Dept Q Review: Matthew Goode Is brilliantly flawed in this excellent Netflix’s gripping crime drama with a soul

DEPT Q Review

From the makers of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ comes ‘Dept. Q,’ a quietly powerful crime drama that slips under your skin and stays there. Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s novel ‘The Keeper of Lost Causes,’ the series is dark, gritty, and refreshingly nuanced.

A crime drama that knows its craft

It avoids the flashy tropes we often see in the genre and instead leans into atmosphere and character development. It helps that the writing is tight, something that many similar shows often fumble. While it may sound like another buddy cop series on paper, ‘Dept. Q’ manages to find its own tone and rhythm. The haunting Scottish landscape adds a sharp edge to the storytelling, and with nine episodes—each under an hour—this is a show that asks for your attention and rewards it with depth.

An opening that sets the tone

The story opens with a shocking twist—DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) and DI James Hardy (Jamie Sives) walk into what they assume is a routine crime scene, only for it to turn into a deadly ambush.

A junior officer is killed, and both Morck and Hardy are seriously wounded. Morck survives, but barely—physically and emotionally. Sent on leave and pushed into therapy, he becomes a shell of the man he once was. When the department creates a new unit to look into cold cases, Morck is quietly placed at its head—more as an act of sidelining than trust.

He starts off alone but is soon joined by Akram Ansari (Alexej Manvelov), a Syrian migrant working in the IT department of the police headquarters. Their first case involves the mysterious disappearance of lawyer Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie) during a ferry trip four years back—a case that seemed open and shut but slowly unravels into something far more sinister.

Characters that linger long after

What truly makes ‘Dept. Q’ stand out is its cast. Matthew Goode plays Carl Morck with a layered performance that never tries to make him likeable—and that’s what makes him so compelling. He’s angry, bitter, and emotionally closed off.

His marriage is falling apart, he distrusts authority, and he doesn’t exactly play well with others. Enter Akram, played beautifully by Alexej Manvelov. Calm, observant, and soft-spoken, Akram is the perfect counter to Morck’s prickly energy. The chemistry between the two is subtle, but it’s where the heart of the show lies.

Think Sherlock and Watson, but without the grandstanding. Chloe Pirrie, as the driven but troubled lawyer Merritt Lingard, delivers a quietly fierce performance that adds emotional weight to the case.

It’s a slow burner but that’s the point

If you’re someone who wants fast-moving plots and quick resolutions, ‘Dept. Q’ might test your patience. But stick with it, and the payoff is worth it. The show takes its time setting the stage—letting you understand the characters, their flaws, and the emotional baggage they carry.

Once it finds its groove, the story moves with purpose. It also manages to be grim without feeling heavy-handed and stylish without being flashy. Every location—from the cold village coastlines to the grey-toned gothic police offices—feels real and adds to the world-building. The writing team deserves credit for adapting a complex book into a gripping series that never loses clarity.

More than just solving crimes

At its core, ‘Dept. Q’ is as much about people as it is about the crimes they investigate. It touches on institutional failures, police politics, and how optics often matter more than truth. But it never feels preachy. The production values are solid, and the direction keeps things grounded.

It’s the kind of show where you feel like you're watching real people, not just characters playing parts. In that way, it’s a spiritual cousin to ‘Broadchurch.’ Thoughtful, well-crafted, and emotionally honest, ‘Dept. Q’ is one of those rare crime dramas that gets everything just right—without shouting for your attention. If you’re looking for a show that respects your time and intelligence, this one is well worth the watch.

Cast: Matthew Goode, Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Leah Byrne, Kelly Macdonald, and Mark Bonnar

Directors: Scott Frank, Elisa Amoruso

Rating: 4/5

(Dept. Q is currently streaming on Netflix)