Reid Scott on Ryan Eggold Reunion As Riley's Brother Returns to Law & Order (EXCLUSIVE)
"I think this episode is going to be a true fan favorite," the Law & Order star told NBC Insider of Season 25's "Brotherly Love."
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This story contains spoilers for Law & Order Season 25, Episode 6 ("Brotherly Love").
Detective Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) has perfected the art of criminal takedowns on Law & Order, but the hardened investigator will always have a soft spot for his troublemaker brother, Matt Riley (Ryan Eggold). So viewers were thrilled to see Matt return in Season 25.
The two brothers couldn't be more different; while Riley runs a tight ship as an investigator, Matt can't help but get into trouble time and time again, leading him to land in prison last season. Despite his affinity for mischief, fans can't help but love Riley's brother, played by The Blacklist and New Amsterdam alum Eggold.
"Working with Ryan is always a blast. We’ve been friends for a long time and have developed an amazing working relationship over the years," Scott told NBC Insider. "We have very similar styles when it comes to approaching a character; we love play, incorporate some improvisation, and see just how far we can push each scene. It was so much fun to pick up right where we left off with these guys. I think this episode is going to be a true fan favorite."
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There was plenty of baggage to unpack between the brothers in Law & Order's "Brotherly Love," which featured Eggold's triumphant return as Matt Riley. Here's what happened:
Why did Detective Riley's brother, Matt, go to jail on Law & Order?
Law & Order fans first met Riley's brother in Season 24, Episode 3 ("Big Brother") after his brother was discovered to be in connection with a group of gun thieves. Matt's explosive debut pitted him against his law-abiding brother after he got in trouble and relied on Riley to bust him out and make it all go away.
In an effort to help his brother, Riley arranged for Matt to become a criminal informant on the case, which Matt struggled with following through on. Not wanting to become a "snitch" for the cops, Matt began dragging his feet on helping them, and later sabotaged the investigation after refusing to rat on his colleagues and cooperate with the A.D.A.s.
But Matt's refusal had consequences — at the end of "Brotherly Love," Riley was forced to arrest his brother for his criminal involvement, putting the brothers in scalding hot water.
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Law & Order's Reid Scott says Detective Riley "truly cares about his bro"
Many fans were curious how the brothers would repair their relationship after Matt was wheeled away to prison, and they got an update on the siblings during Law & Order's October 30 episode when Riley met his brother for dinner to catch up.
"The brothers are on a slightly a better footing in this episode, but they definitely can get under each other’s skin," Scott told NBC Insider. "Vince still has trust issues when it comes to his brother, Matt, but he’s proud of the strides he's made since being released from prison."
Riley apologized for not visiting Matt while he was in prison, but his brother told him not to sweat him and to eat up; dinner was on him. Riley struggled to accept the offer, irritating Matt due to the lack of trust despite him getting a stable job at a local restaurant and being on the upswing.
Scott explained, "Vince carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, as do a lot of detectives, and I think he wishes he didn’t have to be his brother’s keeper. But at the end of the day he truly cares about his bro, and just wants to see him make something out of his life."
Matt Riley landed in a coma on Law & Order Season 25
After Matt's restaurateur employer was found murdered just hours after crossing paths with Riley and his brother, the squad's investigation soon discovered Matt was close to the crime as one of the victim and killer's poker buddies. Matt became a witness for the trial, irritating 2-7 A.D.A.Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) due to his problematic history with Riley's uncooperative brother.
After Matt seemed to get cold feet and claimed he was being followed by someone, Riley began to worry that his brother would no-show again. Sure enough, Matt failed to show up to court to testify, but not for the reason Riley suspected. Matt had been brutally stabbed and was rushed to the hospital, where his substantial injuries demanded extensive surgery.
Fortunately, Matt eventually woke up, leading Riley to apologize for not taking him seriously after he revealed he was being followed. The weakened Matt had a bacterial infection, so he wouldn't be leaving the hospital anytime soon. But Matt insisted on testifying, leading the squad to video conference him to provide his perspective on the poker game fiasco.
Matt's testimony proved to be paramount in the 2-7 winning the case, but Riley got a troubling call that his brother's condition had taken a turn for the worse just as the trial concluded. Riley rushed to the hospital, where he learned Matt was in a medically induced coma. Riley was left grappling with concern as his unresponsive brother's life hung in the balance.
"You did good, Matty," Riley told his bedridden brother. "You did really good. I love you."
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Learn the Riley brothers' fate by watching Season 25 of Law & Order on Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
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