After a season where found family has been at the forefront, Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×17 “Blood Ties” is all about fathers and sons, as well as what those fathers will do for their sons. But, just as families are—quite literally, in this case—willing to go to the very ends of the earth for their loved ones, there’s also no limit to what people in power will do to hold onto their control. We get a reminder of that with the Michael Quan character, but this episode focuses on the heroes much more than the villain. And rightly so.
The corruption part has most certainly been an ongoing theme on this series, whether it’s about abuse of power in the NYPD, dirty politicians, or even just very rich people who want to keep getting richer. So, with an ongoing and recurring message like that, on a series like this one, an episode like “Blood Ties” has the potential, somehow, to be both more and less impactful. We’ve seen this all before — just not exactly like this. Putting such a strong personal touch at the root of it, then ending in a quiet place that’s driven solely by our main character, gives the episode real heart and soul. And that, along with an unlikely hero, is what makes this particular hour work.
“Would you trust someone else to find them?”
The mutual understanding and shared bond that Elliot and Wen have in Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×17 is really beautiful to watch. And it’s difficult to even know where to begin to explain what it is to have that instant moment of, “I recognize something of my own heart in you, even if we’re very different and come from completely different places.” (Or, well. Almost instant. There is the initial issue with the bat.) Maybe, though, we can just borrow some of guest star Michael Tow’s words on the matter and leave it at that: “When you kind of break all that surface stuff down, we are very similar — and the same — in many ways.”
It’s not at all surprising that, for all the times Wen lets his emotions get the best of him, Detective Stabler never loses faith in him or his ability to help with the case. Because Elliot knows, if it was one of his 1000 five kids, he’d be exactly the same way. All that desperation, all that frustration, and guilt, and the intense need to do something that this teacher from China is feeling is exactly what El would feel, and has felt, when it comes to his own family.
There are moments where it could all be a little bit unbelievable, or Elliot could feel extremely out of character for being the one who constantly tells someone else to calm down and start thinking before he acts for once. And, sure. Maybe we even did have a chuckle or two.
Overall, though, Elliot Stabler has always been someone who was somewhat of a rock for those suffering around him. For victims when he worked for SVU, and certainly for Olivia (before he abandoned her, the asshole). So, this is exactly who I’d expect to see. It’s exactly how I’d expect him to behave in the face of Wen’s indescribable pain. To pinpoint a specific scene from “Blood Ties” where “that’s my Stabler” clicks fully into place, it’s when he puts his body between Wen and further catastrophe, physically barring him from chasing after their contact when the first attempt to buy his son Bo back falls through. He’s simply a pillar of comfort, and when the other man breaks down in grief, he just lets him. Waits him out. Because he gets it.
That scene features stellar performances both Michael Tow and Christopher Meloni, and it’s a highlight — even in an episode that’s packed with such strong scenes from both of them. Equally wonderful, yet much quieter, is Elliot and Wen’s conversation in the car where they share family pictures with each other. (But, uh, Detective…eyes on the road.) It’s also likely this next one won’t get the same attention as others, but there’s something particularly touching about their final moments together as well. Sure, they’re exchanging pleasantries, and Elliot gets to tell Bo what a great man his father is without being too embarrassing about it…but there’s more to it than that.
Instead, it goes back to that connection and understanding these two have. Elliot hasn’t known Wen very long, but there’s plenty communicated in the silence as they say their goodbyes. So much joy from Wen, not to mention pride in his son. His entire demeanor when he looks at Bo basically screams “see? Wasn’t he worth it all?” (And he was.) There’s also plenty of gratitude — and a great deal of relief from both fathers. And there’s the shared respect, on both sides, for a job well done. We get all of this information, and more, from such subtle nods from both actors. And it’s really, truly not to be taken for granted.
Welcome home
It’s nice to be surprised by television every once in a while, and “Blood Ties” definitely ends on a surprising note. A very good surprising note, that is. Maybe, especially with the way Elliot turns down the youths’ dinner invitation, and with the entire central story of this episode being what it is, we should’ve seen it coming. But, even then, we would’ve probably thought of a one-sided phone call or something.
Instead, it’s a mini Stabler family reunion, with Elliot just getting some quiet time alone with his youngest son. And it’s one of those scenes that’s easy to think of as just a throwaway to end the hour…but what’s easy isn’t actually what’s right. So much is said in how happy Eli is now, how much progress he’s made from the kid who was in such a dark place after his mom’s death and her killer’s trial. This father-son relationship isn’t the broken one of last season. It’s on the mend, and so is Elliot Stabler. (Both Junior and the elder.)
