Stabler Is Losing Control in New ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ Season 5 Sneak Peek

Three episodes remain of the latest season of Law & Order: Organized Crime. Thursday’s episode “Beautiful Disaster” will see Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) lending a helping hand to the Counter Terrorism bureau. In a new sneak peek released, there is a huge complication in Elliot’s ability to do his job. Elliot wakes, clearly not rested and as he makes his way into the kitchen he begins to listen to his voicemails (because, of course, he still has a landline) and there’s one from Sgt. Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) and one from Elliot’s brother, Randall (Dean Norris).

With Bell assuring him that the case with the Camorra seems to be wrapping up and Randall not so gently reminding him about his upcoming therapy appointment, it paves the way for Elliot to heed Bell’s advice in the sneak peek to take it easy. And then his hands start shaking. Just as he begins to pour coffee from the carafe, he loses control of both it and the mug. Rushing to drop it safely in the sink, Elliot slashes his hand. The effects of his traumatic brain injury he sustained earlier in the season (that landed him in a coma) seems to be rushing to the surface.

The logline for “Beautiful Disaster” is as follows:

“A wave of deadly viral art activism puts the city on high alert and puts Vargas in the hot seat. Stabler works with Det. Tanner of the Counter Terrorism bureau to try to stop the next attack.”

Someone Please Wrap Elliot Stabler in Bubble Wrap in ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ Season 5

Organized Crime‘s fifth season, the first to exclusively air on Peacock for the Dick Wolf-procedural, has not shied away from revisiting Elliot’s TBI. During “Dante’s Inferno” they made a point to fully explain what had happened to him and, in subsequent episodes both Randall and Bell have checked in on him about the effects of his injury. The problem is that he has not slowed down in the slightest. Just weeks after his accident, he was at the sight of a car explosion in the episode “Lago D’Averno.” Given the physical and mental toll this would take, it’s no surprise that his TBI is manifesting in this way. Being near the scene of an explosion would shake anyone, but his wife, Kathy (Isabel Gilles), was killed in a car bombing, no doubt triggering PTSD from that as well. The man needs to slow down. He’s going to therapy, but we can all hope he heeds Bell’s advice in whatever comes after the end of the sneak peek (maybe a call to a certain brunette NYPD captain?), kiss his new grandbaby, and heal.

“Beautiful Disaster” airs tomorrow exclusively on Peacock. Watch past episodes of Law & Order: Organized Crime now on the streamer. Stay with Collider for the latest updates.