Dept. Q Review
Director: Scott Frank
Date Created: 2025-05-29 23:26
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Dept. Q Review: Directed by Scott Frank, this crime thriller adds some Nordic noir to the misty Scottish Highlands. Featuring a strong cast headed by Matthew Goode as conflicted detective DCI Carl Morck, Alexej Manvelov as enigmatic partner Akram Salim, Leah Byrne as Rose and Kelly Macdonald as psychologist Dr Rachel Irving, the series consists of 9 thrill-packed episodes, each with a runtime of 60 – 70 minutes.
Dept. Q Review
Dept. Q on Netflix is a remake of a popular Danish movie series, which in turn is adapted from books by writer Jussi Adler-Olsen. The story may sound familiar if you’ve seen The Keeper of Lost Causes in 2013. But in the new version, the setting is moved to Scotland (rather than Denmark), and the atmosphere is that cold, grey, moody feel commonly found in Nordic noir dramas.
As someone unfamiliar with the novels or Danish films, I came to Dept. Q Series with fresh eyes. And honestly, I loved it. Yes, it’s dark and heavy, but that’s what gives it strength. From episode one, I was sucked into Carl’s universe of guilt and trauma and unresolved questions.
The story begins with Carl being forced out of his customary detective role after a devastating shooting leaves one officer dead and another in bad shape. As a punishment, Carl is demoted to the basement and assigned what appears to be a “cold case” division — Department Q — a posting that at first seems like a lousy, put him out to pasture posting. But soon he stumbles into the case of a missing government employee, and things grow complicated, fast.
One of the best things about Netflix’s Dept. Q is Carl and Akram’s chemistry. Their relationship is not friends at first sight — it grows, and that’s what’s believable. Carl is sarcastic, rude, and selfish most of the time. But you can tell deep down he wants to do the right thing. Akram, meanwhile, is thoughtful, intelligent, and highly mysterious. We don’t know who he is, but that makes him more intriguing. The series doles out tiny hints about his backstory, especially his days in Syria, and I found myself wanting to find out so much more about him.
The series plays games with the fourth dimension, as well. A couple of episodes flashed back and forth between past and present. I don’t love this kind of storytelling in general, because it’s also a recipe for disorientation. But here it’s executed so well that it only adds to the suspense. The puzzle pieces are all rationed out slowly in each moment, and you want to continue watching. And it’s not just who did it, but also why and how everything went down. And the truth is never easy.
What struck me most about Dept. Q is that it treats weighty subjects with delicacy. Akram is also a character who is Muslim, but his religion isn’t made a big deal of on the show. It just presents him as a great detective who is also Muslim. A respectful portrayal like this one is a new and welcome thing.
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Another thing that I liked about the show was its writing. The dialogue is snappy, not least some of Carl’s wiser-than-you one-liners. He seemed to be more powerful and smarter than Dr. House in the same-titled medical series. He’s grumpy, blunt, but deep down inside, he cares more than he admits. Matthew Goode does a wonderful job, bringing this complex character to life. He’s forceful and understated all at once.
Each episode ends with a little bit of a cliffhanger, which was so interesting that it made me keep on clicking on the next episode. I stayed up well past my bedtime just to find out how it would end. And for me, that’s what a great thriller should be like.
Netflix Dept. Q Series Review: Summing Up
In the end, Dept. Q Series is a meticulously made, emotive and gripping crime drama that demands attention. Its story runs deep, its characters are rich, and its mystery is worth keeping up with. It’s not your average detective series, and it has heart, depth, and a style all its own. I hope Netflix does more seasons because I’d love to see where these characters go next.
The series Dept. Q is now streaming on Netflix.
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