Warning: spoilers are forward for the sixth episode of Regulation & Order: Organized Crime Season 5, referred to as “Purple, White, Black, & Blue” and accessible streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
After hitting the midway level of Season 5 within the 2025 TV schedule, Regulation & Order: Organized Crime is transferring previous the bloody twist that lower Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio from the forged. “Purple, White, Black, & Blue” received off to a brutal begin that may not have been attainable throughout the drama’s days on NBC, with the murders of 4 NYPD detectives and one ADA requiring all fingers on deck. For Reyes, that meant attempting to research whereas Stabler joined forces with an outdated buddy from again within the days of dirtier dealings within the NYPD. Rick Gonzalez spoke with CinemaBlend in regards to the massive episode and Reyes’ connection to a witness.
Whereas Organized Crime at all times made essentially the most of its 10 p.m. ET time slot on NBC to get even darker than Regulation & Order: SVU and Regulation & Order earlier on Thursday nights, drug lord Miguel “El Diablo” Olivas beating ADA Anne Frasier to loss of life was an particularly brutal option to begin the episode. I needed to ask Rick Gonzalez if he is ever nonetheless stunned by what OC can do now that it is within the Peacock period, and he shared:
No, and I am excited for it. To me, I really feel as if that is the potential for the present, particularly this episode. I believe this episode screams potential for our present and what it means when it comes to the power and the tone and the aggressiveness within the storyline. And I really feel like this episode is indicative of that. I like the concept of the present laying out this form of basis. I am curious to see what the viewers suppose.
On condition that this was the primary episode of Season 5 following the arc that culminated in Isabella Spezzano faking her personal loss of life, it is no surprise that the actor was interested in fan reactions! Gonzalez agreed that the stakes have been “completely” excessive after how the episode began, after which addressed the brand new character who got here in to complicate the investigation for Reyes:
We’re introducing Detective McKenna, who’s from Stabler’s previous. What I really like about that’s he does not symbolize the very best elements of Stabler, or him befriending individuals who have not achieved actually nice issues as a policeman. So we get to see how Reyes feels about that, and the way he sees Stabler and figuring out that that is his buddy, it simply makes issues actually sophisticated and I really like that for the present. I am excited to see [it].
Regardless that Stabler clearly wasn’t 100% comfy with how far Detective McKenna (Jason Patric) was bending the principles to attempt to nail Olivas, he additionally toed the road much more than Reyes did. Rick Gonzalez’s character wasn’t the largest fan of getting McKenna within the combine, even when his aggressive method delivered outcomes. That mentioned, the actor himself is a fan of the visitor star, as he defined:
I used to be a giant fan of Jason Patric simply rising up and watching his work, and being on set was fairly intense, which I cherished. There was a lot rigidity, and the scenes form of sang very comfortably. He brings rather a lot to the character, so he brings a form of power for this episode that I believe turns this season up one other notch.
It stays to be seen if McKenna will return after “Purple, White, Black, & Blue,” however Gonzalez solely had good issues to say in regards to the Wayward Pines and The Misplaced Boys alum. Their characters simply weren’t on the identical web page, particularly when it got here to Lucero. Olivas’ girlfriend was hiding some details about him, as McKenna suspected, however Reyes was appalled by how he handled the scared younger girl by threatening her household.
This got here after Reyes had put within the effort to reassure Lucero and make her extra comfy whereas she was surrounded by cops. On the similar time, McKenna’s method is the one which received outcomes from the younger girl. So, how far would Reyes have gone to get solutions from Lucero? I requested Rick Gonzalez that very query, and he responded:
I believe what Reyes noticed was a complete division form of bloodthirsty to get solutions out of this girl, and I believe it was straightforward for him to method it from a special perspective, as a result of Reyes is so perceptive in that means when it comes to understanding his informants and suspects and the right way to get info from them.
The clock was ticking and the strain was on, however Reyes actually may need gotten the data they wanted from Lucero the proper means if McKenna hadn’t inserted himself into the scenario. She was terrified of McKenna, however warming as much as Reyes. Gonzalez went on:
Additionally understanding culturally that possibly there is a barrier there that [Reyes] might be able to stroll via, so he can talk to her in a means that possibly they cannot, and make her really feel secure in a means that they cannot and to finally get what he wants. It was straightforward for him to see that, and I believe that is what’s nice in regards to the present, is that we get to see what Reyes can do and the way useful he could be for the unit.
Reyes has outlasted a number of different detectives within the unit by this level within the present, with Whelan’s tragic loss of life on the finish of Season 3 and Jet deciding to maneuver on in early Season 5, so it is not exhausting to see Rick Gonzalez’s level in regards to the worth his character provides to the group. I famous that it actually hit residence to see Reyes connecting with Lucero by talking Spanish together with her, and the actor responded:
I agree. That was an necessary factor that I spoke with the writers about. Numerous these traces and sure factors wanted to be in Spanish to ensure that me to let her know, ‘Hey, I do know I see you. I do know you see me. Let’s have an actual dialog. I am additionally not that. I am this. Let’s get that out the way in which, after which now we will have a dialog.’ And so I believe that was form of shorthand, and having the ability to converse to her in Spanish was necessary to try this.
The case appeared closed by the tip of “Purple, White, Black, & Blue,” so we’ll simply have to attend and see if Reyes encounters McKenna once more this season. It was nice to see the character within the highlight after having extra of a help position within the earlier arc that revisited Stabler’s previous in Italy, so hopefully extra of Reyes is on the way in which.
New episodes of Regulation & Order: Organized Crime proceed to launch on Thursdays on Peacock. With each Regulation & Order and SVU airing their finales on NBC on Could 15, Organized Crime is formally the one present within the franchise with episodes left this spring. I for one am additionally hoping to be taught extra about what’s taking place with Joe Jr. abroad, however with solely 4 episodes left in Season 5, there are extra questions than solutions.