Photo Courtesy of NBC

The Elliot Stabler-centric “Law & Order: Organized Crime” kicked off its third season premiere on Thursday, Sept. 22, in a three-episode crossover event with “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU).” 

One would think that a crossover event would start off with the characters from the actual series, but this episode opened up with the main detectives, Cosgrove and Shaw, from “Law & Order.” The episode begins with Cosgrove talking with his daughter; their relationship seems to be similar to the connection Stabler has with his youngest son, Eli. 

Fans do not get to see Stabler and the rest of the Organized Crime Unit until halfway through the episode. This is an interesting approach as it helps draw viewers into the storyline, but fans want to know what’s happening with the characters they are already familiar with. 

Starting off with the main characters from “Law & Order” may have brought in fans, but it also may not have. With that being said, it was nice seeing Olivia Benson, as she will always be Stabler’s partner. Fingers crossed that the former partners will get more screen time together this season!  

Longtime fans of the “Law and Order” franchise series will note the similarities between Stabler and Cosgrove. They are both stubborn and determined to solve a case no matter who or what gets in the way. 

During one scene, Cosgrove says, “You know, I heard Elliot Stabler was a good cop, great cop, real police. He’d do anything to get justice.” Stabler’s previous work in the Special Victims Unit and more recent work in the Organized Crime Unit is what makes him a hero. Last season, Stabler was even given a combat cross for his work. 

While this episode was entertaining, it took away from the premise of this season. This also happened last season, as viewers were thrown into the middle of the unit’s new case with hardly any explanation. It’s an interesting way to pull fans into this new storyline but leaves several unanswered questions. 

What happened with Ayanna and her wife? Are Malachi and Jet together? Why do all of these detectives seem to only show up for one season? What does Stabler and Eli’s relationship look like? 

Let’s hope that this season keeps fans on their feet, because Stabler is not ready to leave television screens. There is so much of his story that needs to be told. 

For example, the relationship between Stabler and Eli would be a great plotline to watch unfold. “SVU” fans watched Eli’s birth and saw his mother die. The kid has been through so much, and he is still in high school. This season would be the perfect time for Stabler and Eli to form a stronger relationship.  

Either way, this season is sure to have fans on the edge of their seats. Stabler has been through a lot these past couple of seasons, with his wife dying because of Richard Wheatley, his mother coming to live with him and the doubt around his authority within the police department. It will be interesting to see how the season will progress. 

“Law & Order: Organized Crime” can be streamed on Peacock or live on NBC. New episodes air on Thursdays at 10 p.m.