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Season 1 – Dept. Q

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for Season 1 – Dept. Q May 2025 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
88% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A brash but brilliant cop becomes head of a new police department, where he leads an unlikely team of misfits in solving Edinburgh's cold cases.
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Dept. Q — Season 1

Dept. Q — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

In a sea of generic crime dramas, Dept. Q stakes it's claim amongst the thrilling, enthralling, and sublime thanks to a winning cast and veteran creative Scott Frank.

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Critics Reviews

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Wenlei Ma The Nightly (AU) Jun 20
The vibes are creepy and gritty, the characters are gruff and direct, the puzzle is properly intriguing, and the English are frequently mocked. Go to Full Review Chris Vognar Boston Globe Jun 12
As grim as it can get, “Dept. Q” offers a world of viewing pleasure. Go to Full Review John Powers NPR Jun 12
Goode has a gift for portraying charismatic unlikability... Here, he captures Carl's reflexive haughtiness yet also lets us glimpse the revealing moments when he registers the existence of people other than himself. Go to Full Review Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post Aug 22
This is the perfect series for those Slow Horses fans who want something to watch while waiting for the new season. Go to Full Review Ruben Peralta Rigaud Cocalecas Aug 18
Dept. Q addresses the impossibility of burying the past, how the dead are never truly dead as long as someone remembers them, and how even the most abandoned basement can become a place where justice is reborn. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Karina Adelgaard Heaven of Horror Aug 11
4/5
Having watched the Danish movies based on the same book series, I was extra curious about the casting of this UK adaptation for Netflix. Fortunately, I was never worried as... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Joshua M @Flameon 6d Crackerjack detective series. I love the Scottish accents, but man do they swear a lot. See more David D @David2026 Mar 12 I worry about season long cop series that are more about the characters paths than the underlying mystery. This does take a couple of episodes to get going, but I can't deny it's a story well told and well worth watching. Let's see where season 2 takes it. See more andyth55 T @AndyTh55 Feb 24 You know it's going to be good when Mark Bonnar and Kelly MacDonald are almost reduced to bystanders and it certainly didn't fail to deliver. High quality drama. See more iam m @Esquie Feb 14 This is one of those shows that makes you wish you'd watched it sooner when you finally get around to it. The story is a thoroughly and expertly woven mystery that pulls you in and keeps on the edge of your seat. D.C.I. Carl Morck is a complex main character that makes an impression as a particularly unpleasant person carrying a lot of rage and guilt who leaves your rooting for him the further things progress. The characters arcs are satisfying, no side character feels underutilized, and that conclusion... Man.. I loved the Queen's Gambit, and it's a treat to see Scott Frank get to work on something that extends beyond the scope of a limited series. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and put this one at the top of your queue. After the credits rolled all I can say is I'm overjoyed and relieved that Netflix had the sense to renew this show and I'm very excited for Season 2! See more Nissa S. @NFS247 Feb 2 Started very slow but then it took off and I couldn't stop watching. Fantastic actors and an off the rails story. Can't wait for the next season. I loved it. See more Lee S @Luckystarz Jan 29 Absolutely amazing, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters, the humor, the story itself... It's all brilliant. Had me literally gasping when all the loose ends came together. See more Read all reviews
Dept. Q — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Matthew Goode

DCI Carl Morck

Leah Byrne

Rose

Kelly Macdonald

Dr Rachel Irving

Catriona Stirling

DC Wilson

Paul Ellard

Press

Aron Dochard

DC Clark

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 29, 2025 DCI Carl Morck returns to work after a near-fatal incident and finds himself head of a new department; a prosecutor faces a tough day in court. Details Episode 2 Aired May 29, 2025 As Carl and his new assistant start digging into their first cold case, he can't stop his personal demons encroaching on his professional life. Details Episode 3 Aired May 29, 2025 Carl and Akram recreate the fateful ferry journey on their way to the Isle of Mhòr; a frustrated Rose makes her case for joining their department. Details Episode 4 Aired May 29, 2025 Rose goes to the island to find out what Carl couldn't; Akram finds a note which sends the investigation in an entirely new direction. Details Episode 5 Aired May 29, 2025 The prosecutor's disappearance becomes connected with a death; a scuffle in a newspaper office sees Carl making headlines; Moira sees a therapist. Details Episode 6 Aired May 29, 2025 The police detain a suspect for the Leith Park shooting; Carl returns to the scene of the crime, before losing his temper in public once again. Details Episode 7 Aired May 29, 2025 Carl makes some dangerous allegations to some powerful men; Rose takes a fresh angle to uncover more information about Sam Haig. Details Episode 8 Aired May 29, 2025 The kidnappers give their victim a clue as they press her for an answer to their question; Dept. Q gets closer to unravelling its own riddle. Details Episode 9 Aired May 29, 2025 A decades-old recording helps all the clues to fall into place; but as the pressure rises, in and out of the chamber, can Carl get there in time? Details

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Dept. Q — Season 1

Dept. Q: Season 1 Trailer Dept. Q: Season 1 Trailer 2:23 View more videos
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Dept. Q — Season 1

Dept. Q Dept. Q Dept. Q Dept. Q View more photos

Season Info

Director
Scott Frank
Screenwriter
Chandni Lakhani
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
British English
Release Date
May 29, 2025
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