Overview

• Matthew Goode leads as DCI Carl Morck, a detective haunted by a shooting who heads a new cold case unit probing the disappearance of prosecutor Merritt Lingard.
• The nine-episode series adapts Adler-Olsen’s first Dept. Q novel, The Keeper of Lost Causes, with Scott Frank directing to transplant Nordic noir atmosphere from Copenhagen to Scotland.
• Goode was advised by Frank to avoid the original novels and craft an English outsider version of Morck that deepens the character’s socio-political context.
• Critics praise Dept. Q’s tightly wound narrative, complex character arcs and dark humour, highlighting standout performances by Goode, Kelly Macdonald and Chloe Pirrie.
• Since its May 29, 2025 Netflix launch, Dept. Q has drawn comparisons to celebrated crime dramas like Mare of Easttown and Slow Horses for its immersive suspense and ensemble cast.