According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU, Oz) returns as Elliot Stabler in season five of Law & Order: Organized Crime, premiering April 17 on Peacock and NBC. The season opens with a dramatic twist as Stabler survives a brutal car crash and wakes up in the hospital.
Peacock released a teaser on Wednesday, April 10, giving fans a brief but emotional look at Stabler’s recovery — and a familiar face by his bedside. Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU, Plain Truth) reprises her role as Olivia Benson in her 14th crossover episode.
“Elliot,” Benson says in the teaser, moments before the screen fades to black and reveals her sitting silently at his side.
The Hollywood Reporter, Hargitay’s appearance is set for episode two of the new season, which will stream exclusively on Peacock. The episode marks a personal milestone for Meloni — his debut as a writer for the series.
The streaming platform also released new stills featuring Benson interacting with key characters in Stabler’s world, including Sgt. Ayanna Bell played by Danielle Moné Truitt (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chicago Med) and Stabler’s brother Randall, played by Dean Norris (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul).
This marks a major shift for the franchise as Organized Crime begins its first season as a Peacock original. “Stabler goes deep undercover to dismantle a cross-border smuggling operation,” says an article via The Hollywood Reporter.
The season won’t stop at smuggling. The Hollywood Reporter addresses, themes of domestic terrorism and revenge by a vengeful crime family also drive the plot. “They’re out to repay Stabler for what happened in Rome,” the article states.
Other familiar faces return, including Nicky Torchia (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Black Mirror) as Stabler’s son Eli and Ellen Burstyn (House of Cards, The Exorcist) as his mother Bernadette. Rick Gonzalez (Arrow, Reaper) and Ainsley Seiger (Vampire Dad, American Waste) continue in their roles as detectives on the task force.
The show is produced by Universal Television and Wolf Entertainment, with executive producers including Dick Wolf (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chicago Med), John Shiban (The X-Files, Breaking Bad), Matt Olmstead (Prison Break, FBI: International), and Meloni himself. “Meloni joins the creative helm this season, contributing a writer’s perspective to his long-standing role,” notes The Hollywood Reporter.
This upcoming season blends emotional reunions, high-stakes drama, and new beginnings for the Law & Order franchise. With the return of Benson and a wounded but driven Stabler, fans can expect intensity, closure, and fresh danger.