Stabler found himself in some unusual fatherly situations on Law & Order: Organized Crime this week.
As his undercover work got tougher, Stabler not only had to deal with problems with his son Eli but another “son” who could cause some big trouble.
An unexpected fatherly twist
Unforgivable began with Flutura treating Stabler to dance and drink as thanks for helping him out of the police raid last week. Stabler tried to press her on the call girl ring with Flutura relating she had been sold to slavery by her own father and Albi had saved her from a horrible life, creating their bond.
Hearing a noise, Stabler found a young man outside named Louis Chinasky (Jack Kilmer) who asked if he was Eddie Wagner and “I’m your son.”
Stabler was reeling from that as he woke up at his apartment for an argument with Eli as Stabler had gone so far as to have Jet install cameras to keep track of his son’s movements.
The team watched a press conference where billionaire Teddy Garcia (Elliot Villar) cited the rise in crime and was now running for Congress. Stabler interrupted to bring up the encounter with Louis, Jet doing a quick check to show the possibility Eddie was Louis’ dad and had been abusive too.
Bell and Brewster interrogated Ross, using the information in the black book he’d tried to burn to get him to flip on Kosta.
Arriving at the gym, Stabler was shocked to find Louis was already there, having spread the word he was Eddie’s kid. He said he just wanted to reconnect with his father, with Stabler pushing him to be the gym’s “bucket boy.”
A political battle begins
Bell met with Garcia on how he’s putting too much public attention on the team’s investigation and that identifying the Albanians could jeopardize Garcia himself.
Stabler attended a meeting where Kosta was intent on finding the rat, sending a message by cutting out the tongue of a random underling and literally nailing it to the wall.
In private, Kosta admitted he figured it was a low-level guy then told Albi he wanted Garcia killed for insulting him on television. Amazingly, Albi was a voice of reason, warning his boss how killing a politician can go badly, but Kosta wanted Wagner to handle it as a test of his loyalty.
Flutura met with Reggie’s mom on what she suspected about “Eddie” with her doing another “coffee grounds reading” to relate how Eddie had saved someone at the party and Flutura realized it wasn’t just her.
Stabler and Bell met at a laundromat with Stabler warning her about Garcia and that he’d find a way to handle Louis. Bell and Brewster passed the warnings along to Garcia, who brushed them off.
Meeting her wife at Kilbride’s office, Bell was shocked when Nova stepped out, having just gotten something for Kilbride to give to her boss. While Kilbride put on a friendly face over the NYPD offering a settlement, Bell couldn’t get over the realization Kilbride had a connection to the Marcy Killers.
Reggie makes a fateful choice
Stabler was annoyed by Louis wanting to learn from him, giving him an errand for some lighter fluid. He met with Reggie to offer any help the young man needed and “you’re my boy.”
The team mounts up as they learn Kosta had chosen Reggie for the hit on Garcia. Popping pills to steady himself, Reggie drove around while Stabler personally went to Garcia to try and protect him.
Stabler called Reggie, who was so coked up, he thought he saw Garcia in his house. Garcia frantically called his wife to get out, but Reggie shot her when she opened the door. He took off running just as Stabler and Garcia pulled up with Garcia clutching her body.
Kosta thought Reggie did a good job hurting Garcia with Albi promising to eliminate him for real. Kosta then ordered Albi to take care of Ross before the guy talked.
With his wife’s blood on his shirt, Garcia addressed the press on how he wouldn’t rest until his wife’s killers were found. At a bar, Stabler watched as Brewster and Bell arrested a drunk Reggie.
Returning to his RV, Stabler found Louis waiting for him. When Stabler said Louis shouldn’t want to be like his father, the youth replied, “I don’t. I want to be like you. My father was an abusive sociopath. I don’t know who you are, but you’re not Eddie Wagner.”
Between the revelation of Kilbride and Eddie’s son entering the picture, the walls may be closing in on Stabler too much and too soon.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2 airs Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.