Like other Law & Order shows, Law & Order: Organized Crime originally aired on NBC. With it being on broadcast, it had a TV-14 age rating, and the show was pretty good for older teens as well as adults. Now the series has moved to Peacock for its fifth season, and with it just premiering, there are questions about whether it is still suitable.
One of the benefits of a show moving to a streaming platform is that it can get darker or raunchier. Look at Lucifer, which brought a few more adult moments when it moved to Netflix, although it remained suitable for older teens who will have likely started watching the series when it was on FOX. What would Law & Order: Organized Crime do with its move?
Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 age rating remains TV-14
In some good news for those who have teens who watched it on NBC, the series is still a TV-14 rating. However, we are only three episodes in, and there is still a chance for darker scenes to come. It makes sense for Law & Order: Organized Crime to remain somewhat suitable for teens, though, even with the move to Peacock, otherwise it would alienate some of the audience that has made it a success.
At the same time, Dick Wolf shows aren’t made with kids in mind. They are more for the adults, and that means the odd moment that may be a little uncomfortable for younger viewers.
Sex & nudity: Like many broadcast shows, Law & Order: Organized Crime did not include any sex or nudity. At least, not visibly on the screen. There are times when adults are seen in bed with each other, usually partly dressed or with a sheet covering them. Some of the scenes will include sounds that make it clear what the characters are supposed to be doing, but it’s nothing that is uncomfortable or unsuitable for most teens to watch.
Violence & gore: There are some gory moments, as this is a series that involves cops chasing after bad guys. And since this is organized crime, it means that there are chase scenes, fight scenes, and moments with gun violence. In the first episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5, Stabler is involved in a fight that lands him in the hospital.
Injuries are visible after they’ve happened. There are bruises and bloody wounds present to offer an element of realism to the show. The second season is where most of the graphic violence has happened, though, with a man having his tongue cut out and ear bitten off on the screen.
Language: There are more swear words uttered now that the series has moved to Peacock. In the first four seasons, there were some mild curse words used, with the B-word being the worst of them. In season 5, there have been some mentions of the F-bomb, and that’s sure to continue.
Alcohol & drugs: This is organized crime, and that means drug cartels, and while the cartels don’t usually take their own drugs, they can end up drugging other people. We also see some drinking and other recreational drugs by various characters throughout the series.
Overall verdict: Who is Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 suitable for?
While the first four seasons are definitely fine for older teens, the fifth season does get a little darker and there is more profanity. In this house, language isn’t the deal-breaker for a series. It’s the violence and nudity on show, but I do know that some houses have a ban on language.
This move to Peacock does open the door for more adult content. A series like this is going to start testing the waters without too much growth, and I’m sure we’ll slowly see more added in over time.
Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 airs on Thursdays on Peacock.