards, Reyes did an amazing job of following Bell’s lead and being able to read both her and Kenny. So, when the time came to rush in out of nowhere (ok invisible man!), he was ready. Perfect timing and all.

It’s also worth noting that Detective Reyes is being trained, expertly, in the right way to handle an obviously mentally unstable person. No, you don’t shoot first and ask questions later. You do exactly what Sergeant Bell did: Find a way to deescalate the situation, get to their humanity, and then do what you have to do…without guns and without excessive force.

“Protect and serve” is a completely meaningless phrase out here in the real world. But to Bell’s squad, it means what it should. (Most of the time, anyway.) And a huge part of that is remembering to serve everyone — even, and maybe especially, people like Kenny.

But what I really, truly love about this new guy is his sense of respect. Both of the new detectives have that, sure. But for Reyes to not pass judgment on Sergeant Bell, either when she’s unnerved by the rats (but holding it together) or when Denise is attacking her on that phone call, speaks to his character in the best way. A lot of men, especially with the obvious talent this guy has, would…not respect a woman in Bell’s position to start with. Then, with the other stuff, a lot of men would use it against her. Her and all women at once, honestly.

Not Reyes. Love that.

He even offers up a little bit of information about himself: He’s married with three kids and considers it “worse” than divorced. (Elliot Stabler’s marriage, with 2398473 kids, has entered the chat.)

…in which reluctant Daddy Elliot gives Baby Elliot good advice…doesn’t take it himself

Stabler and “Baby Stabler,” as my notes call him more often than not, also make more progress in Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03. At the hospital, after Kenny has shot an officer, Elliot picks up on Jamie’s discomfort pretty quickly. He knows exactly what to do, too: Get the younger detective away from watching the worried wife and back to work.

El also gives Jamie great advice in the car…

“Can’t do that…Blame yourself. That is an emotion that will bury you in a deep, dark hole of grief that does not help you do this job.”

…but he’s completely incapable of being just as fair and patient with himself as he is with Jamie. It’s almost laughable, except for the part where you think about just how deep Elliot’s buried himself in grief. At which point, it’s just…gutting. (See also: The mirror. Again, ouch.)

While Stabler and Whelan definitely work really well together in the field — really loved the way, as the very senior guy, Elliot couldn’t stop himself from rushing in front of Jamie before they knocked on that door — these personal moments are really special. They’re not Bell/Stabler — and certainly nothing will ever be Benson/Stabler — level…but they’re special in their own right.

It’s going to be really nice to see where these two new pairings go and whether, at any point, we might find a way to switch it up.

Catch these thoughts on Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03 if you can…

• For the record, this remains a Denise hate account. She seemed to soften by the end — only after seeing the news report about Ayanna saving that baby. It shouldn’t have taken that.
• Other moments of note with Truitt and Meloni are…all over the place, actually. Just. The entire episode is packed. But another favorite is just as the case is wrapping up, when Elliot asks Ayanna if she’s ok (she’s not) before she goes to address the press. That moment Truitt takes to collect herself here is top tier.
• “HERO COP SAVES BABY” I know that’s right!
• While we’re on the subject of Bell and babies…y’all made her do that while she was missing out on her own baby again, huh? Sick.
• This week’s SVU: “Mirror Effect.” Elliot: *breaks a mirror* Me: Well, that can’t be good.
• Either Meloni’s Tommie Copper failed him, or that was a good acting choice to have Stabler limping at the very beginning here. He did just have all that action at the end of the previous episode. And Organized Crime 3×03 picked up pretty much right where we left off, so…Eh. Maybe it’s both? Old man Meloni lending some old man vibes to old man Stabler?
• Not sure what my thoughts are on the woman (Pearl) being the obvious weak link in that family, but I guess it’s nice how Elliot picked up on it and addressed her directly?
• And let’s not get started on the toxic double-crossing with the private investigator.
• “He’s not the only man with secrets.” “And I’ve never met a woman without one.” Tell me more!
• We’re not getting nearly enough of Elliot and Jet so far this season, but what we do get is enough to stand out. The way he brings her — and no one else — coffee, then gets to sit on her desk whereas she’d basically kill anyone else for getting and staying that close… It’s a really sweet touch.
• Basically, Zaddy Stabler gonna daddy.
• “Great. Well, right now, we need a GPS stuck on his ass.” Ok but hear me out: Next time you think you want to disappear, let Liv stick one on yours.
• Also: Elliot’s ice blue shirt to match his eyes….but also to match the P4L’s jacket on the other show. Love that for me, specifically.
• “We just stopped your demolition crew from killing a man squatting in your building. You’re welcome. Now, get out the way.” Get him, Sarge!
• “Well. I’d rather beg for forgiveness than ask for permission on this one.” By “this one,” El means…most of them. But ok!
• “Hey, hey. It’s not your fault. Ok? You were just doing the best you could.” Take your own advice, Sergeant. Same for Stabler with Jamie. And Liv with basically everyone on SVU. I’m tired of hurting for y’all when y’all clearly know what’s right. I mean… we’ve got that Captain on the other show, not really loving herself the way she wants her victim to do. And you’ve got this Detective over here, beating himself up about things he couldn’t control…even though he doesn’t want the person he’s parenting mentoring to do the same. What a match. Toss in this here Sergeant not doing for herself what she wants this mom with the kidnapped baby to do, and you’ve really got a crew.
• Example. Rat guy: *blames Elliot* Elliot: “How is it my fault?” Me: First off, let’s talk about disappearing for 10 yea—…Wait. This isn’t about that. Ok so. Yes. Keep that energy. Good boy. Not your fault. Stop blaming yourself for everything, Mr. Catholic Guilt.
• Ok but do we think Emo Stabler is like “if you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, you can find out firsthand what it’s like to be me” or…
• “Appreciate you, Sarge.” “And I appreciate you.” It rained on my face.
• Very rarely care much about characters who are clearly around for only a single episode, but wow, Olivia Horton was great as Dede. And while we’re on the subject of Elliot, and being a dad, and episodes with babies…She was in “Bang.” You know, the one where Uncle Jesse John Stamos’ character tells Elliot he knows he wants to bang his partner, watch her grow swollen with his baby…and they’d make beautfiul babies…and…yeah. No big deal!
• …and in the same episode where Jamie is like “no way two people are that close for that long and don’t sleep with each other.” And Stabler is like “sure about that?” And Jamie is like “what does that mean” and…doesn’t let it go. I’m unwell. We’re all unwell. None of us have been well since 1999.
• “Will you run away with me? Like we always said we would.” So, uh. Baby Stabler was right about Dede and Kenny…
• And on that note…

Thoughts on Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×03 “Catch Me If You Can”? Leave a comment! Let’s talk about guys named Ken Kenny, babies, and Elliot Stabler!

Law & Order: Organized Crime airs Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.