Following an exhilarating launch of the eagerly awaited Season 5, fans of <em>Law & Order: Organized Crime</em> are still buzzing from the impactful episode showcasing Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson. The second episode, titled “Dante’s Inferno,” continues from the gripping cliffhanger of “Lost Highway,” where Detective Elliot Stabler, portrayed by Christopher Meloni, faces a life-threatening situation after being struck by an 18-wheeler and is swiftly transported to the hospital. In this emotionally charged scene, viewers witness Olivia Benson by his side, accompanied by his family, including his older brother, Randall Stabler, played by Dean Norris. In anticipation of the new season, Norris shared insights with Collider’s Taylor Gates, discussing his collaboration with Hargitay in this pivotal episode, which Meloni contributed to in writing, as well as the evolving relationship between Elliot and Randall.

During the interview, Norris also elaborated on how a humorous brisket joke came to be woven into the storyline: “I own a barbecue restaurant in California, Temecula, called the Swing Inn Cafe, where we pride ourselves on our brisket. In my daily life, I’m often touting how exceptional my brisket is, prompting Meloni to tease me, saying, ‘Hey, the brisket king’s on set.’” This playful banter developed into a scene where Randall flirts with Olivia while standing over Elliot’s comatose body. Norris recounted the moment he received the script, excitedly saying, “He texted me, ‘I got a great scene for you.’ When Benson enters, Randall, a man who lacks finesse, suddenly thinks to himself, ‘I’m gonna shoot my shot.’ His opening line? ‘Hey, baby — you want some brisket? You want to try my brisket? I make the best brisket.’ I found it amusing—doing this literally while his brother is in a coma.”

“And sure enough, I get handed the script — because he texted me and said, ‘I got a great scene for you.’ And Benson comes in, and Randall — who doesn’t have a lot of couth, he’s not a smooth guy — but boy, he sees her, and he’s like, ‘I’m gonna shoot my shot.’ And what is his pickup line? ‘Hey, baby — you want some brisket? You want to try my brisket? I make the best brisket.’ I just thought it was funny — and doing it literally over the comatose body of his brother.”

Perhaps surprising to fans, the flirtation between Randall and Olivia appears to catalyze Elliot’s awakening from his coma, despite the fact that the family, including Olivia, had been informed that it could take another 24 to 48 hours before he might regain consciousness. Norris notes that Randall seems to have an awareness of the connection between Elliot and Olivia, stating, “I think he [Randall] said something like, ‘Yeah, I think he told me something about you.‘ So he knows there’s something there, but I just think the fact that he’s willing to try to pick her up when he first meets her,” Norris mentions. He also reflects on his off-screen chemistry with Hargitay, saying, “She’s so great — such a legend to work with. We’ve become a little bit of friends off set as well now, so I sure hope I get to see her a lot around the set in the Dick Wolf stages there.”

Elliot’s Coma Sparks Randall’s Emotional Confessions in ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’

Whether or not Randall was potentially jeopardizing his own safety by flirting with Olivia in the presence of Elliot’s critically injured comatose body, the poignant scene also allowed Randall to express his feelings to Elliot while he remained unconscious. Randall confronts Elliot about his reckless behavior, particularly given his age. He explains that although his initial motivation for returning was to check on their mother, Bernadette “Bernie” Stabler, portrayed by Ellen Burstyn, their relationship has evolved positively over time. In his words to Gates:

“I thought, again, that’s such a great scene because then that segues into the Benson part. They’re struggling to find their relationship, Elliot and Randall, because it’s been 18 years since they’ve been together. There’s been all these lies, and things have been kept secret — all this different stuff. It’s a very dysfunctional family, although they love each other. I think Randall’s just hurting and really wants to let out all that he’s been pushing under. That moment, I think maybe — in the back of his mind — he hopes that somehow seeps into his brain. The fact that he’s comatose allows him to say what he really feels and what he’s really been holding back, and he definitely wouldn’t have done that if he were awake.”

The first two episodes of Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 are currently available for streaming. New episodes are released weekly on Peacock. For the latest updates, be sure to stay tuned to Collider. You can read Gates’ complete interview with Norris now.