

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.


Matthew Goode
DCI Carl Morck

Chloe Pirrie
Merritt Lingard

Jamie Sives
DCI James Hardy

Alexej Manvelov
Akram Salim

Leah Byrne
DC Rose Dickson

Kelly Macdonald
Dr Rachel Irving

Kate Dickie
Moira Jacobson

Tom Bulpett
William Lingard

Aaron McVeigh
Jasper Stewart
Based on the Danish novel "The Keeper of Lost Causes" by Jussi Adler-Olsen and no doubt the 2013 Danish film, the Scottish series, "Dept.Q" cant quite fill the boots, of its scandi crime thriller, counterpart. Lets look at the positives. The acting is undeniably superb. This series is backed by a strong cast, of veteran UK actors. As a result, the complex characterisations, are brought to full bodied life. The script sensibly, adheres to a similar core story, to the one found in the Danish film, too. Its dark, disturbing and at times creepily unsettling, stuff. Where it falls down, is its re-invention, of the main character. Morck is presented as an "angry man", "the devil", ready to violently explode. By contrast, the Danish film's Morck is driven not by rage but instead, a meticulously obsessive, crime solver personality. One that brushes aside social norms and conventions, to close the case. In summary, if you can look past the measure of sabotage, of the main character, then there's a decent crime drama on offer. Its not as outstanding, as its Scandinavian counterpart but its still compelling enough, to warrant a look.
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Department Q Cast Explain Dark Themes, Adapting The Novel & Scottish Slang | BAFTA