---
title: "Dept. Q"
year: 2025
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/dept-q"
fi1m_id: "dept-q"
imdb_id: "tt27995114"
tmdb_id: 245703
wikidata_id: "Q124466034"
fi1m_score: 74
critics_score: 69
critics_reviews: 9
published: "2026-09-12"
updated: "2026-09-15T21:38:44.936611+00:00"
region: "IL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Dept. Q (2025)

Created by Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani · IFRB 15+ · Drama, Crime, Mystery

## Identity

Dept. Q

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/dept-q
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** dept-q
- **IMDb ID:** tt27995114
- **TMDB ID:** 245703
- **Wikidata ID:** Q124466034
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27995114/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/245703, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124466034

**Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 69 from 9 reviews

*In a sentence:* Matthew Goode being rude for nine episodes is a better offer than it sounds

> Matthew Goode and a well-matched ensemble make *Dept. Q* worth the time, though it asks for more than it needs. The mystery is involving, the humour welcome, and the middle episodes could use a firmer cut.

## Synopsis

DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) works in an Edinburgh cold-case unit, bringing a troubled past and an abrasive manner to the job. His work puts him among a team of misfits investigating an unresolved case. Adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s crime novels, *Dept. Q* follows the detective work alongside the relationships within the team. Alexej Manvelov plays Akram Salim, Leah Byrne is DC Rose Dickson and Jamie Sives plays DCI James Hardy. Chloe Pirrie appears as Merritt Lingard, with Kelly Macdonald as Dr Rachel Irving.

## Review

*Dept. Q* is a good crime drama with a familiar detective and too much time to fill. Its Edinburgh cold-case unit gives Scott Frank and his fellow writers a serviceable way to put difficult people together, then see what they can get done. The mystery holds our attention, but the people matter more. Matthew Goode makes DCI Carl Morck’s bad temper funny without making him easy company. That performance is the main reason to accept a leisurely nine episodes.

Adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s crime novels, the series belongs to the crowded field of procedurals about troubled investigators. It offers little that is new, and is sensible enough not to spend its time pretending otherwise. Frank and fellow director Elisa Amoruso understand the appeal of watching capable actors test one another’s patience. The interest comes from these particular people, whose prickliness gives the routine police work some welcome humour.

Goode gets the balance mostly right. Morck’s abrasiveness is wearing, as it ought to be, but Goode gives the grumbling enough comic timing to keep him watchable. The humour in the team’s exchanges made us laugh; his bad temper is better with other people there to react to it. He can dominate without making the rest of the cast seem unnecessary. There are still moments when the series seems rather too pleased with how difficult he can be.

Alexej Manvelov and Leah Byrne help make the ensemble worth returning to, while Kelly Macdonald brings welcome assurance as Dr Rachel Irving. The series is often more engaging when it gives these actors space than when it adds another complication to the case. Their chemistry encourages us to care about the group before the writing starts asking for sympathy. Some of that sentiment feels overinsistent, particularly in a programme that otherwise gets so much pleasure from people being awkward.

Grant Montgomery’s production design makes the Edinburgh cold-case unit feel like somewhere people have to work together, which helps the comedy. Carlos Rafael Rivera’s music sustains the unease, though atmosphere cannot make a slow stretch feel shorter. Frank and Amoruso keep the characters at the centre of the procedural business, where this material is strongest. There is care in the way the series is put together, even when the writing gives it more to accommodate than it needs.

Nine episodes leave room for a middle section that needs firmer decisions. The writing, credited to Frank, Stephen Greenhorn, Chandni Lakhani and Adler-Olsen, keeps more subsidiary storylines than the central investigation can comfortably carry. We grew impatient when those detours delayed a mystery that had already persuaded us to pay attention. By this point, the cast are doing more of the work than the plotting should ask of them. With fewer diversions, there would still be ample room for the ensemble.

Against the standards of the troubled-detective procedural, this is solid work, helped considerably by its lead and by a team we would happily spend more time with. The case remains worth following through the slower stretches, even if the supporting stories could have been pruned. We recommend it to those who enjoy the company of a detective team as much as the solution to its case. If the abrasive detective has already exhausted your patience, Goode may not be enough to restore it.

*Fi1m score 74, published 12 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean towards approval of Dept. Q, with praise clustering around Matthew Goode’s grumpy detective, the supporting cast and the central mystery. Most critics find familiar crime-drama ingredients handled with enough confidence to hold attention, even when originality is in short supply. Scott Frank’s storytelling, the ensemble’s chemistry and the Edinburgh setting draw favourable notices, while the stronger reviews value the attention given to character alongside the investigation.

Reservations centre on length: several critics find the series overstretched, with a sluggish middle, surplus storylines or too much competing for attention. The spread runs from warm approval to qualified interest, with performances attracting the clearest disagreement. Den of Geek finds the lead abrasive despite praising the cast and humour. NME is a more pronounced dissenter on the acting, finding stiff performances and wooden dialogue that make the characters difficult to care about, though it still acknowledges enough intrigue to sustain attention.

## Straight answers

**How long is Dept. Q, and what is it rated?**

*Dept. Q* is rated 15+ by the IFRB in Israel. It is a drama and crime series.

