Law & Order Organized Crime “Takeover” Recap, Review, Discussion

 A new chapter in Law & Order Organized Crime begins with the episode “Takeover.”  There’s a lot to unpack in this fast-moving episode. The opening scene featured some nice staging and camera work.  Whoever picked that location made an excellent choice to set the tone for this episode, one which sets the stage for what could be a very compelling story line over the next series of episodes. 

When we first see Stabler, it appears he has been suspended.  But no worries here; it was a set up, in which Bell and even Captain Olivia Benson participated.  The plan was to make Stabler look like he’s been thrown under the bus by his NYPD bosses, giving Detective Frank Donnelly the perfect opening to bring Stabler into his fold.  Stabler has heard that Donnelly is dirty and Stabler must infiltrate Franks “gang” in order to bring them down.   As Benson observed, Stabler is going undercover again – this time as himself. 

Frank takes a large sum of cash from a killing at one of the stash houses of Preston Webb, head of the Marcy Organization.  Stabler inserts himself into this situation and he quickly becomes part of Frank’s group, called the Brotherhood.  The Brotherhood consists of a group of cops from the 3-7, who routinely get to crime scenes first in order to get whatever they can get before other police arrive and before anything gets officially logged.  This particular stash house netted them $50,000, something that Preston Webb can dismiss, but Webb won't ignore the flagrant disrespect to his organization.  This puts a target on Frank’s back, and Stabler’s by default. 

Nova has risen even higher in the Marcy Organization, reaching the level where she reports directly to Webb and the other vice presidents must report to her.  Webb also quashes the efforts of one of the VPs who wanted to start his own organization, and does it by beating his head against the table and then stabbing his hand.  We also discover that Nova has a brother, who is a minister at a Baptist church.  He doesn’t know she’s a cop. 

Stabler and Frank almost meet their maker when Hugo and another one of Webb’s men have them at gunpoint.  Quick thinking on Stabler’s part get them out of this mess, but we know it’s far from over. 

I’m surprised that Stabler didn’t seem worried that Webb would recognize him when Webb confronted them. If I recall correctly, Stabler acted as “bartender” at a party held at Jon Kosta (in a previous episode) where Webb dropped in.  I’m assuming since Stabler was outside in the yard and Webb was inside the house, Webb never saw Stabler long enough for it to register. 

Here is the recap:

Stabler is out for a run while he recalls  Brewster suspending him, pending an internal  investigation, with his service weapon and weapon at home  confiscated.  He recalls his meeting with Frank Donnelly at the bar.  Frank then appears in the park where Stabler is running and plays a recording of Sgt. Bell on a department podcast where they mention Stabler has been suspended for 3 weeks already and Bell doesn’t defend him, saying no one person is indispensable.  Frank thinks he’d go to war.  

Later,  Bell arrives at One Police Plaza and Stabler confronts her and begins to argue with her loudly about how she threw him under the bus.  He makes a scene. Benson arrives and tries to diffuse the situation and Bell excuses herself.  Stabler wonders if Benson is there to meet with McGrath and Benson questions  what is he doing?  She thinks once they find out about this they will extend his suspension. She walks off. 

Sometime later, Stabler is in a bar with Frank and his police buddies. They talk about his suspension and Frank says this group takes care of each other.  Stabler drinks right from the bottle. 

Afterwards and at the task force office, Benson meets up with Bell and Bell thanks her for her help, they could not have done that without her.  Benson says this has to be a priority for all of the, Stabler enters and Benson says that was uncomfortable, and Stabler agrees, adding there is nothing like a screaming match at One PP to get the NYPD rumor mill going.  He thinks Frank Donnelly bought it.   

Stabler and Benson talk separately about hearing that a UC told him Frank was taking bribes.  Stabler says their fathers were friends and his old man would have hated this.  Benson calls Stabler “my friend” and says he is doing the right thing. Stabler calls her “my friend” and asks to take her an Noah out to lunch this weekend. She suggests the wait as Noah gets attached easily and he is undercover again – as Elliot Stabler. 

Meanwhile, Preston Webb meets at a school with Congressman Kilbride about making a donation of computers and a computer lab  next year.  Nova is also there.  They leave and Nova hears that Hugo says there is a problem at the warehouse. 

