Law & Order: Organized Crime’s Dean Norris, Michael Trotter Tee Up Another Stabler Family Landmine
And you thought that Stabler family dinner was tense.
This Thursday’s Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC, 10/9c) will find Randall and Elliot attempting to help Joe Jr., whom they’re fairly sure is using heroin. Given the episode’s official synopsis — which notes that “Joe Jr. takes drastic action when his brothers try to stage an intervention” — we’re guessing that this intervention will go roughly as well as Elliot’s in Season 1. (Maybe Joe Jr. will even blurt out “I love you” to an unsuspecting participant?)
To get the scoop on the drama ahead, TVLine chatted with Dean Norris, who plays Randall, and Michael Trotter, who plays Joe Jr. Norris kicked off the conversation by noting the Stabler family secrets that were revealed during the meal at Elliot’s place (Joe Sr. physically abused Bernie, Randall ratted his father out to Internal Affairs, Bernie kicked Randall out of the house as a result) and afterward (Joe Sr. killed himself, which was news to Elliot) “have been changing people’s worldview, their worldview that they’ve had for 20 years.”
Trotter adds that Elliot’s not the only one who’s been shocked with the family news: As baby of the family, Joe Jr. often was kept in the dark. “There’s a lot of the elements that are a revelation to him, too,” he says, pointing out that the work of keeping his drug use secret always adds a level of pressure to Joe Jr.’s interactions with his mother and brothers: “To put myself in the company of my family is to have to face the lies each time and to hold the secret as close as possible for fear of exposing the shame of it.”
Elsewhere in Thursday’s hour, which is titled “Semper Fi,” Stabler pulls on his military past to figure out what’s up with the heroin pipeline he’s discovered, and Reyes returns to the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
Press PLAY on the video above to hear everything Norris and Trotter had to say about shooting the family dinner, then make sure to come back Thursday evening to find out their thoughts on what transpires in Episode 9!
Norris is really great in this role. I love Randall suggestions the family dinner and now an intervention.
Stabler’s family has so much drama, it could sustain the whole show. They don’t even need that procedural part of it.
Dean Norris is perfect for this role – one of my favorite actors!
Things got very tense at the family dinner. I’m looking forward to see how it comes out.