New York, organized crime: “Stabler shows a better face than in SVU”

All those who follow the series Law & Order for several decades on the small screen will not have escaped it: Elliot Stabler is back! The illustrious inspector, former partner of Olivia Benson in New York, special unit (SVU), returned to service no less than 10 years after his departure from the series. He is indeed at the heart of a new spin-off, working for another unit within the famous NYPD… After a (short) first season broadcast at the end of last year, 13ème RUE gives you an appointment from this Monday, April 4 to discover the new season 2 of New York, organized crime !

Christopher Meloni, Special Organized Crime Unit

This is the opportunity to reveal our interview with Christopher Meloni, or Elliot Stabler in person! For SFR Newsthe actor returned to his big comeback in Law & Orderhis reunion in particular with Mariska Hargitay, the interpreter of Olivia Benson always on the poster of SVUthen more particularly on what awaits us in this second season of New York, organized crime. Knowing that, to the delight of fans, it will be much longer than the first!

First of all, how did you find Elliot Stabler 10 years later?

Before starting filming, it was a little nerve-wracking because the only thing I was thinking about was the audience’s expectations. But once the cameras started rolling, it became easy, comfortable.

What convinced you to return to your role after all this time?

I really liked the argument that Dick Wolf gave me, the fact that it was not going to be an episodic series. That is to say that there would not only be plots completed in a single episode, but that we would be able to tell a story over several episodes.

What did it do to you to see that the public was once again there to find you in “New York, organized crime”?

It’s touching, it’s flattering. I appreciate it enormously.

10 years is a long time. And Elliot Stabler returns in “Organized Crime” after having lived through a tragedy… How has he evolved since “New York, special unit”?

With age comes wisdom. I think it’s more reasonable, less hotheaded. He appreciates life more, since he suffered from this tragedy. So I think he’s showing a better face than he left in New York, special unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnmNmnsZypo

How was your reunion with Mariska Hargitay, who makes several appearances in “New York, organized crime”?

It’s always nice. We know each other well, it’s very natural between us. I think both of us are always happy to be able to work together.

We have the impression that the relationship between Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson could (finally) be brought to evolve… What do you think?

(Laughs) Well, we’re still discussing this relationship, what direction it needs to go, what direction it should go, how it’s going to mature naturally… We haven’t quite resolved that yet, that either for our characters or what it means for us, as actors.

Elliot Stabler has a new partner in “New York Organized Crime”, Sergeant Ayanna Bell. How would you define their relationship?

At the start there was distrust, everyone tried to understand who the other was, how they operated. But now I think they admire each other, their collaboration is friendly, exciting, it continues to evolve. They work well together.

Season 2 kicks off with your character in the middle of an undercover operation with an Albanian gang. So you sort of play two roles, that of Elliot Stabler and that of Elliot Stabler who pretends to be a dangerous criminal nicknamed “The Torch”… How did you approach this double game?

I played my character, thinking about what he needed to do to pass himself off as someone else. He himself played a character, tougher, gruffer, more dangerous… It was a lot of fun to play. For my character it was nice to be able to get away from himself, from his suffering. And for me, as an actor, it was kind of comforting, weirdly, to be able to kind of hide behind another character.

And you got a change of look for the occasion… Did you like wearing a beard?

(Laughs) Yes, I loved it! It’s nice to be able to change a bit. And I miss that beard.

Although the first episodes focus on this operation, the new season is introduced with a scene from Richard Wheatley. So we have not finished hearing about the main antagonist of season 1?

Not yet. He’ll be sticking around for a while longer. We really find him in the second part of the season… First Elliot Stabler infiltrates this Albanian gang, then he will have to deal with Richard Wheatley.

There will indeed be several narrative arcs in this season 2, which will also be much longer than the first… Can you tell us more?

Yes, there will be three stories told over a total of 22 episodes. So Stabler infiltrates an Albanian gang to begin with, then we’ll find Richard Wheatley, who we’ll try to put in jail, and finally we’ll have a group of crooked cops, who call themselves “The Brotherhood”, who we’ll try to understand the Machiavellian plans…

Are these stories connected?

No… Well, it’s not entirely true what I just said. There is a red thread with the story of Wheatley, the cops and a gang called the “Marcy Killers”, which we meet from the first narrative arc around the Albanian gang.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHgMbKmfKOc

In an interview with the American press, Dick Wolf presented season 2 as follows: “The first third of the season is ‘The Godfather’, the second is ‘American Gangster’, and the third is ‘Scarface ‘.” Holy comparisons! What do you think ?

(Laughs) I don’t really know what to say! I’m sure there are certain aspects, the shadow of all these great films that hangs over our series… But we tell our own story. It’s true, however, that we try to tell it in a more cinematic way.

Do you think “Organized Crime New York” can last as long as the other series in the “Law & Order” franchise?

(Laughs) Honestly I think the odds are stacked against us just considering the age I started Organized crime… But we will do our best!

At least until retirement age, then?

Yes that’s it !

How do you explain the success of the “Law & Order” franchise, year after year, spin-off after spin-off?

I think all credit goes to Dick Wolf. His vision, the mechanism he put in place, a kind of story capable of arousing the interest of the public. He also extended it to another franchise, which takes place this time in Chicago with medical series, or in the middle of firefighters, in addition to the various police shows… Then I think that New York, special unit tackled difficult themes that had never been shown on television before. Not to mention that the series also owes its success to Mariska Hargitay. Lots of people… But it all started with Dick Wolf.