Webb gets to the warehouse to get one of the guys – Chopper -  in line who wants to start his own organization.  Webb tells him the Columbians now deal exclusively with him and he outmaneuvered and outlasted all his rivals.  He says he runs this town now.

At the task force, Bell outlines to the team that Nova’s undercover work led to the discovery of a symbiotic relationship between the MK and Congressman Kilbride.  Webb and Kilbride go way back and Nova says the funds are going right into Kilbride's pockets. Nova also repots Webb’s lieutenants have been called to a high level meeting and she wants Cho and Maldonado outside to surveil.  They want to build a record on them.  Nova asked to leave for a family issue. 

Preston Webb’s wife Cassandra meets with Kilbride at her gallery and when Webb arrives she excuses herself.  Webb says he called a meeting with his 5 vice president for restructuring to keep the young bulls in line. 

Nova meets  with her brother at her parent’s grave. 

Stabler is at home watching sports on TV with Frank and when he gets annoying phone calls, Frank suggests they go to his place instead; he has something to show him.  Back at the task force, while Stabler’s phone rings, Jet tells Bell there is no answer, guessing that it worked. 

Elsewhere, a choir signs at Ezekiel Baptist with Pastor Riley.  Webb, arriving with Cassandra, sees Nova there, who seems uncomfortable.  Webb and Cassandra meet the pastor, who points out “Carmen” is his little sister and Webb says she is full of surprises. 

At Frank’s place, they have some beer and talk about Frank’s family, he has alimony and child support and is getting ready for the new baby.  He takes Stabler out to his garage and shows him his old, restored Camaro.  They go out for a drive. Frank says the whole world hates cops now because of cell phones.  Frank gets a call and then says he can’t do that now, but then says he’ll be right there.  He tells Stabler that his dad spoke highly of his dad but the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Frank raced to a house and, with someone watching him in a car nearby, he gets out of the car and tells Stabler to sit tight. Frank goes into the house where another cop is already there and sees a body and hears it was a drug deal gone bad. Cash and drugs were there.  Frank tells him to take the cash but leave the drugs, they don’t want to get greedy. He turns and sees Stabler and says he told him to wait in the car. Stabler says he thought he might need backup.  Frank throws him  a wad of cash from the bag and asks Stabler if he is cool with that. Stabler says he is a lot cooler with two. Frank gives him another pack of money. 

Back at the task force, Stabler throws the bagged money on Bell’s desk, who is surprised they just walked in and robbed a crime scene in broad daylight.  Stabler says the responding officer tipped off Frank and they lifted the cash before backup arrived.  He adds they were cool, casual, and disciplined; it’s not the first time they’ve done this.  Bell says it was a perfect crime as the money never gets logged in to evidence. Stabler thinks Frank is running a crew out of the 3-7 and thinks the guys he met the other night is their courtroom.  He recalls their names.

Meanwhile, Webb speaks with the man who was watching the house who is sure the people that went in were police and they came out with the bag and then the whole place was the crime scene.  Hugo tells them they were holding about $50K and says somebody has to pay. 

At the task force, Maldonado and Cho tell Stabler and  Bell about the men Stabler saw: there is not much on Parnell, the same for Bolton, Carling, and the others,  they are a few awards and citations.  Donnelly has a commendation for placing himself in grave personal danger in the line of duty but Jet says he is cheating on his pregnant wife – she saw this in his DMs. They look through the photos on his messages and Stabler spots a photo with Frank’s crew.  They notice a tattoo on his arm and the arms  of the others – two cards with a  10 and a 3. Stabler recognizes the NYPD radio code to stop transmitting, It means a code of silence. Bell thinks Frank  is the leader of a gang operating inside the NYPD.

Later, Maldonado and Cho watch Webb from their car, noting he just arrived at a location with Hugo and Nova.  Inside, Webb meets with his vice presidents, happy that the Albanians and Italians are gone.  He sees opportunity. He talks about how he elevated some of them to Vice Presidents but that it lead to different factions.  He says it is time to reign them in and he is consolidating the current structure.  Instead she will report directly to Webb and each of them will report to her. One of the VPs - Chopper - gets angry and Webb tells him to sit down but he refuses. Webb forces his head to the table and stabs him in the hand.  Chopper screams in pain and Nova looks stunned. 

