DEPT Q – Review: A Slow Horses Cousin Without the Laughs?
Dept Q Review – My gut reaction was that Department Q felt like a Slow Horses clone—minus the humour. And that’s a fairly damning first impression. The similarities are hard to miss: a disgraced lead exiled from the mainstream, a team of misfit operatives, and a grim institutional backdrop. But where Slow Horses blends satire and tension with flair, Department Q leans heavily into Nordic noir brooding. It’s moody, yes—but not immediately lovable.
That leads me to the “Orphan Warrior Hero” test, which Department Q doesn’t quite pass. Matthew Goode’s portrayal of DCI Carl Morck, though quietly intense, didn’t win me over in the early episodes. He’s the classic loner, emotionally scarred and difficult—but unlike Gary Oldman’s brilliant and brutal Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses, Morck doesn’t offer the same magnetic pull. Nor does he have a counterpart like Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright—an orphan hero you can root for.
But enough of the comparisons. Dept Q won me over once I committed. The two main storylines—both cold cases—are interwoven with satisfying complexity. I especially liked Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim, Morck’s unconventional sidekick. His performance adds emotional nuance and grounds the more procedural elements of the plot.
That said, the pacing falters mid-season. There’s a distinct sag across episodes 4–6, where the narrative feels stretched. On a traditional broadcaster, this might’ve been a tighter, three-part miniseries—and it would have been better for it. Still, by the end, I found myself surprisingly invested. The finale pays off both plotlines with care and intensity.
Visually, Dept Q is a triumph. Its gloomy Edinburgh setting is captured with stunning, almost cinematic flair. The atmospheric cinematography, sharp direction, and smart production design elevate the entire series.
Final Verdict
If you can get past episode one and endure the sluggish middle, Department Q ultimately rewards your patience. It’s not as charismatic or witty as Slow Horses, but it has a distinct voice, compelling cold cases, and a beautifully bleak style. In hindsight, I really enjoyed it—and I think you might too.
Synopsis Department Q
A guilt-ridden Edinburgh detective, DCI Carl Morck, is reassigned to lead a basement-based cold-case team called Department Q (Dept Q) after a shooting leaves his partner paralysed and another officer dead. With his abrasive brilliance, he (Matthew Goode) tackles the disappearance of prosecutor Merritt Lingard, assembling a mismatched team whose personal traumas become entwined with the unfolding mystery.
Original Channel & Premiere Date
- Network: Netflix (British–American co-production)
- Premiere: Launched globally on 29 May 2025 as a nine-episode season.
Key Creatives DEPT. Q
- Developers/Writers: Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani (joined by Stephen Greenhorn and Colette Kane)
- Directors: Scott Frank (Episodes 1–2, 6–9) and Elisa Amoruso (Episodes 3–5)
- Production Companies: Left Bank Pictures, Flitcraft, and Sony Pictures Television
Top 5 Cast
- Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck
- Previous credits: Downton Abbey, A Discovery of Witches, The Crown
- Chloe Pirrie as Merritt Lingard
- Previous credits: The Queen’s Gambit, War & Peace, Carnival Row
- Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim
- Previous credits: Chernobyl, Jack Ryan, Swedish TV roles
- Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson
- Previous credits: Call the Midwife, Nightsleeper
- Kelly Macdonald as Dr Rachel Irving (police therapist)
- Previous credits: Line of Duty, Boardwalk Empire (implied from context)
Next Episode Info – Dept Q
- All nine episodes of Season 1 Dept Q were released simultaneously on 29 May 2025.
- Release schedule: Binge-release (all at once).
- Upcoming episodes: No next episode of Department Q pending. While Netflix hasn’t confirmed a Season 2 renewal, cast and creators are optimistic and hint a second season is likely—drawn from the ongoing book series.
