Netflix sets global premiere date for crime drama Dept Q, starring Matthew Goode and written by Scott Frank

Netflix has announced that its new nine-part crime drama series, Dept Q, will premiere globally on 29^th May 2024. The series, set in Edinburgh, stars Matthew Goode as Detective Chief Inspector Carl Morck, a detective tasked with leading a newly established cold case unit. Dept Q is written and directed by Scott Frank, known for his work on The Queen’s Gambit, and features a supporting cast including Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Kelly Macdonald and Leah Byrne.

The series centres on DCI Carl Morck, described as a “brilliant cop but a terrible colleague”. Following a shooting incident that leaves a police constable dead and Morck’s partner paralysed, Morck is relegated to the basement offices of Dept Q. The department, presented as a cold case unit, is depicted as a public relations effort by a struggling police force. According to the official synopsis, “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.”

Despite the inauspicious circumstances, Morck assembles a team of unconventional colleagues, each with their own motivations and challenges. The narrative follows their investigation into the disappearance of a prominent civil servant, a case that has remained unsolved for several years. As new leads emerge, Morck is said to return to his investigative roots, “rattling cages and refusing to take no for an answer.”

Dept Q is adapted by Scott Frank, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Rob Bullock and Andy Harries. The series marks a continued collaboration between Frank and Netflix, following the critical success of The Queen’s Gambit and Godless.

Goode leads the cast as Morck, with Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Kelly Macdonald and Leah Byrne in key roles. The production is set in Edinburgh, with the city’s landscape featuring prominently in the first-look images released by Netflix.

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Dept Q is released on Netflix on 29^th May 2025.