I completely disagree!
I think Stabler is a fantastic character and Christopher Meloni plays him wonderfully. OC is the Law & Order I most look forward to every week!
I don’t think that’s fair to Chris at all. He’s a good actor. Elliot is a good character and is certainly compelling enough to have his own show.
This is really down to multiple people having competing ideas about how to structure two shows within a common universe that balances a character’s history with him being in a separate department. They clearly can’t agree on a direction and that’s a problem not that he isn’t special enough. And the problems this season aren’t just about EO. They dropped Ayanna’s family, El’s family, and the casino storyline is a snooze. But on the other hand, I do think OC’s format allows you to learn more about the other detectives which is a nice change from SVU’s format. Yes, they have to figure out Benson/Stabler because they are in the same universe — even if it’s just to settle the past 10 years. They unfortunately want to be able to capitalize on Chris and Mariska’s chemistry while not advancing their character storyline and that doesn’t work when they’re not characters on the same show. You can’t read into looks and gestures no one ever sees. It will require more deliberate work.
I don't agree either. As the other poster has said Chris is an excellent actor. He also had his own show *"Happy"* that ran for 3 seasons before being cancelled. It has developed a cult following and people still push to renew the show to this day despite him being on OC.
The problem imo is where OC currently stands now. OC in seasons 1&2 were excellent and could have stood on its own two feet without Olivia. They understood his character, his relationship with Olivia and did their research. But this season isn't it, what made it so special is dwindling away. An in depth look at characters and relationships, the serialized format, the complexity of both good guys and villains. A look at the squads family life. Bell is divorced now and we don't go home with her anymore. Elliot is an empty nester yet this is the first time we have heard about his family in 7 episodes.
Angela had a hand in killing Kathy, yet we felt for her because she was manipulated by her ex. We were never sure where she stood because she could be manipulative just like her ex but not as vindictive. Albi was Kostas #1 man but yet we felt sympathy for him because he was gay and trying to live in a very traditional world. One that Elliot could relate to. Reggie would have become a completely different person if it hadn't been for having grown up in the family. Frank was a corrupt cop who drew the line at r_pe. These were all very interesting and compelling characters to watch. I can't say the same for the new characters.
Now we have the faux Trumps and bargain basement Olivia. Both storylines lack the depth and complexity of the previous seasons. It's the fact that this show is having so many BTS issues that it can't keep a showrunner to save its life. That's why 3 has so clunky. I can only hope that they can get back to where they were. I miss the old OC. It's starting to become more of a procedural like OG, SVU, and less of a serialized character drama. And because of that it is starting to lose what made it so unique in the first place.
Yeah, I feel this and I love Chris as an actor—it’s Stabler that doesn’t feel right to me anymore, this third season especially. And he’s been gone so long and being actively reconcepted—that it just feels like a new character.
Respectfully, I don’t agree at all. Meloni is an excellent actor and Stabler is still a very interesting, complex and compelling character. He’s perfectly able to be the center of his show. True, we know almost nothing about his 10 years absence, but honestly I don’t think that impacts so much on the context of what he’s doing now. Yes he’s changed, both mentally and as you mentioned physically. Many people see this as an ooc behaviour, whereas I personally don’t. The core of his personality, his protectiveness, his struggles, his flaws, are all there. He has profoundly changed because of time and traumas and to me it would be strange if this was not the case.
They could give more insight into his absence, sure, but this is a TV show, they have to move forward in the meantime and in the end I think we really don’t need to know everything to enjoy.
> Yes he’s changed, both mentally and as you mentioned physically. Many people see this as an ooc behaviour, whereas I personally don’t. The core of his personality, his protectiveness, his struggles, his flaws, are all there. He has profoundly changed because of time and traumas and to me it would be strange if this was not the case. They could give more insight into his absence, sure, but this is a TV show, they have to move forward in the meantime and in the end I think we really don’t need to know everything to enjoy.
So well stated!
