Law & Order: Organized Crime's Christopher Meloni Views Stabler As A Work In Progress

When considering "Law & Order" and its many spin-offs, one of the first faces that come to mind is that of Detective Elliot Stabler. Portrayed by actor Christopher Meloni, Stabler is a cop with a strong moral compass, a deep-seated passion for justice, and a tendency to go off the rails. Meloni has been playing Stabler since "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" premiered in 1999, so it makes sense that the actor has spent a fair amount of time thinking about his character's journey over the years. While playing Stabler for so long has taken a mental toll on the actor, Meloni has developed a deep understanding of the character's ambitions as a result.

Stabler has definitely changed a lot since audiences first met the character on "SVU." Viewers have seen him deal with marital woes, professional upheavals, and the murder of his wife, Kathy (Isabel Gillies). In "Law & Order: Organized Crime," we get an even closer look at Stabler's inner life. Even though audiences have been familiar with the character for over two decades, Meloni knows the key to keeping Stabler's storylines interesting. According to the actor, one of the character's most significant flaws consistently proves to be an asset in crafting Stabler's narrative.

While "Law & Order: Organized Crime" offers a different flavor of police procedural than Elliot Stabler's former position working with the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, the series does a great job of expanding on the character. The show has also taken considerable strides in hinting at a possible romance between Stabler and Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). Stabler is someone who takes pride in his strengths but actively works to hide his vulnerabilities. In a recent interview with NBC Insider, Christopher Meloni explained that Stabler's story is so engrossing because he still has many lessons to learn. When asked what to expect regarding the character's evolution in Season 3 of "Organized Crime," Meloni says Stabler has a long way to go.

"Well, I still consider him a work in progress. But I think he is less angry about things he can't control," Meloni told the outlet. "I don't know, 'cause we're still just developing the whole story, so I can't really divulge or give an intelligent answer."

Time and time again, Stabler has demonstrated his dedication to putting criminals behind bars. However, after years of helping survivors of violent crime, it makes sense that he has a few demons lurking in his closet. It's good that Meloni is so invested in Stabler's development because there are plenty of stories left to tell.