Another easy, yet completely incorrect, way to respond to this scene is to see it as a snub. Sure, we almost never see Benson and Stabler having real conversations. And, yes, it’s true that viewers probably can’t possibly be expected to care as much about Eli’s offscreen romance as they do about whatever that mess is that’s been going nowhere over 20 years.
However.
Spending quality time with an Elliot Stabler who’s repairing any relationship, especially one as vital to him as the one with his kid, is a very good thing. Not to mention, why wouldn’t we want to see Meloni getting to play a happy, settled, full-dad-mode version of the character instead of the usual “pew pew. Shoot gun” guy?
Then, there’s the potential for subtext. The very first question Elliot asks Eli, the “important stuff,” is about whether or not he’s seeing anyone. And when Eli says he just has “friends,” Elliot picks up, right away, that “friend” doesn’t mean what Eli is trying to claim it does. (Like clueless father, like clueless son.)
So, does this really need to be spelled out? Elliot Stabler’s head is in a very particular place. Do with that what you will.
More on Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×17
- Bell and Chang finishing each other’s sentences during the briefing on Quan at the beginning? Yes, please. Mmmmhm. From shipper senses tingling in the last episode, to on fire to kick off this one? You bet.
- Thank you to that little beanie for sitting so nicely atop Stabler’s head.
- Absolutely in love with Bell’s “what the hell” delivery when Wen first jumps in front of the truck.
- “How does the Coast Guard not see a life raft in open water?” Corruption, racism — specifically Sinophobia…take your pick.
- That cage image is…a lot. A lot, a lot.
- Also, Alec Wang is awesome as Bo. The fear in the scenes with the traffickers, the relief at the end…Good stuff.
- Chang tells everyone how far Wen traveled to get here. Bell: Damn. Me: Exactly.
- “I’d do the same thing for my son.” We know, Elliot. We know.
- “Yeah, but you’re a cop. He’s a teacher.” “We’re fathers.” Loved the back and forth between Stabler and Bell, yet a little uncomfortable at the idea that Bell, as a mom, was somehow the one with the “doesn’t get it” part of that conversation. Not a great message — would’ve made much more sense for one of the people who aren’t parents to push back.
- Ok but why isn’t there a translator working with them instead of having the youths rely on the Googling again.
- “I’m not them.” He’s so quiet when he says this, rather than being his usual Mr. Intimidating. Such a great choice.
- “I’m sorry, but…got you an address. Good teamwork. Good cop, bad cop.” And the grin. Would be on board with Stabler’s “WTF” face here, except. Well. How does it feel, Elliot?!
- Oh, but the fond little smile after “I miss it every day.”
- “When I’m elected, I’ll make sure that police like you don’t get away with intimidating my constituents like this.” Imagine if politicians ever said this and meant it, in a situation where constituents actually were being intimidated and harassed. Imagine. Then, consider the utopia if they followed through on it.
- “He hasn’t listened to anything you’ve told him.” “True.” Again, I ask: HOW DOES IT FEEL.
- Thank you to the rolled-up sleeves.
- “You don’t go after them with a baseball bat, do you?” I mean.
- “If you want him back, you’ve got to let him go.” Thinking thoughts.
- “And if I’m right, and it comes out that we did nothing, how’s that gonna look?” GET HIM, AYANNA.
- Oh, and she’s proud of herself for thinking to use that money donated by Quan himself. As she should be.
- The set for this backroom auction is sufficiently disgusting.
- El. BFF. I get that you’re excited to see Wen and Bo reunited, but can you please act like a man with 84 years in law enforcement and pay attention to what you’re doing? You’ve got a suspect to wrangle, here.
- Elliot answering the “is he always like that” question about himself…Organized Crime is a comedy.
- And there’s the dinner invitation. Called it. Good for Bell!
- “Your father’s a brave man. Very stubborn. But very brave.” He should go tell his own kids that.
- When they try to tell you Elliot Stabler is “toxic,” but he’s sitting here gossiping about girls with his son and holding other grown men while they collapse in grief over not (at that point) being able to save their own. K.
- Broken record here, but like. Human trafficking. Feels kinda SVU…but meh. No mention of a certain someone — not even in terms of sending her, I don’t know, a carrier pigeon to ask for advice. Or even in terms of acknowledging that Elliot Stabler was particularly well suited to work with Wen because of his own experience working these exact kinds of cases, in that specific unit. Painfully easy to catch ball. Dropped instead. That shouldn’t take away from everything this episode does well, though.
Thoughts on Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×17 “Blood Ties”? Leave us a comment.
Law & Order: Organized Crime airs Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.