**Where can I watch Dept. Q in Israel?**

*Dept. Q* is streaming on Netflix in Israel. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Dept. Q?**

After *Dept. Q*, try [*Prime Suspect*](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect) (1991, Fi1m 88): For another difficult detective whose competence does not make the job comfortable. Then [*Memories of Murder*](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder) (2003, Fi1m 91): A police investigation where clashing personalities and grim humour deepen the unease; and [*The Bridge*](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai) (2011, Fi1m 88): Another abrasive investigator, with a partnership that makes familiar police work worth following.

### Reviews we read (12)

- **The i Paper**, Emily Baker (85/100, inferred): The critic calls Dept. Q one of the best crime dramas Netflix has produced, praising its confident simplicity and Matthew Goode's likeable grumpy detective performance despite familiar Scandi-noir tropes and some superfluous storylines. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/dept-q-review-best-police-procedural-netflix-ever-made-3717539)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (80/100, inferred): The review describes the series as a solid, well-crafted procedural with a terrific lead performance from Matthew Goode and a compelling mystery, praising Scott Frank's skill at familiar but effective storytelling. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/dept-q-review-matthew-goode-scott-frank-1236232219/)
- **Variety**, Aramide Tinubu (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the series a riveting, intense neo-noir crime thriller with complex characters and a strong mystery, highlighting Matthew Goode's brilliant performance, while noting it can feel overlong at times. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/dept-q-review-netflix-1236410890/)
- **The AV Club**, Tim Lowery (B-): The critic finds promise in the show's ensemble and chemistry but notes it feels less taut and more sentimental than Slow Horses, with strong buddy-cop dynamics. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/dept-q-review-netflix-tv)
- **Radio Times**, James Hibbs (3/5): The review praises the strong ensemble led by a phenomenal Matthew Goode and the authentic Edinburgh setting but criticizes the sluggish pacing over nine episodes that drags in the middle. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/dept-q-review/)
- **The Guardian**: This Scotland-based adaptation of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Danish crime novels is fantastic, rich TV. The critic praises the character-first approach, sharp script, first-rate performances (especially Matthew Goode as the haunted detective) and the dense, twisty plot. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/may/29/netflix-dept-q-review-this-excellent-detective-drama-is-a-grimy-gothic-treat)
- **The Telegraph**, Benji Wilson: Although there’s nothing truly original about this new crime drama starring Matthew Goode, it’s still impressively put together. The critic highlights strong direction by Scott Frank, excellent against-type performance from Goode, and well-cast team of misfits in an Edinburgh-set cold-case unit. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/dept-q-netflix-review/)
- **The Times**: The critic describes the Edinburgh-set cop drama as satisfying despite familiar tropes, suggesting Matthew Goode’s detective could become a viewer obsession. The result is compared favourably to a glass of single malt. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/dept-q-review-matthew-goode-z6bqg8x98)
- **Collider**, Samuel R. Murrian (6/10): The critic finds the series an entertaining but overstuffed whodunit with rough edges and a bloated narrative. Goode and Macdonald's performances are singled out as the strongest elements that make it consistently entertaining. [Read](https://collider.com/dept-q-netflix-review-matthew-goode/)
- **Den of Geek**, Louisa Mellor (3/5): Praises the cast and some humor but criticizes the abrasive lead and generic procedural elements, saying it gets by but doesn't rise above the genre. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/netflix-dept-q-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Janet A Leigh (3/5): Notes it's overstretched with too much going on but highlights the great cast and entertaining watch overall. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a44169361/dept-q-review-netflix/)
- **NME**, Rhian Daly (55/100, inferred): The series has the makings of a solid crime thriller but is undermined by wooden dialogue and stiff performances that make it difficult to connect with the characters or feel invested in their stories. It delivers enough intrigue to hold attention across its episodes without becoming truly addictive or memorable. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/dept-q-review-netflix-matthew-goode-mark-bonnar-3865868)

## Details

- **Created by:** Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani
- **Creator:** Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani
- **Director:** Scott Frank, Elisa Amoruso
- **Writer:** Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Stephen Greenhorn
- **Novel:** Jussi Adler-Olsen
- **Music:** Carlos Rafael Rivera
- **Production design:** Grant Montgomery
- **Costume design:** Sharon Long
- **Cast:** Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck; Chloe Pirrie as Merritt Lingard; Jamie Sives as DCI James Hardy; Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim; Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson; Kelly Macdonald as Dr Rachel Irving; Kate Dickie as Moira Jacobson; Aaron McVeigh as Jasper Stewart
- **Certificate (IFRB):** 15+
- **Release (Israel):** 29 May 2025
- **Genres:** Drama, Crime, Mystery
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72hK6FUmm8o

## Where to watch in Israel

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-12.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Prime Suspect* (1991), Fi1m 88: For another difficult detective whose competence does not make the job comfortable. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect.md)
- *Memories of Murder* (2003), Fi1m 91: A police investigation where clashing personalities and grim humour deepen the unease. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder.md)
- *The Bridge* (2011), Fi1m 88: Another abrasive investigator, with a partnership that makes familiar police work worth following. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *The Kid Detective* (2020): A damaged investigator and dry comedy, contained within a much tighter running time.
- *The Secret in Their Eyes* (2009), Fi1m 78: An old case keeps intruding on lives that have failed to move on. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-in-their-eyes.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/dept-q