Christopher Meloni and Dylan McDermott Tease What's to Come on Organized Crime : 'A Barn Burner'

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Christopher Meloni and Dylan McDermott play warring characters on Law & Order: Organized Crime, but the two actors are on the same page about the series' next episodes.

"It's coming to a head," McDermott, 59, told PEOPLE at a virtual press event Wednesday. "It's going to get more and more exciting with each episode, it's going to get dirtier and dirtier and there's going to be more and more confrontation."

"We all know what's coming — and let me tell you, it is a barn burner what you're about to see in these next episodes," he continued. "I think it's completely exciting and thrilling. So, I can't wait for people to watch."

Added Meloni, 60: "I think you're going to get most of your questions answered, and then you're going to be left with a few more questions that are going to lead us into the second series of eight [episodes], that we hope to get soon."

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Organized Crime, the latest Law & Order spinoff, premiered last month in a crossover event with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which Meloni starred on for 12 seasons until his departure in 2011.

McDermott plays Richard Wheatley in the new series, opposite Meloni's Detective Elliot Stabler — his original character from SVU. Richard is a criminal mastermind who Elliot suspects has something to do with the tragic death of his wife, Kathy.

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In addition to dishing on what's to come for their characters, McDermott opened up about how it's been to join the Law & Order universe — which boasts a uniquely passionate fan base.

Heidi Gutman/NBC

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"I don't think I really had a clue how passionate it was," he said. "I mean, it really is a universe. People are so diehard for Law & Order, they love it. They sit in their hotel rooms, they watch episode after episode, they watch marathons, they are in love with the characters."

"I did not know how deep it actually was until I got in it and I was like, 'wow this is amazing,'" he continued. "People really, really, really love this whole universe. And now I love it!"

Meloni also discussed the viewer reaction to his return to the franchise, sharing that when he's spotted filming in New York City, fans tend to honk their car horns at him and shout out "I love yous."

"It's sweet, they're all my best friends," he said. "They've welcomed back the prodigal son — it's very nice, it's heartwarming."

Law & Order: Organized Crime airs Thursdays (10 p.m. ET) on NBC.