Law & Order: Organized Crime just got an unexpected shakeup, as showrunner Sean Jablonski is stepping down from the role. A new report from Deadline revealed that Jablonski, the fourth showrunner to leave Organized Crime over the past year, is exciting the series due to creative differences. The remaining three episodes of season 3 will be overseen by Law & Order: SVU’s David Graziano, who is also newer to the fold, as he joined SVU this season. NBC nor Dick Wolf have made any official comments at this time, but we’ll keep you posted if that changes.
The showrunner position has been a rather difficult role to keep filled for Organized Crime. Former showrunner Ilene Chaiken exited the show, leading to Barry O’Brien being named interim showrunner in February of last year and finishing the season. Then Bryan Goluboff was named showrunner but he exited the show in September of last year, and that’s when Jablonski took over.
It’s unknown why the show is having such a difficult time keeping a showrunner, and Graziano’s role as showrunner on Organized Crime is likely only a temporary fix since he is full-time with SVU. It’s likely that an announcement will be made after the season, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Goluboff was at the helm during the mega-crossover between Organized Crime, SVU, and the original series. In an interview ahead of the event, Goluboff teased that there would be more synchronicity between the three shows. That’s proved to be the case, as stars from Law & Order have popped up on SVU while SVU stars have appeared on Organized Crime even outside of the crossover.
“It’s a loyal, passionate fanbase, and I want to respect their investment in these people. And so, we’re going to try and have the shows have some synchronicity,” Goluboff said. Goluboff added that while it’s maybe “tricky because you’re also existing in your own timelines and your own cases,” he and SVU executive producer Julie Martin are “already talking a lot.”
“I’ll give you a great example,” Goluboff said. “I’m starting to build in a crossover, and I’m able to call over and go, ‘what’s going on in Olivia’s life? If we’re going to do this…what’s happening – what’s happening in your universe that I can carry over?” Goluboff then added that both he and Martin “do want the shows to exist in the same universe.”
“You know, I wrote that little scene last year where he met Noah,” Goluboff said, and if we get more of those types of scenes this year, that can only be a good thing.
What do you want to see next from Organized Crime? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Law & Order with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!