In two short weeks, a new crime thriller drops on Netflix, and we are on the edge of our seats in anticipation. Dept. Q takes the Danish Nordic noir novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen and brings them to life in a new British setting. Here’s everything we know about the new series.
What is Dept. Q?
Dept. Q follows detective Carl Morck. Morck was once a highly competent homicide detective. But after a confrontation destroyed the life of two fellow officers when he failed to pull his weapon, he blames himself.
As a result, his work suffers. The last thing he expects is a promotion. Except, it’s not exactly a positive change.
He’s made head of Department Q, where he oversees exactly one employee in the basement of the Edinburgh precinct: himself. His assignment? The stack of cold cases no one in Scotland has been able to solve.
How is Dept. Q different from the novels?
The main difference is that the story is no longer based in Copenhagen, but Edinburgh. Morck is a British man who has never quite fit in with his Scottish colleagues.
But mostly, fans should find that the first novel and the first season of the show are fairly aligned in terms of plot and character.
Is the Netflix show different from the films?
While both the Netflix Dept. Q and The Keeper of Lost Causes focus on the first novel in the Department Q series, they do vary a bit in tone.
The Danish films have more of a thriller focus, highlighting the darker noir elements of the novels. It’s a tense movie, highlighted in muted tones and an edge of failure.
In Copenhagen, it’s Mørck’s last chance for redemption. In Scotland, it’s his own ghosts that hold him back.
Dept. Q follows the procedural format that British crime dramas as known for. Everything from the color to the humor has more pop to it.
It’s edgy, but in a strangely more hopeful tone than the film. As you watch the trailer, you can’t help but chuckle at the dark humor and the vibrant cast of misfits investigating the cases no one else wants.
Who is in Dept. Q?
Developed by Scott Frank (Logan) and co-written with Chandri Lakhani, Stephen Greenhorn, and Colette Kane. Matthew Goode (A Discovery of Witches, The Crown) brings the troubled DCI Morck to life.
The show highlights his emotional state through Dr. Rachel Irving, played by Kelly Macdonald (Brave, Boardwalk Empire). Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones, the Northman) plays Detective Chief Superintendent Moira Jacobson, Morck’s boss.
And to round out the rest of Department Q, Leah Byrne (Nightsleeper) plays the intrepid Rose, and Alexej Manvelov (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Chernoyl) rounds out the cast as Akram Salim.
What are viewers saying about Dept. Q?
While the show hasn’t come out yet, early reviews are raving. The show is being compared to Slow Horses, with outlets calling it a must-watch series.
Fans of the novels have taken to Reddit and other online forums expressing their excitement and optimism that the new Nordic noir vibes will satisfy an itch they didn’t know they needed scratched.
Where can you watch Dept. Q?
Dept. Q will air on May 29, with all nine episodes available immediately.
Watch the trailer for Dept. Q now!
Featured still from “Dept. Q” via Left Bank Pictures
