Cuff Me Now

THEY PUT AWAY THE BAD GUYS ON YOUR FAVORITE CRIME SHOWS, AND DAMN, DO THEY LOOK GOOD DOING IT

- ALEX ROSS,STACY LAMBE,STEPH SENGWE,LIZA ESQUIBIAS,Gavin Bond,Eric Ogden,Eric Michael Roy,John Russo

Christopher MELONI

RANK: NYPD DETECTIVE ELLIOT STABLER ON LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME

Christopher Meloni loves an innuendo. “For [Olivia] Benson and Stabler to get together, it’s hard! Hard,” he says, erupting into laughter. The seasoned actor, 64, has spent the better part of his career as brusque but beloved NYPD detective Elliot Stabler, a role he first landed on NBC in 1999 opposite Mariska Hargitay. After departing SVU in 2011, he reprised his character in 2021 for his own L&O spinoff series. “Organized Crime Stabler is sexier,” says Meloni. “There’s a certain fine-wine quality to him.” There’s also that badass beard, which was Meloni’s idea and continues to generate debate among fans as it comes and goes (for the record, we’re team facial hair). On Organized Crime an older Stabler is coping with the loss of his wife—so the question remains: Will Stabler end up with Benson? Does Meloni still have the stamina? “Oh, I have the energy, just not the time,” he insists, eyebrows wagging. “They should ride off into the sunset.” And that double entendre wasn’t even intentional.

- ALEX ROSS

LaRoyce HAWKINS

RANK: OFFICER KEVIN ATWATER ON CHICAGO P.D.