Dept. Q

Based on the Danish Department Q series of crime novels, Dept. Q follows detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) as he returns to the force after being shot during an investigation, assigned to a new police department to investigate cold cases. Morck is a skilled detective, but not the easiest person to work with, something not helped by his recent brush with death; however, when the search for missing prosecutor Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie) becomes darker and thornier, Morck must set aside his ego and confront his demons before it’s too late.

While Dept. Q does have a strong ensemble cast, it is primarily an intensive study of Carl Morck, and such a tight character-driven narrative focus can live and die on both the strength of the writing and the skills of the main actor. Thankfully, the show brings its A-game on both fronts: the script is carefully structured to imbue Morck’s conceptually simple arc with layers of complexity and convey a broad spectrum of emotions, ensuring his trajectory never becomes stale. Goode serves that tight writing with a moody charisma that makes for a consistently entertaining central presence, perfectly enhances the programme’s tone and facilitates various tonal shifts without losing sight of the show’s thematic and aesthetic north star.

Of course, Morck isn’t at it alone, and as mentioned above, Dept. Q does have a great ensemble cast. Each member of the titular department’s motley crew has a journey that informs and shapes the leading man’s path of self-discovery, allowing the story to cover a wide range of topics despite its laser-tight focus.

“Claustrophobic” is perhaps the imperative word when it comes to Dept. Q, on a structural and stylistic level. There’s a lot of tension communicated through its intimate camera angles, bringing out details both subtle and explicit in often-excruciating detail. This is bolstered by the considered, deliberate pace of proceedings; the series moves at enough of a clip to keep viewers invested, but drags its heels just enough to create a constant sense of mounting dread.

Overall, Dept. Q is a solid thriller, delivering a story that’s not difficult to follow but is nevertheless dense with twists and turns, served by excellent performances and a careful editorial hand. It’s not bringing much new to the table as far as crime dramas go, but it’s so good at what it does that it’s hard to get mad about it.

Umar Ali

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

Watch the trailer for Dept. Q here: