Netflix's Dept Q Series: Matthew Goode Leads A New Grumpy Detective Into Edinburgh's Cold Cases

Alright, let us make a deal right now. Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck in Netflix’s new series Dept Q needs to be the very last grumpy, traumatized city detective with a messy home life that crime TV gives us. They can have him and his quirky team solving cold cases from a police basement in Scotland, but that is it. We need to draw a line. From now on, shows need to work harder to give us detective characters with personalities other than "annoyingly rude."

Morck’s personality in this nine-episode Netflix series is so rudely abrasive that even the usually charming Matthew Goode (from The Crown and A Discovery of Witches) somehow becomes unattractive. Morck has his reasons, of course. He is recovering from an attack that left his partner paralyzed. He is also trying to raise a difficult teenager. But it does not take long for his constant bad mood on screen to start getting on your nerves.

Thankfully, Goode’s co-stars really save the day. They smooth out Morck’s unpleasant nastiness with a bit of mystery and oddness. Alexej Manvelov plays Akram, a calm and always polite Syrian refugee. Akram is assigned to Morck’s new cold-case department as an admin assistant. But his talents go far beyond just filing papers. Akram knows how to bake sweet treats and also how to take down bad guys. He comes with a very interesting and mysterious past that keeps you guessing.

Dept Q Brings More Than Just A Grumpy Detective To Solve Forgotten Crimes

The Series Introduces A Team Of Unique Characters To Help Tackle Old Mysteries

Adding a splash of lively color to the department's gloomy basement office is Leah Byrne as Rose. Rose is a young detective stuck with deskwork after a scary incident left her feeling overwhelmed. She is the bright, talkative daughter of a former detective. Rose brings likability and humor to the show. Akram’s mysterious past keeps a good part of Dept Q interesting. They really round out the group well.

The supporting cast also has many great actors. Names like Kelly Macdonald, Mark Bonnar, Shirley Henderson, Jamie Sives, Clive Russell, Stuart Bowman, and Kate Dickie appear. There is so much Scottish acting talent in this Edinburgh-set story. The show’s creator Scott Frank moved the setting from Copenhagen in the original Danish books by Jussi Adler-Olsen. This Scottish talent almost makes up for the fact that Morck himself is English. That is another thing that does not make him popular with the locals.

Once Department Q finally unpacks its office furniture from old urinals and shower stalls in the Edinburgh station, they take on their first case. This first series covers the first of Adler-Olsen’s ten books. Four years ago, a woman went missing. Everyone thought she took her own life. Morck’s sharp instincts, old-school detective work, and his "trust nobody" attitude lead the team on a journey to a remote Scottish island. There, they uncover a conspiracy that might go all the way to the top.

At the same time, there is a separate story about a young and ambitious prosecutor, played very well by Chloe Pirrie. There is also an investigation into the shooting that left James Sives’ DS Hardy in a hospital bed without the use of his legs. We also get to see Morck’s sort of flirtatious arguments with Kelly Macdonald’s police therapist Dr Rachel Irving, who also gives a strong performance. The story jumps between different timelines. It gives us a few ways into the case. But mostly, it is a straightforward police show with the usual suspicious higher-ups, false leads, plot twists, and cliffhangers that make you want to keep watching.

Netflix's Dept Q Had A Bumpy Start But Quickly Found Its Footing With Viewers

The Series Briefly Disappeared From The Streaming Service After Its Premiere Before Returning

Here is an interesting fact about Dept Q. About 19 hours after its premiere, all nine episodes mysteriously disappeared from Netflix. This led to many frustrated viewers taking to social media. Other Netflix titles were working fine, which made the disappearance of Dept Q even stranger. Luckily the show reappeared later that evening. Netflix has not given a reason for the brief disappearance. But it was certainly a strange way to kick off the show’s debut.

Despite that small hiccup, Dept Q has received mostly good reviews online. The Guardian called it "a grimy, gothic treat." Variety described it as "an emotionally fraught crime thriller that never lets up." The show does have a dark sense of humor. This does not completely set it apart but puts it a little distance from less imaginative stories like it. For instance, Morck’s wife is not dead. He does not spend his nights at home drinking alone. Instead, he argues with a moody teenager and his strange tenant, a lifelong student played by comedian Sanjeev Kholi.

The point is that the show works. Dept Q is interesting enough and just funny enough to make it worth watching for a few evenings. Thanks to Akram and Rose, the show has the beginnings of a lovable, ragtag crew. Morck himself might not be as good as some other famous grumpy characters like Jackson Lamb from Slow Horses. But if it gets more seasons, it could really hit its stride. It could lean more into what makes it stand out: the excellent cast and the dark humor. However, it is not always easy for new shows to get more seasons these days.

The Future Of Dept Q And Why A Second Season Seems Very Possible

Actors Are Speaking Up And More Books Are Available For Further Adaptations

Dept Q has not been officially renewed for a second season yet. Netflix might be waiting to see how many people watch the series in the first few weeks before deciding whether to bring Matthew Goode back to solve more cold cases in Edinburgh. But there is already a strong push for it. Matthew Goode himself has said that he told the director and writer that they "really need to do" a second season. He even suggested the show could have more fight scenes in season two. His co-star Chloe Pirrie also wants more. She said she would "love to see more" and that the characters are "such fun to be with."

Luckily, there are many other stories for Netflix to use if they decide to make more episodes. Jussi Adler-Olsen’s series has 10 books. This means there are plenty of other mysteries to choose from if Dept Q gets the green light for season two. It is worth noting for Nordic noir fans that the first six books have already been made into movies in Denmark. The other four are planned to come out between 2026 and 2032. This shows there is a lot of source material and a proven history of these stories being popular.

The depth of talent in this show’s cast is amazing. It almost works against Dept Q a little. When you see actors like Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives on screen, it is hard not to remember their great work in shows with richer characters and stronger dialogue. The same goes for Matthew Goode, Kelly Macdonald, Shirley Henderson, and Kate Dickie. All are excellent actors. They cannot help but feel a bit limited by this familiar crime show material. They all make Dept Q better of course. But you cannot help but imagine how good this group could be if they were not tied to a typical police procedural format. Still, it is a good watch for now. And I am hopeful it finds its unique voice even more in future seasons.