Netflix is doing it again. The streaming service is giving us another reason to cancel plans, forget sleep, and fully surrender to binge-watching. And this time, it’s bringing Scottish accents, dark secrets, emotional trauma, and Matthew Goode in full brooding detective mode. Dept. Q drops very soon, and if it’s not on your radar yet, let us fix that for you.
Based on the best-selling book series by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen (yes, the same ones you tore through during that summer when you were in your “obsessed with Nordic noir” phase), the show is the kind of crime thriller that blends mystery, emotional depth, and chilling atmosphere—with a distinctly British twist. The big switch? Instead of Denmark, this version is set in Edinburgh. And honestly, we’re obsessed with that gothic vibe already.
At the heart of it all is Carl Morck, a detective who’s just as brilliant as he is emotionally wrecked, played by the always-excellent Matthew Goode (because yes, we loved him in A Discovery of Witches). After a traumatic shooting that left one partner paralyzed and another dead, Carl is “reassigned” to lead a newly formed cold case unit: Department Q. Cue the emotional baggage, the obsession with justice, and a group of lovable misfits trying to fix the past while avoiding their own inner mess.
The cast is a dream. Kelly Macdonald plays police therapist Rachel Irving. Chloe Pirrie steps in as ruthless prosecutor Merrit Lingard. Alexej Manvelov plays Akram Salim, a Syrian refugee cop. And Leah Byrne is Detective Constable Rose Dickson, a cadet on a mission to redeem herself. Oh, and did we mention we’re also getting Mark Bonnar as Stephen Burns, Jamie Sives as Detective Chief Inspector James Hardy, Shirley Henderson as Claire Marsh, Tom Bulpett as William Lingard, and Kate Dickie as Detective Chief Superintendent Moira Jacobson? We’re eating well, folks.
The series is created, written, and (at least partially) directed by Scott Frank—yep, the genius behind The Queen’s Gambit. If anyone knows how to deliver tightly written, emotionally gripping TV with characters we can’t stop thinking about, it’s him. Plus, production comes from Left Bank Pictures, aka the studio that brought us The Crown. So the quality is absolutely guaranteed.
Dept. Q was filmed in Edinburgh during the first half of 2024, and we genuinely can’t think of a better backdrop for all the brooding, tension, and slow-burn mystery this series promises. We’re getting nine episodes of pure intrigue, character angst, and cold cases that will dig up way more than just old evidence.
MORE: ‘A Discovery of Witches’ 3×07 Review: The Princess Gets Her Happy Ending in This One
Photos:
Here’re first look photos for Dept. Q:
The Plot:
The official synopsis for Dept. Q is: “DCI Carl Morck is a brilliant cop but a terrible colleague. His razor-sharp sarcasm has made him no friends in Edinburgh police. After a shooting that leaves a young pc dead, and his partner paralysed, he finds himself exiled to the basement and the sole member of Department Q; a newly formed cold case unit. The department is a PR stunt, there to distract the public from the failures of an under-resourced, failing police force that is glad to see the back of him. But more by accident than design, Carl starts to build a gang of waifs and strays who have everything to prove. So, when the stone-cold trail of a prominent civil servant who disappeared several years ago starts to heat up, Carl is back doing what he does best – rattling cages and refusing to take no for an answer.”
MORE: See The Trailer For Matthew Goode’s New Movie ‘Silent Night’
Trailer:
Here’s the trailer for the show:
Key Art:
Here’s the key art for the show:
Release Date:
It’s official! We can see Dept. Q only on Netflix this May 29, 2025.
Over the moon excited fangirlish. Have been waiting anxiously for Matthew to headline a new show… and secretly hoping he’ll return and play Robert Evans again!
Cannot WAIT for this to drop! The cast is amazing (yes, I am biased about Matthew lol)!