‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ 4×09 Review: “Semper Fi”

Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 “Semper Fi” is another one that basically leaves us feeling incapable of fully explaining how good it is. Arguably, this series has always delivered — with very few exceptions. And even then, those are better than what qualifies as “good” elsewhere — but there’s something really special about this fourth season. The character work with the Stabler family always blends well with whatever else is going on. It comes up naturally, somehow managing to have some link to whatever the current case arc is and be completely separate.

In “Semper Fi,” Joey’s drug problem is a catalyst for opening the task force’s latest case, which is also its own key to getting us some new insight into Elliot’s time in the Marines. As usual, between a very obvious attention to care and detail, a clear plan, and even the case itself taking some unexpected turns, everything just fits. Throw in a phenomenal guest cast (insert “OMG! Lois Smith! That’s Meg from Twister, and she’s hella creepy and calculating here” here), all-too-human levity even in some of the heaviest situations, and so many other brilliant moments, and what do you get? Well, we’re kind of right back where we started. We are, once again, at a loss for explaining how good this episode — and this series in general — is. But we’ll at least look at a few things, as we do.

The intervention

If we pretend, for like a second, that Elliot’s home and work lives aren’t so closely intertwined, we can say that the “half” that stands out the most in Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 is most definitely the personal aspect. In some sense, that’s to be expected. After all, this is a new case. And it’s one that confronts us with a ton of new characters and situations that we don’t quite have much information about yet. Certainly, we know everything’s connected, and some of those things are very bad (to say the least). But the specifics aren’t there for us to worry about (much) yet — and that’s by design since the task force is just beginning its journey, too.

But the Stabler family scenes in “Semper Fi” are strong enough that, no matter how deep the procedural element would have been, they would still absolutely steal the show. We could also argue they’d be fine as their own standalone episode, but this is not a series that does just “fine.” So, what makes the latest Stabler family drama such compelling….well…drama? We’re going to go with “eh, everything. And then some.”

Despite understanding how serious the situation is, the build-up is just loaded with much-needed humor. Dean Norris and Christopher Meloni just continue to be the perfect onscreen duo for that certain blend of bickering, shouting over, and bonding together in a crisis that only siblings ever really manage to nail. They fight — good-naturedly, even after everything we’ve seen so far this season — over whether or not to even have an intervention. Then, it’s the laugh-out-loud funny “have at it” back-and-forth in Joey’s room. (Literally, my notes say “THIS IS A COMEDY,” for what it’s worth.)

Later, when Randall tricks Joe, Jr. into going back to the room, we’re again set up with a cute little joke about the elder Stabler not liking public bathrooms…and then, of course, it all goes downhill from there. Or. Well. It all goes downhill for the Stablers — and very much uphill in terms of how good the content is. The framing around this is exactly spot on…unlike what often happens when television tries to tackle addiction. Randall and Elliot are just very worried about their younger brother. They both approach Joe with love — tough love, sure, but love — and as little judgment as possible.

Elliot is the tougher of the two in terms of the “tough love” aspect of things, but as he says (when he finally gets to the judging part), this is something Joey chose to do in his bathroom. With his grandkids there. And, notably, El doesn’t even get to that level of anger until things are already out of control. As the oldest, and someone who’s been through this before, Randall tries desperately to keep things from getting worse. But, as Michael Trotter portrays so very well, Joey is not at all in a place to have this conversation. He feels betrayed by thinking he was out for a fun night, only to come home and find Elliot waiting. Not to mention, there’s the invasion of privacy element and just…Joe’s addiction making it impossible for him to see clearly anyway.

And so, he starts lashing out. First, he brings up Elliot’s work. It’s very subtle, but there’s still an implication of “you’re not even doing this because you care about me.” Then, it’s mentioning the fight at family dinner. And “I DON’T WANT ANY HELP.” It’s gutting, and things just continue to escalate, getting more and more difficult to watch. Because it’s just…too real. By the time Joey starts physically pushing people away — on top of all the ways he tries to gain distance with his denials, bad lies, and rage — it’s obvious this has gone disastrously.

