Nobody can deny that Law & Order: Organized Crime features a stellar lineup. The latest of Dick Wolf’s spin-offs recasts former Special Victims Unit detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) as the head of his own investigative force. As the series’ name implies, Stabler’s group uncovers and destroys sophisticated underground organizations. This analytical angle gives Organized Crime a grizzled noir-inspired feel, although it openly touts its Law & Order origins. It follows the same procedural formula, albeit with a more analytical twist. Like its predecessors, Organized Crime features an ever-changing core cast.
As it enters its fifth season, Elliot Stabler remains as the group’s leader. However, many of the show’s regulars have moved to new roles. Aside from Stabler, only two other team members remain from the first season: Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) and Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Siegler). Of course, Law & Order has always been known for its constant evolution. Its stories have matured to fit new eras, and its shows’ founding stars have withstood countless casting changes. Nonetheless, there are always a few fan favorites. Elliot Stabler is, himself, the perfect example. The initially prickly detective grew to become the leading love interest for Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), and his unexpected departure in 2011 left fans reeling. Stabler’s popularity ultimately led to a brief three-season return before his reassignment to the NYPD’s Organized Crime Task Force.
Is Trisha Beck the New Fan Favorite?
Now, it seems Organized Crime has found its own fan favorite. After a shocking and traumatic loss for Stabler’s team in Season Three, the fourth season pits them against ruthless drug dealers. Stabler may be a seasoned investigator, but even he needs help. Thus, he enlists assistance from Trisha Beck (Rivera Reese) of the ATF Task Force.
While she’s not an official part of Stabler’s core group, Trisha’s assistance helps the crew wriggle free from many tight spots in Season Four. She warns Stabler of impending danger in “Crossroads.” Then, in “Redcoat,” her gunfire helps Stabler escape certain death at the hands of the One-Eyed Skulls. After the tense gunfight, Beck’s investigative skills get a chance to shine as she pries critical information from wanted heroin dealer Tyler Gutterson (Jonathan Holtzman) in “Goodnight.”
However, unlike some Law & Order newcomers, Beck has an amiable personality. She’s charismatic and convincing enough to enmesh herself into the One-Eyed Skulls as an undercover agent. Once free of the ruse, she easily slots into Stabler’s team. By the Season Four finale, “Stabler’s Lament,” Beck tries courting the team’s resident AI expert, Kyle Vargas (Tate Ellington).
What Is Trisha Beck’s Place in Stabler’s Team?
Admittedly, Trisha Beck has had woefully little time to make herself known. Her appearances are brief, often sandwiched between grand strategic meetings and adrenaline-pumping action. Nonetheless, she has shown remarkable skills and promise. Her resourcefulness has been invaluable, and she’s more than willing to help a new team.
Functionally, Trisha can easily fit a role akin to Special Victims Unit’s Finn Tutuola (Ice-T) or Joe Valesco (Octavio Pisano). After Season Four, there’s no denying Trisha’s skills; she can hold her own in a fight. More importantly, her seamless undercover work can perfectly fill the void left by Detective Jamie Whelan (Brent Antonello).
Trisha’s interpersonal skills must be top-notch as an undercover agent, but those skills have professional applications, too. Before outright expressing any interest in Kyle Vargas, Trisha asked Jet about any existing relationships. Jet immediately noted the complex relationship she shared with the team’s resident techie, and Beck immediately backed down. She plays the interaction off as a joke, noting that “guys in glasses” have never been interested in her. Nonetheless, that brief interaction highlighted Beck’s amiable attitude.
In some ways, it seems that the Organized Crime team is gently pushing Beck into a prominent role. After shedding her guise as a helpful lackey with the One-Eyed Skulls, Beck quickly uncovers some of Stabler’s many secrets. The resultant connection is nothing like the close-knit bond between Benson and Stabler, though; Beck’s connection to Stabler is primarily utilitarian. Even so, like Benson, she forgives his transgression.
And from a casting perspective, it wouldn’t be unusual to promote Trisha Beck to the main cast. The Law & Order series has done so before, notably elevating the role of Special Victims Unit’s Detective Terry Bruno (Kevin Kane) in the respective show’s twenty-sixth season. Similarly, the fifth season of Organized Crime bumped Randall Stabler (Dean Norris) to the main cast roster.
Fans React to Trisha Beck and Season Four
While reactions to the fourth season of Organized Crime were mixed, one thing is sure: Fans loved the acting. Mountains of praise were piled upon everyone, including Rivera Reese. The general consensus was that the fourth season had delivered the spin-off’s most emotionally charged moments.
As for Trisha Beck, it seemed the team’s latest recurring star duped audiences and fictional drug dealers. When accusations of a mole in Stabler’s team began flying, fans immediately needled Trisha as a probable culprit. Her initial disdain for Stabler’s addition to the undercover team was brought forth as the most convincing scrap of evidence.
However, fans quickly embraced Trisha after she established her allegiance to Stabler’s cause. Particular praise was aimed at her investigative and physical skills. Her undercover work is unparalleled, easily rivaling — and perhaps surpassing — Elliot Stabler’s decades of experience. Should she return for the fifth season, fans have all but handed her an Organized Crime Control Bureau badge.
And Trisha isn’t the only recurring addition with new fans. Kyle Vargas’ nerdy personality won plenty of hearts. Initially, some rebuked him for “replacing” Whelan. Others claimed he was unfairly stealing Jet’s tech-oriented thunder. However, fans quickly grew to love Vargas’ light-hearted spirit. Interestingly, fans also considered Vargas as a potential mole, although he was ultimately cleared of the theoretical crime.
Even considering the negative comments, Organized Crime’s fourth season garnered outstandingly positive publicity. Fans and critics hailed the show as a fresh look for Dick Wolf’s decade-spanning franchise; yet, somehow, neither of these facts stopped NBC from canceling the show. Fortunately for fans, Organized Crime was adopted as an exclusive addition to NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock, leaving plenty of room for more Trisha Beck content.
