This Sounds Crazy, but Law & Order: Organized Crime Is the Best Replacement for Blue Bloods
Nothing can really make up for the Blue Bloods cancellation, but one show comes close: Law & Order: Organized Crime.
It’s the best replacement for Blue Bloods, at least until Boston Blue comes along (and maybe even then).
They’re very different shows in some respects, but hear me out — Organized Crime is the show that people who miss the Reagan family need to check out.
Despite the Grittier Setting, Law & Order: Organized Crime Has One Important Thing In Common with Blue Bloods
Look, you’re not going to get the same cozy, warm feeling from Organized Crime that you do from the Reagan family dinner, but you ARE going to get a family of cops.
I don’t mean that the two shows are alike just because they both have family stuff in them — lots of shows do.
But Law & Order: Organized Crime centers family in the same way that Blue Bloods does, despite the Stabler family being far more dysfunctional.
Kathleen: I’ve been reading this book about how to let go of a loved one, and I think it could be really helpful for you too.
Stabler: We’re Catholic, honey. We hold onto people for as long as possible until the Good Lord puts His hand on our shoulder and says he’s got it from here.
It was the same way in the early episodes of Law & Order: SVU — the Stablers were a huge part of the show, and almost every episode had a subplot about Stabler trying to connect with his then-teenage daughters or balance his life as a cop with his family’s needs.
Organized Crime carried that over, particularly in Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5.
One of Stabler’s brothers was missing, his aging mother seemed to be in severe cognitive decline, and his other brother, Randall, was always in his business, trying to stop him from burning out and generally aggravating him.
Those scenes reminded me of Blue Bloods, and other fans of the late family/cop drama might enjoy them as much as I did.
If They Do More with the Stabler/Eli Story, Organized Crime Will Truly Be a Great Show for Blue Bloods Fans
One of the best Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 stories got cut short because the season was only 10 episodes long, and it would also appeal to Blue Bloods Fanatics.
Stabler’s youngest, Eli, decided to become a cop despite his dad’s disapproval.
The elder Stabler didn’t think Eli should follow in his footsteps.
The job had consumed him to the point that he had no real relationship with Eli, and he didn’t want that for his son, especially after being the last to learn that Eli had a child on the way.
When Eli joined anyway, it caused a problem that Frank Reagan would have related to: Elliot was full of advice for his son on how to be an effective cop, but Eli wanted him to stop meddling.
Later, when Eli shot the suspect his dad was subduing, it led to the beginning of a story that the series still hasn’t finished.
Eli’s Field Training Officer seemed to be corrupt, and Stabler didn’t like it and was determined to look out for his son.
This story reminded me of Blue Bloods more than any other, and I hope it continues in a (hypothetical, for now, since Organized Crime hasn’t been renewed yet) sixth season of the crime drama.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Is Grittier than Blue Bloods
This series is closer to Homicide: Life In The Streets or The Wire, in terms of content.
Still, it has the same philosophy of not painting all cops with the same brush.
Bernie: What kind of cop is Eli going to be?
Stabler: What do you mean?
Bernie: Is he going to be a cop like you… or a cop like your father?
Stabler has taken down corrupt cops before, in a story that was reminiscent of Blue Bloods’ Blue Templar story, but grittier.
His father was one, and it disgusts him. He is hoping his son won’t be that kind of cop.
Stabler is like Danny Reagan in that he sometimes lets impulsivity and hotheadedness get the better of him, but his heart is always in the right place.
So if you don’t mind the greater level of blood and violence and love the family stuff and cops who have good intentions trying to make New York a better place, Law & Order: Organized Crime might be the best Blue Bloods replacement you can find.
Over To You, Organized Crime Fanatics
Did you watch Blue Bloods?
Do you think Organized Crime is a good replacement show?
Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Share your opinion in the comments and share this article with a friend so they can join the conversation, too.
All five seasons of Law & Order: Organized Crime are available to stream on Peacock.
Watch Law & Order: Organized Crime Online
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