NEW YORK, April 17 (UPI) -- Chris Meloni says Elliot Stabler reluctantly goes undercover for a Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 human trafficking case because he wants to help women before they end up needing the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit.
"They wrote it very well, which is he doesn't want to [do this]. He's had enough of that," Meloni, 64, told UPI in a Zoom interview Monday.
"I think he doesn't trust himself in that environment, at least not now, because I think he really goes in off the deep end in a way. He loses himself, so he's unhappy about that," the actor said. "Honestly, why he does it is because he's ordered to."
Of course, that's not the only reason Elliot agrees to pretend he is an ex-con truck driver named Hank in Thursday's season opener on Peacock.
"It's maybe a subconscious, unconscious thing," Meloni added. "He wants to right the wrongs of the children that he was unable to save all of his years in the SVU."
Meloni compared his cop character's evaluation of his career to asking an athlete what is more memorable -- celebrating victories or mourning defeats?
"It's the suffering of the loss that hangs with people, so he says 'yes,' maybe to right an unconscious wrong," Meloni said about Elliot.
Season 5 also see Elliot's son Eli (Nicky Torchia) completing the NYPD academy and preparing to welcome his first child with his girlfriend Becky (Kiaya Scott), while Elliot's brother Randall (Dean Norris) cares for their mother Bernie (Ellen Burstyn), who has dementia.
Randall and Elliot have different perspectives when it comes to Eli's career choice.
"It's great," Norris said of Randall's reaction to Eli's decision. "i understand why he does it. I think it's interesting that he does it, taking after his father and grandfather. I have no problem with it."
"It's an interesting conceit how they wrote it," Meloni chimed in.
"It goes to a main issue between Randall and Elliot and what their operating systems are. He's the free-wheeling uncle, so it's easy for him to sit on the outside looking in, [saying]: 'Hey, it's all good. Kid has a passion,'" Meloni said about Randall. "And I'm sitting there going: 'I know who this kid is and this is not right. And, besides, it's dangerous and the job has changed.' All these things, I think, 'Well, is that valid? Or is that fear talking?'"
Asked how the brothers get along with the women in their lives this season, Norris joked that he'd like to see Randall hook up with Elliot's former SVU partner Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), who is a frequent guest star on Organized Crime.
"Maybe there's a whole Randall-Benson thing. We don't know. We're going to have to find out," he laughed.
"Mainly, my relationship is with Mom, Ellen Burstyn, and that's just a great thing to milk, just a great thing to constantly find new stuff with her," he added. "Randall is kind of a dysfunctional guy himself and he's recently divorced. God, can you imagine being married to Randall? He's kind of rough round the edges when it comes to trying to talk to a woman and I have a funny scene when I try to hit on Benson."
In addition to Mom and Benson, Elliot is close to another strong woman -- his boss -- Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle Mone Truitt).
"They all have a unique space in Stabler's life," Meloni said. "Dealing with Bernie? That's ever evolving. I'd like to explore more Bell stuff. She seems to be turning the screws a little tighter this year. Benson? That's complicated, but a breath of fresh air. Mutual respect."
He also has a new relationship with Becky, the future mother of his grandchild.
"She's lovely. She's young, smarter than Eli. She knows more than what she's letting on to. She has an insight," Meloni said.
Moving from its four-season broadcast television home of NBC to the Peacock streaming platform this season has only enhanced the show, the actors agreed.
Norris noted, "It's a little edgier this year."
"The catchphrase was 'cinematic,'" Meloni said.
"We're looking for a more cinematic way to tell the story, whether it's through the writing, allowing the the writing to get a little more in depth or slow down, let the at the rhythm slow a little bit, take the time to explore certain things," he added. "How circumstances are dealt with can be a little grittier."
