Elliot Stabler was first introduced to viewers 24 years ago on the series premiere of Law & Order: SVU.
Since then, we’ve learned plenty about his past.
When Christopher Meloni departed the series, it seemed like Elliot’s story was over.
Thankfully, the actor saw the value in returning to the role with Law & Order: Organized Crime.
As front and center, we witnessed his plight for vengeance after his wife’s murder.
The series is undergoing a bit of a creative retool for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4.
As a part of that process, we’re about to meet more members of the Stabler family than ever before.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4: Everything We Know
TVLine broke the news this week that the show would introduce Joe Jr., Elliot’s youngest brother, and Randall, his older brother.
Joe Jr. spent 15 years in the Army before being dishonorably discharged for reasons kept under wraps.
Nowadays, he’s working with a British wine merchant and isn’t too fond of reuniting with his brother because he may not like something about his line of work.
He sounds like an interesting character who should bring a lot of emotional baggage to the Big Apple.
There has to be a lot of tension between him and Stabler, which we’re sure will be delved into in the upcoming season.
As for Randall, he departed the family many years ago and focused on becoming a real estate developer.
There’s a bit of a disconnect between him and Elliot stemming from a past event involving their father.
Ellen Burstyn is expected to continue with the series as Elliot’s mother, Bernie.
If you watch Law & Order: Organized Crime online, you know Bernie’s health has deteriorated, so it seems like the perfect time to reunite Stabler with his brothers.
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Given the series’s more serialized nature compared to the other Law & Order series, there’s a good chance the brothers will be a part of the season’s big mystery.
If you watch Law & Order: SVU online, you know Stabler has a big family, even if it feels like they’re all out of his orbit.
Bringing these people together should make for good TV, and if Bernie’s health does take a downturn, there’s a good chance Olivia will be along for support.
Working through familial drama isn’t for the faint of heart, especially when everyone has different viewpoints on how things happened.
Without meeting the brothers, it’s hard to tell how they’ll navigate this fraught dynamic, but maybe we’ll be surprised, and things will go smoothly.
Sadly, like everything else in Stabler’s life, I expect this to be a difficult time that will test him like never before.
He’s resilient for sure, as evidenced by the past, but there’s so much uncharted territory here that it feels like the show will level up by going in this direction.
A premiere date for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4 has not been determined, but there’s a good chance it will be back in the first quarter of 2024.
The SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes brought most shows to a halt, but there was a bit more of a delay on Organized Crime due to it switching things up creatively.
NBC should announce a premiere date in the coming days about when its slate will be back on the air.
For now, we can theorize in the comments about these imminent arrivals.
Who do you think should play Stabler’s brothers?
What are your thoughts on expanding his family tree?
Hit the comments.
Law & Order: Organized Crime returns to NBC in 2024.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
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