While Law & Order and Law & Order : Special Victims Units are set to return to NBC before the conclusion of the 2024 TV schedule, fans of Law & Order : Organized Crime are still eagerly awaiting its Season 5 premiere on Peacock. Although production kicked off in August, a significant behind-the-scenes shift has put things on hold. This development may not come as a surprise to dedicated OC fans, as John Shiban has become the seventh showrunner to leave the NBC-turned-Peacock series.
This is a pivotal moment for the show and serves as a reminder of the insights shared by certain cast members regarding their experiences working with him during Season 4. John Shiban is said to have departed from Law & Order : Organized Crime earlier this November, leading to a temporary halt in production.
As of now, there has been no announcement regarding a new showrunner. However, a well-known figure from the expansive Dick Wolf television universe is making a comeback.
Matt Olmstead, who was the inaugural showrunner for Organized Crime, is rejoining as an executive producer to assist with the remaining scripts for Season 5. It’s interesting to note that he had left the series quite early in its run. Matt Olmstead has since returned to the Wolf Entertainment fold, taking on the role of executive producer and showrunner for FBI : International.
As of now, there has been no official reason provided for John Shiban’ departure from the series, which is intriguing given that production is reportedly about halfway completed. Notably, he and Christopher Meloni were the only two individuals whose participation was confirmed when the transition from NBC to Peacock was initially announced.
This departure marks John Shiban as the seventh showrunner to leave the project, following a series of changes that began with Matt Olmstead, and continued with Ilene Chaiken, Barry O’Brien, Bryan Goluboff, Sean Jablonski, and David Graziano. Season 5 was set to be John Shiban’ second full season with the show.
Here’s What Cast Members Are Saying Regarding The Exit of John Shiban From Law And Order : Organized Crime
Danielle Moné Truitt, who portrays Sgt. Ayanna Bell, shared her thoughts on John Shiban stepping in as the new leader prior to the fourth season’s debut.
According to Danielle Mone Truitt, “I feel like our scripts are very grounded this season. I think because of those other shows he was on, I think he brings a bit of that vibe to our show as well. It’s network television, so it’s going to be what it is, but I do think he brings just a little more gravitas to the world that we’re in. And so I’m appreciating that. I’ve only read three of his scripts so far, because we’re about to start Episode 4 soon”.
John Shiban is not just a graduate of Breaking Bad; he is also an Emmy-nominated writer and has produced acclaimed series such as Ozark, Hell on Wheels, Supernatural, and The X-Files, among others.
Recently, he expanded his impressive portfolio by taking on the role of executive producer for Dune : Prophecy. As OC Season 4 approaches, Danielle Mone Truitt has praised his “grounded” approach to the Law & Order : Special Victims Unit spinoff, and there’s even more to discuss.
As per her, “I’ve read three of his scripts, I’ve liked the scripts. I’ve liked that he hasn’t tried to change the characters or throw in stuff that’s like, ‘What? What is happening?’ [laughs] It seems like he’s watched the previous seasons. He’s kind of in tune with who these characters are, and he’s writing based on that. So I appreciate that.”
Dean Norris, known for his role in Breaking Bad alongside Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul for five unforgettable seasons, made his mark in Organized Crime during Season 4 as a guest star. His performance was so compelling that he was elevated to a series regular for Season 5. In April, as the fourth season wrapped up, Norris revealed that his desire to collaborate with John Shiban once more was the key factor that drew him to the show.
He expressed, “It was fantastic. I mean, other than Chris Meloni, that’s the reason for doing the show. John called and he said that we were going to be exploring the family relationships and stuff like that, and he certainly has come through with some great writing in that regard. And he proved his word to be true, and [there] continues to be great stuff, by the way.”
The actor elaborated further, “I’ve already seen almost to the end. I’ve only got one more script to read. So yeah, it’s been great. I felt that I could trust what was gonna happen. We were talking in some interviews about our [Stabler family] dinner scene. That’s a quintessential kind of John Shiban type thing, and it was great.”
Law And Order : Organized Crime is once again parting ways with its showrunner following the transition to streaming. For the moment, we must patiently await updates on who will take over and when Season 5 will finally debut. In the meantime, don’t forget that the first four seasons are available for streaming on Peacock.