Law & Order’s Elliot Stabler Can’t Stand Organized Crime Team’s Newest Member

Law & Order: Organized Crime kicked off season 4 in dramatic fashion, with Elliot Stabler still undercover. As the episode progresses, Stabler reunites with the Organized Crime team, and he discovers that while he’s been away the team has added a new member. That new member is Dr. Vargas (Tate Ellington), who specializes in tech. The addition of his tech and the resources that come with it have already paid dividends for the team, but Stabler is not sold, and immediately shows his disdain for Vargas. It looks like the team has a new member, but it’s not going to be a smooth ride for Vargas and Stabler, at least in the beginning.

Stabler heads back to home base and sees Vargas moving into the team’s office. Stabler doesn’t know who he is but then Sgt. Bell (Danielle Moon Truitt) has a talk with Stabler. She reveals that he was brought in while Stabler was undercover and that his addition to the team has helped in multiple ways already. She also tells Stabler that while he doesn’t have to like Vargas, he does have to deal with him being a part of the team.

When Stabler asks about the new addition, Bell replies, “You’ve been gone remember? Do you think things stop when you’re not around? Not just people, but resources. Thanks to this program, we’ve been handed the keys to the bank.”

Stabler says, “It’s always about the money.” Bell responds, “It’s about getting it right. This thing he built, just give it a chance. Maybe it could’ve saved Jamie.” Stabler still isn’t happy, and that doesn’t get much better later on when Stabler has to stay in the surveillance van with Vargas. Vargas is excited because it’s his first op, but Stabler shoots down that enthusiasm pretty quickly.

Stabler doesn’t know Vargas yet and it’s easy to see that much of his issue with the new recruit isn’t about him. It’s more about the death of Jamie Whelan, who was shot in the season finale of season 3. Whelan was paralyzed because the bullet hit his spine, and later he is connected to a device that sends signals to his body to breathe. Jamie asks Bobby to disconnect the box, telling his partner “This is not a life Bobby. This is not my life. It’s not. I’m serious. Just disconnect the box. Please.”

Bobby won’t do it and leaves the room, and that’s when Jamie’s father arrives. A bit later the equipment beeps and the doctors and nurses run in, but Jamie passes away. Jamie’s dad can be seen leaving as the rest of the team grieves, and it is implied that he helped his son.

Tonight’s episode begins with Stabler having dreams of what happened to Jamie in the field and some of the moments where Jamie was asking Bobby for help. Stabler is still dealing with what happened, and that is clearly transferring a bit to his hatred for Vargas. Hopefully, that will lessen in time, at least for Vargas’ sake.

What did you think of the season 4 Organized Crime premiere? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things Law & Order with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!