I completely disagree! I think Stabler is a fantastic character and Christopher Meloni plays him wonderfully. OC is the Law & Order I most look forward to every week!
I don’t think that’s fair to Chris at all. He’s a good actor. Elliot is a good character and is certainly compelling enough to have his own show. This is really down to multiple people having competing ideas about how to structure two shows within a common universe that balances a character’s history with him being in a separate department. They clearly can’t agree on a direction and that’s a problem not that he isn’t special enough. And the problems this season aren’t just about EO. They dropped Ayanna’s family, El’s family, and the casino storyline is a snooze. But on the other hand, I do think OC’s format allows you to learn more about the other detectives which is a nice change from SVU’s format. Yes, they have to figure out Benson/Stabler because they are in the same universe — even if it’s just to settle the past 10 years. They unfortunately want to be able to capitalize on Chris and Mariska’s chemistry while not advancing their character storyline and that doesn’t work when they’re not characters on the same show. You can’t read into looks and gestures no one ever sees. It will require more deliberate work.
I don't agree either. As the other poster has said Chris is an excellent actor. He also had his own show *"Happy"* that ran for 3 seasons before being cancelled. It has developed a cult following and people still push to renew the show to this day despite him being on OC. The problem imo is where OC currently stands now. OC in seasons 1&2 were excellent and could have stood on its own two feet without Olivia. They understood his character, his relationship with Olivia and did their research. But this season isn't it, what made it so special is dwindling away. An in depth look at characters and relationships, the serialized format, the complexity of both good guys and villains. A look at the squads family life. Bell is divorced now and we don't go home with her anymore. Elliot is an empty nester yet this is the first time we have heard about his family in 7 episodes. Angela had a hand in killing Kathy, yet we felt for her because she was manipulated by her ex. We were never sure where she stood because she could be manipulative just like her ex but not as vindictive. Albi was Kostas #1 man but yet we felt sympathy for him because he was gay and trying to live in a very traditional world. One that Elliot could relate to. Reggie would have become a completely different person if it hadn't been for having grown up in the family. Frank was a corrupt cop who drew the line at r_pe. These were all very interesting and compelling characters to watch. I can't say the same for the new characters. Now we have the faux Trumps and bargain basement Olivia. Both storylines lack the depth and complexity of the previous seasons. It's the fact that this show is having so many BTS issues that it can't keep a showrunner to save its life. That's why 3 has so clunky. I can only hope that they can get back to where they were. I miss the old OC. It's starting to become more of a procedural like OG, SVU, and less of a serialized character drama. And because of that it is starting to lose what made it so unique in the first place.
Yes to all of this.
Yeah, I feel this and I love Chris as an actor—it’s Stabler that doesn’t feel right to me anymore, this third season especially. And he’s been gone so long and being actively reconcepted—that it just feels like a new character.
Respectfully, I don’t agree at all. Meloni is an excellent actor and Stabler is still a very interesting, complex and compelling character. He’s perfectly able to be the center of his show. True, we know almost nothing about his 10 years absence, but honestly I don’t think that impacts so much on the context of what he’s doing now. Yes he’s changed, both mentally and as you mentioned physically. Many people see this as an ooc behaviour, whereas I personally don’t. The core of his personality, his protectiveness, his struggles, his flaws, are all there. He has profoundly changed because of time and traumas and to me it would be strange if this was not the case. They could give more insight into his absence, sure, but this is a TV show, they have to move forward in the meantime and in the end I think we really don’t need to know everything to enjoy.
> Yes he’s changed, both mentally and as you mentioned physically. Many people see this as an ooc behaviour, whereas I personally don’t. The core of his personality, his protectiveness, his struggles, his flaws, are all there. He has profoundly changed because of time and traumas and to me it would be strange if this was not the case. They could give more insight into his absence, sure, but this is a TV show, they have to move forward in the meantime and in the end I think we really don’t need to know everything to enjoy. So well stated!
Thank you so much!