Later, Nova and Bell meet and discuss Nova getting in deeper inside and the risks.  But Nova wants to continue forward. She gives Bell her brother Derek’s phone number, the pastor at Ezekiel Baptist who does not know she is a cop and she will tell him when this is over.  She knows what she is doing and asks Bell to trust her.  Bell agrees but tells her to watch her back.  She says she will see her at the fundraiser. 

Meanwhile, Webb arrives at the hospital where is wife is waiting for the birth of their grandchild. She notices a spot of blood on his shirt and he explains Chopper  got out of pocket.  The son-in-law announces it is a boy and they enter the room to see Webb’s daughter’s baby.   Outside the room, Webb takes a call and thanks Hugo, saying nice work.

Stabler and Frank are waiting for a helicopter to come in and Frank explains his police chauffer service,  Stabler thanks him for cutting him in.  Frank welcomes “Big Smoke” and they race off in the car. Stabler doesn’t say much and Frank says Stabler is just the money guy.  Big Smoke pays Stabler.  They arrive at the destination and Big Smoke says he will text him in a few hours.   But as they go to leave, Webb confronts Frank about the stash house being robbed and the two bodies and he  thinks one of Frank’s men took his cash. Frank denies it but Webb says he hopes he didn’t otherwise the long standing relationship between the Marcy Organization and the Brotherhood is over.  He swears on everything he holds dear that blood will have blood.  Webb leaves and Stabler asks, “Brotherhood” ?

As they drive off, Frank explains they look after each other and if there is an opportunity to supplement their income they take it.  Stabler seems to have issues but then says he just wants to understand what this thing is, and it seems like they are a gang.  Frank says that isn’t what it is.

At the gallery fundraiser, Bell and her wife Denise arrive.   Cassandra makes an announcement about supporting Congressman Kilbride. Webb takes over to  make t he “hard sell” with the audience. 

Elsewhere, Frank chides one of the cops because he was late, saying he put a target on all their backs because it was Webb’s money. They deny knowing about it and suggest apologizing.  But others don’t want to. Stabler says Webb will never believe it was an accident and they should just enjoy the cash.  One guy says Stabler has bigger balls than Frank. 

Back at the fundraiser, Kilbride introduces Bell and Denise to Webb and Cassandra.  Webb makes flattering comments about Bell and says they are looking at a future police commissioner.  Nova interrupts and tells Webb there is something that needs his signature. 

Webb meets with Hugo and the guy watching the stash house, and they say they are sure it was Donnelly.  The cop that was with them was Parnell and they still don’t know who the third dude was.  Webb says it doesn’t matter; of he’s rolling with the Brotherhood he gets what they get, He tells them to find them and strike back and make sure they know it’s them.

Webb returns to the fundraiser and starts dancing with Cassandra as the other guests watch. 

Meanwhile, Frank and Stabler wait for Big Smoke, who then offers them an extra $1,000 if they get him to the helipad by 10.  Frank warns him about flashing that around.  They get in Frank’s car but are quickly ambushed by Hugo and the other guy who hold guns to Stabler’s and Frank’s heads.  When Big Smoke moves to give him his briefcase, Stabler grabs for Hugo’s gun and it fires, hitting the guy with the gun on Frank.  Frank yells for Hugo to drop the case,  and it falls and pops open with lots of money inside. Stabler goes out of the car to move Hugo to his friend who  is laying on the ground, injured. Stabler tells Hugo to go over to his friend and drop the gun and get away, and get to the hospital.  Frank races off in the car with Stabler and Big Smoke.  

Later, Frank stops the car and asks Stabler if he is alright.  Stabler says he doesn’t like guns shoved in his face.  Frank says he picked up on that vibe, calling him “brother.”   Stabler laughs.   He tells Frank he has to learn how to duck. Frank tells him he did very good.  He is glad he had him along, it saved his ass and his nose, probably.   He says he thinks Stabler might be ready.  Frank takes him into a tattoo parlor. 

Back at home, Stabler is in the shower and the card tattoo with 10 and 3 is on his back.  As Stabler towels off, he sees Eli standing in the door, staring at him. As we focus on Stabler’s new ink, we fade to black.