And then, we add in pounding on the wall — which, apparently, runs in the family. Truly like looking at a younger, less stable Elliot. Un-Stabler, if you will…

Jokes at Elliot’s expense aside, though, that’s kind of the thing. So, let’s get back to our earlier comment about how this series creates an intervention scene that’s not the usual cheap TV. Through all three of these absolutely stellar performances, and every line, and every visual cue in the scene, Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 shows viewers the reality of this situation. Elliot and Randall want to help but are ill equipped to do so. And, as the addict, Joey has to be ready and willing to hear them before he can have any hope, whatsoever, of recovery. Not just that. Issues like that pent-up rage and not letting it out in a healthy way (see also/again: mirror for Elliot to look back on his younger self), like learned behavior, and mental illness — whether through addiction or something else — these all run in families.

And they’re all…even when we turn to unhealthy behaviors, we are not “bad” or “evil.” But, at the same time, we don’t let Joey’s wrongs suddenly become right just because we know that some people are sicker than others. He is clearly in the wrong, but he is also clearly struggling. His absolute worst moment — hopefully, the breaking point that leads to finally listening later when he realizes what he’s done — is going to Bernie. He knows how fragile his mom is, but he can’t actively recognize that and leave her alone. Because all his illness says is, “get money. Get a fix. And get a way out of town to avoid Randall and Elliot’s BS.” (Also known as their help.)

But we know, as viewers watching Bernie’s confusion and heartbreak — Ellen Burstyn, y’all. Ellen. Burstyn — that none of this is ok. That we can’t just say, “oh, he’s sick” and throw everyone he’s hurting under the bus. Underneath that, though, we can’t help but feel for him. If and when he makes real amends, we probably won’t be able to help but forgive him either. Basically, the idea here is, we care about Joey because we’re seeing him through his loved ones’ eyes. And also because we see him through their eyes, we know how much his behavior affects them.

Is any of this making sense? Maybe the short version is to say, simply, Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 takes something complicated, difficult, and painful…and treats it as such. No black and white. And no force-feeding us unearned redemption in any kind of out of character way either. (Yes, still bitter.) Active addiction isn’t an excuse, but it is an explanation for some actions. And when you love someone and see them unraveling, you can’t help but suffer a little (a lot), too.

TL;DR, it’s respectful, realistic, and stunning.

Oh! And one more thing: As Randall points out, the intervention “could’ve been worse.” Something about Norris’ deadpan there is almost funny — almost — and breaks the tension just enough to make that Bernie scene hit even harder. It’s, like, a breather. But a false one.

Fantastic.

This team!

First of all, it is so good to see the team back together in Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 and just being…them. That early scene of them all welcoming Elliot back is a delight. We have Vargas being an awkward, little nerd who tries too hard — but unlike at the beginning of the season, we now love that about him instead of being like “ok but leave.” And Jet’s there to try to keep his embarrassing behavior in line, complete with that perfect “we don’t do that” delivery from Ainsley Seiger in the moment. (Truly can not say enough good things about Seiger in general here, to be honest.) Then, of course, we have Reyes finally back and grinning through it all — even when he’s being a little self-deprecating.

But the celebratory mood doesn’t last long, and there’s something about the way Sergeant Bell makes an entrance that just screams, “I am the boss.” And she is. As she should be. There is also something about Danielle Moné Truitt’s delivery and expression when Bell asks Stabler “how did a street-level narcotic just wind up on your desk” that screams, “I do not believe this man’s BS and am already tired AF of him.” Which…same. But! At the same time, Bell cares. And she’s still such a good partner and leader, she doesn’t force the full story out of Stabler until she gets him away from everyone else. Because she knows better than to press him in a situation where he may feel exposed but has got to know what’s going on, and he trusts her enough to answer her questions pretty much right away.

Throw in all the little looks that show how concerned Ayanna is when Elliot does tell her what’s up, plus the vulnerability El’s able to show in the moment, and…well. Broken record? But sorry, not sorry to be one. Best partners. Ever. Fight me.

Enough said.

The case

The way everything just…connects so seamlessly in Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09…wow. Just wow. This is masterful storytelling. Even the tie-in with the “jewel-smuggling mosque bombers” totally works, even though it could’ve seemed way too convenient or forced in the wrong hands. Here, it’s just like…well, of course. Look at the timing for Elliot finding Joey’s foil “IN MY G-DDAMN BATHROOM” (if you will). The creative team has been planting seeds all along, and we didn’t even realize it until they grew into this. Because that’s what a season-wide plan looks like!

