Attention, TV lovers! The spy thriller of the year is back - and no, it's not Slow Horses. Dept. Q is the five-star series that spent six weeks in the global top 10 shows when it was released on Netflix earlier this year - and now, it's giving Slow Horses a run for its money and returning for a glorious series 2 with a surprise new cast.
You may remember that series 1 introduced us to emotionally-scarred DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), who had recently returned to work after an attack that left one colleague paralysed and another dead. He's now in charge of cold case unit Department Q, which consists of razor-sharp misfits who solve cases from the basement of an Edinburgh police station - and we're about to meet some interesting new recruits.
While we patiently wait for Dept Q. series 2 to arrive on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the series, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.
What is Dept. Q about?
An adaptation of the novels of the same name by Danish author, Jussi Adler-Olsen, the first series of Dept. Q, which aired in nine parts, revolved around Carl Morck, a former top-rated detective in Edinburgh who, following an attack that left his partner paralysed and another policeman dead, had taken some time out. Now, it's time to return and he's taken off the homicide unit and tasked with setting up Department Q.
What is Department Q, you ask? Well, it's a cold case unit and the team are tasked with solving cases that have previously been closed or forgotten - often deemed unsolvable. They must also work from the basement of the Edinburgh police headquarters. Essentially, it's nothing more than a PR opportunity for the embattled Edinburgh police department and Carl has no real intention of actually solving any crimes. That is, until he learns of the sudden disappearance of lawyer Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie).
We won’t give any spoilers away here, just in case you're yet to watch series 1, but let's just say that Carl and his team find themselves very invested in the case. And do they solve it? You'll have to tune in to find out.
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What will happen in Dept. Q series 2?
So far, we know that DCI Carl Morck will return along with his trusty team of Akram Salim (Alexej Manvelov), DC Rose Dickson (Leah Byrne) and DS James Hardy (Jamie Sives). According to Netflix, this series, Carl and his band of misfits tackle a terrible crime hidden in the highest echelons of Scottish society."
According to executive producer Rob Bullock, “It is a story for our times: rich and powerful people who believe they are above the law. Carl, of course, knows otherwise.”
Netflix's Mona Qureshi and Manda Levin said: “We are raring to return to Carl Morck and his band of glorious misfits at Dept. Q. Scott Frank brought us best-in-class storytelling and thrilled Netflix audiences worldwide. We can’t wait to see what Morck and the gang uncover in Season 2... Edinburgh, we’re back.”
Who will star in Dept. Q series 2?
We know that Matthew Goode is reprising his role as detective inspector Carl Morck (phew!), along with his gang of misfit investigators including Alexej Manvelov as Akram, Leah Byrne as Rose, and Jamie Sives as Hardy.
The returning cast will also include:
- Mark Bonnar as Lord Advocate Stephen Burns
- Kate Dickie as Chief Superintendent Moira Jacobson
- Aaron McVeigh as Jasper
- Sanjeev Kohli as Martin Flemming
The new cast members will include:
- James Corden (Gavin & Stacey) as Dr. Ben Smith, an eccentric but brilliant forensic psychologist
- Aisling Franciosi (Speak No Evil, The Nightingale) as Kimmie
- Greg Wise (The Crown, The Bucaneers) as Derek Powell
- Nicholas Rowe (Red Eye S2, Spy Among Friends) as Thomas Fulton
- Tony Curran (Outlander: Blood of my blood, Mary and George) as Winnie Calderwood
- Hamish Clark (Monarch of the Glen) as Christopher Herron
- Alex Ferns (Waiting for the Out, The Batman) as Phil Allenbeck
- Ross Anderson (Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The Rig) as Ricky Daddario
- Rebecca Root (Heartstopper, The Wheel of Time) as June Lovesay
- Isla Johnston (The Queen's Gambit, The Carpenter's Son) as Agnes
- Amy Brenneman (The Old Man, Judging Amy) as Helen
Is there a trailer for Dept. Q series 2?
Netflix hasn’t shared an official trailer for Dept. Q series 2 just yet, but you can watch the trailer for Dept. Q series 1 below:
Is Dept. Q any good?
Yes - it's certainly giving Slow Horses some competition! The show brilliantly blends the mystery of unsolved cases with the fun of watching a group of unlikely colleagues attempt to get to the bottom of them. It’s the work of genius director and writer Scott Frank who, prior to Dept. Q, co-created, directed, and wrote Netflix’s record-setting The Queen's Gambit, so we probably shouldn't have expected anything less.
How can I watch Dept. Q?
Netflix hasn’t yet shared a release date for Dept. Q series 2, but we're expecting it to air at some point in 2027. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we'll share it here. Until then, you can catch up on series 1 on Netflix.
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