RIOTUS

DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) is a brilliant but boorish detective for the Edinburgh police. He’s recovering from a shooting that left a colleague dead and his partner paralysed…and Carl soon finds himself transferred into the police HQ basement to run the newly-formed cold case unit by himself. In other words, he’s been exiled by way of a PR stunt because his colleagues dislike how disillusioned and cantankerous he is.

Slowly, Carl begins to make the best of a bad situation, collecting other misfits from the force who each bring their own quirks and skills to the table. There’s Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim, a quiet and unassuming man with a dark history and a particular set of skills. And Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson, a young go-getter who’s often underestimated in a male-dominated workplace. With an occasional assist from Carl’s hospitalised partner, DI James Hardy (Jamie Sives), who forces them all to take a long, hard look in the mirror right when they’re losing sight of what’s needed.

Together, they begin working on the cold case of Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie), a civil servant who went missing four years ago. But when Carl starts pulling at the threads of the investigation, things get real messy real fast, and it becomes a race against time to try and find out what really happened, while going against everything his badge stands for. The only question is, can he and his team unravel the mystery before Carl himself falls apart?

Before we go any further, a little background: This show is based on the Department Q book series by Danish crime writer Jussi Adler-Olsen. His novels have already been adapted into some highly successful Danish films; Scott Frank’s Netflix adaptation, however, changed the setting from Denmark to Scotland. Now, although I haven’t seen or read the Danish versions of this story, I’m of the opinion that Scandinavia holds the crown for best at producing crime thrillers. So, while part of me questioned the logic of Netflix’s setting change, I’m also of the opinion that Britain is a close second for said crime thriller crown, so I approached this with an open mind. 

The result is downright chilling; Dept. Q takes the genre and runs with it to hell and back. The first few episodes lay the groundwork for the case and build up your trust in the team, before diving deeper into a case that’s covered in blood, love, and lies. It also picks apart Carl’s tenuous grasp on his own life; an angry and bitter man reeling from tragedy, he’s married to his work and utterly miserable about it. But his unwillingness to ever let things go is what makes him a great detective, and he pushes everyone involved to breaking point until he gets the truth, no matter the cost. And boy, is there a cost to that truth; just when you think things can’t get any worse, new revelations come out of the shadows to shock you.

Goode is a compelling lead, pouring his all into Carl’s struggle of carrying the stress of a difficult job on top of a shattered personal life. While Carl is a miserable English bastard whose disdain for his Scottish colleagues will give all Brits a good chuckle, he never strays too far into unlikable territory, especially when he makes a breakthrough. This kind of character typically works better on the page than on screen but Goode plays it very well. 

Manvelov helps to balance out the tension with a memorable performance as Akram; his quiet confidence will easily make him a fan favourite. And Byrne’s crackling energy will make you root for Rose immediately, especially when she holds her own. DC Superintendent Moira Jacobson (Kate Dickie) oversees their department with a stern eye, often butting heads with Carl and putting up roadblocks. As does Dr. Rachel Irving (Kelly Macdonald), Carl’s therapist, who constantly pushes him to examine himself beyond the surface, the way he does his suspects. 

As Carl & co. begin to retrace the steps of the missing, we are given flashbacks and vignettes to add depth to the story. Pirrie gives a gripping performance; any time she’s on screen, you cannot bear to tear your eyes away. The cast all bring their A-game to the series, pulling you into their characters’ idiosyncrasies and foibles until you’re fascinated by the shades of humanity that make them tick…and what sets them off. 

Dept. Q is gritty and at times gory, unable and unwilling to shy away from the violence that lurks around every corner. And it examines how deeply intertwined lives can become from moments of chaos. It lags a little in the middle but grows increasingly intense in the second half of the series as the mystery gives way to a desperate struggle for justice. The score slinks in and out of the darkness, much like the suspects, keeping the tension on edge. It fits the profile of a classic British crime thriller, with brutal twists at the ready. And while it may not give you any moments to truly cheer for or even to catch your breath, it will keep you itching to know what’s next, no matter how dark things might get.