But there’s more to it than that. Another thing that really, truly works about Abdul-Azim Ghani making a return is the way the series handles his involvement. He winds up being a key witness here while setting up a broader message. Namely, these stories about great heroes, and about how everyone just reveres those heroes when they come home, are just that — stories. More accurately, they’re lies. Ghani starts the ball rolling, subtly reminding viewers that not everyone who “serves” is serving anyone other than themselves: “Bunch of cowboys claiming they’re going to help our people. Before you know it, they’re the ones taking my poppy fields!”

From there, that commentary on military service and what it does to people — or maybe, in some cases, just what it brings to the surface for some — just continues. When Detective Stabler is undercover at the support group, we hear story after story, we feel that hopelessness in all of them. Later, we learn about Darian’s dad, and we even get to see Elliot trying to process it all.

Arguably, this latest attempt at going undercover both succeeds and fails based on how much truth is behind the lie. We honestly can’t help but wonder how much of that haunted expression as “Hank” listens to those stories is really Elliot both reliving his own experiences and feeling a little guilty about being here under false pretenses. And it’s also interesting how little he reveals about his latest fake persona to Darian. Usually, Detective Stabler has a whole character put together. Here, it’s like he’s trying to prevent himself from lying too much.

The success, of course, comes from Elliot mentioning his actual battalion and time in Iraq. Because it forges a connection with Darian via Elliot…actually remembering his dad (even though he initially lies and says he doesn’t). And that connection gets us the real start to this case. We could be like, “wow, that’s too convenient,” but because everything is so thoughtful and executed so well, it’s more like “yeah. That tracks. Some things make this world seem much, much smaller than it actually is. This is one of them.” And wow, does the emotion come through when El brings Darian the last photo ever taken of his father. Incredible work from both Meloni and Tobias Forrest in that scene. So, even if the convenience doesn’t work for everyone, that certainly ought to.

The second half of Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09, with Elliot starting to work his way into Angus Boone’s weird bee pollen/honey/heroin cult for veterans (or whatever) definitely sets up…something. Nothing good, that’s for sure. And it escalates so quickly, we’re in a place where we’re both afraid to see what comes next and more than impatient to get it. We know to expect cases that are more than what they seem, so even though we weren’t exactly sitting here like, “well, sure. If Sam’s not here, something bad must have happened to him that’s somehow connected,” we were waiting for something. And well. Elliot getting caught coming back after sneaking out, plus him killing a dude to cover it up…definitely something.

The nice surprise, of course — and yet another example of how Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 finds a fascinating balance between tension and hilarity — is the return of Jet and Reyes’ “married couple” schtick. Just absolutely adore everything about Seiger and Gonzalez when they do this, especially since it’s such a departure from their usual characters — Seiger’s in particular. Can not stress enough how brilliant of plan it is to bring this back, both from a creative standpoint and in terms of Bell using them to get a message to Elliot.

But, of course, Reyes learns the hard way that he isn’t immune from the “Elliot, yes” response to “Elliot, no.” And everything else…immediately gets a zillion times more dangerous. Mmmm, good TV! Not really sure how else to put it. And seriously, we have no idea what is going to happen after all this — kinda guessing that Bee Pollen Mama is totally onto Elliot, though. But wow, is “Semper Fi” the perfect setup episode, regardless.

