Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 Could Move To Streamer & Have Reduced Episode Count
Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 could potentially end up streaming with a reduced episode count. The show is a serialized entry in the long-running franchise which stars Christopher Meloni reprising his longtime Special Victims Unit role as Detective 1st Grade Elliot Stabler, who is now part of the NYPD’s Organized Crime Task Force. Of the three Law & Order shows that are currently on the air, Organized Crime is the only one that is still on the bubble and hasn’t yet been renewed for a new season.
Per Deadline, the future of Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 could look very different thanks to a new deal that is reportedly in the works. The deal, which is reportedly being finalized, would see the upcoming season of the crime procedural show move from NBC to their streaming service Peacock. The streaming season would have a reduced episode count of 10, which would be the shortest since the spinoff debuted with 8 episodes in 2021, including season 4, which had a reduced post-strike episode count of 13.
Could This Move To Peacock Keep Law & Order: Organized Crime Going Beyond Season 5?
Moving To Streaming Could Change How Law & Order Operates
If this deal goes through, the show’s future beyond season 5 is unclear. On top of the reduced episode count implying possible budget issues with keeping the show on the air, the way that streaming operates could complicate its ability to interact with the other shows. Currently, all three shows air in one three-hour block on Thursdays, which allows them to pull off events like the major Law & Order crossover finale of 2023. However, streaming shows don’t tend to have their releases tied to a particular time, which could disincentivize viewers to tune in for potential future crossovers.
One major link between the Law & Order shows is the will-they, won’t-they relationship between Organized Crime ‘s Stabler and Special Victims Unit ‘s Olivia Benson.
This may not be an issue, as Organized Crime is reportedly performing well on the platform already, which is one motivating factor driving this transition. Nevertheless, the Law & Order spinoff is still treading new ground for the franchise, and it remains to be seen if it pays off. Peacock’s previous attempt to launch a spinoff to one of NBC’s popular properties, Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem, ended after just two seasons, so there isn’t a particularly strong precedent for the success of this kind of streaming show.
Ultimately, Law & Order: Organized Crime still has a strong chance to find success on streaming. The serialized nature of the show already defies the traditionally episodic format of the other installments in the franchise. This could potentially make it perfect binge-watching material and allow it to strike a chord with streaming audiences even without a strong connection to the network branches of the franchise.