More on Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09

• When it’s called “Semper Fi,” and all you can think about is “Semper Fi, El.”
• “And I’ve tried and failed to explain streaming to Mom. For a long time. So, don’t bother.” If you don’t think about why Randall needs to tell this new person all the “no sugar after 6:00” rules and what to put on TV, this is hilarious. But if you do…ouch. This is never fun.
• SOMEONE GET BERNIE THE RIGHT CRACKERS, PLEASE.
• Not sure if Meloni intended this, but it felt a little bit like that look when Randall mentioned an intervention to Elliot was for the viewers only. Like, Elliot and interventions, uh, do not have a good history. (…aaaannnd we’ve made f**kall in the way of progress with that moment ever since.)
• “Neither does…bee pollen wellness supplement. Who’s this guy turning into?” FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. circa 1998?
• “Have at it.” “What, me?” “Ain’t gonna be me.” Dead.
• Even the way Jet pats Vargas on the shoulder is…10/10, zero notes.
• “You couldn’t stand to be away from us.” “More like my kids couldn’t stand to be around me anymore.” There’s that trademark Reyes grin! Welcome back, Rick Gonzalez!
• “Maybe it’s what I get for having lost touch all these years.” Ok but when will you get what’s coming to you for having purposely “lost touch” with Olivia for 10 years, though.
• “No judgment here.” Best! Partners!
• “But one thing I learned in Narcotics is that an addict doesn’t need an excuse to use. But he’ll be happy to take one.” !!!!!!
• No, seriously, whoever either did the extensive research because they cared enough to get it right or — I hope not — also has experience with addiction, either first-hand or through a loved one…thank you. Just. Honestly. Thank you.
• The shot of Ghani as we’re transitioning into the interrogation/prison visitation scene…gorgeous. This series is art!
• Jet’s reactions to El just…glossing over knowing the drugs are being distributed in New York. Subtle, yet perfect.
• “I dated a Hell’s Angel.” The looks from Bell and Stabler!!! “Briefly.” Delivery. And that expression. Just the eyes, really.
• “I’m not ready to talk.” That…basically sums up the character.
• Baldy, if you want a “good girlfriend,” speak to Olivia, FFS.
• “I can offer a heart that feels what you’re going through. A community that understands. And some damned good coffee over there.” 100% always have me at coffee.
• Something about the way Meloni’s choices at the beginning of the intervention scene…Like, Elliot’s perched there in a way that is almost comical but also is very much “you’re in trouble”?
• “…call the g-ddamn cops.” “…IN MY G-DDAMN BATHROOM…” Kinda shocked to hear the Suits writers didn’t create this one…but, then again, there aren’t any sh*ts, so. (I say this lovingly.)
• Also: Joey, sweetie, Elliot is the GD cops.
• “This isn’t even about me, is it? No, no, no. I’m just another one of those dirtbags in one of your investigations. That’s what’s happening?” Already referenced this earlier in the post. But this is huge. It not only hits Elliot where it hurts but also shows how this idea of him putting the job first really has affected everyone he loves. There’s a real insecurity from Joey, underneath all these defensive mechanisms.
• “I DON’T WANT ANY HELP.” Ask my friends: This is me and my toxic trait.
• It’s the way he says “IN MY HOUSE” twice.
• “Don’t run away.” “Well, that’s the Stabler family M.O., innit?” If I speak.
• The care and pure reverence Meloni exhibits in his movements as Elliot goes through that trunk…
• “I’m not the one selling; I’m the one looking the other way.” Almost worse, in a way. Better in others.
• “There’s so much pain. alright? For me, for them. And I gotta help, man. I need — I need — to help.”
• Choose your fighter: Mama edition. Bernie or Meg from Twister.
• All the “yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. And yes, ma’am.” Um. Things E says to O…WHEN.
• I’m calling it now: Nazi wannabe trash. All the talk about family blood in the soil…that part. Gross.
• “I served my country proudly. the man who came back to this country is not the same man who left…” Is he in-character? Talking about his time in the Marines? Or talking about the growth we’ve seen since he’s come back to the country after his 10 years of ghosting us? Maybe all!
• I’ve been harboring this anger for way too long; I want to feel whole again.” That…didn’t take much for El to fake, huh.
• The curfew, turning in phones…nah, it’s a cult.
• From “so glad he didn’t have to grow up in the same house you did” to “YOU DID SOMETHING!! YOU DID SOMETHING TO HIM! WHAT DID YOU DO?!” …just…ouch. Poor Randall. Of course, Bernie can’t consider that her baby might have his own issues without Randall having done something to him. And of course, he just…takes it. Ouch, ouch, ouch. And, again, with the hitting and this family. Oof.
• Bell’s “ALONE?!” And all the reaction shots when they hear about Sam. Yes.
• “We’re not friends, bro.” Aw, the probably-nazi veteran cult has its own version of Jet! (OG Jet is way cooler.)
• Ok but like. Thank you to this series for showing that Bell isn’t a superhero who’s magically 100% after such a short period of time. Unlike…
• Bell in interrogation. YES.
• “Tell Sarge that you tried.” “Elliot, don’t do this to me.” I mean, Bald B*tch did it to Olivia, so.
• The acting in the Reyes/Stabler scene is…well. Just like everywhere else in “Semper Fi,” it was [insert very positive adjective here because we have run out].
• “What am I doing?” “What you’re told.” Ok but he never.
• That shot of Elliot in the back of the truck that closes things out…
• I’m so excited, I’m so excited…I’m…so…scared.

Thoughts on Law & Order: Organized Crime 4×09 “Semper Fi”? Leave us a comment!

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