Let’s talk about Netflix’s Dept. Q. As intrigued as I was by the casting, I didn’t expect this adaptation of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s dark, twisty Nordic noir book The Keeper of Lost Causes, to grab me as much as it did. Not only did Netflix deliver something pretty faithful to the source material, but they also made it captivating for someone like me, who’s read the book and have watched the Danish movie adaptation of this same story! They dug deep into the book’s bones, and I respect that.

Scotland Is the New Denmark, Apparently? The series swaps Denmark, I don’t remember where, for Edinburgh, and weirdly? It works. The moody skies, the bleak buildings, that bite in the Scottish accent, it all slips into the Nordic noir aesthetic like it was meant to be there. And the Scottish-style banter, is a totally plus.

Matthew Goode’s Carl Morck is exactly the right kind of emotionally wrecked. He’s grumpy, guilt-ridden, and has zero time for small talk. I loved how readable his inner turmoil is, even when Carl says nothing, Goode says everything with his face.

Then there’s Alexej Manvelov as Akram (Assad in the books). He’s easily my MVP. Cool, competent, a bit mysterious, and I’ll say it again, absolutely fine. But more importantly, he’s got incredible chemistry with Carl. By episode 2, I was already sold on their dynamic, full of eye-rolls, subtle sarcasm, and the beginning of actual trust.

One of the best choices in the pilot was how they handled Merritt Lingard’s storyline. It isn’t immediately clear it’s a flashback until the final minutes of the episode. It’s such a clever twist that recontextualizes everything and hooks you right then and there.

Throughout the season, those eerie glimpses into the hyperbaric chamber (complete with a claustrophobic shift in aspect ratio) really ramp up the dread. Starting most of the episode with a bit of Merritt’s ordeal adds this haunting tone that never quite lets up.

Once again, I’ve read the book. I’ve seen the Danish film versions. And still? I was hooked. The pacing, character building, and mystery unfolding are so well done that even I was second-guessing my memory of how it all ends.

They keep Merritt’s scenes non-linear, teasing out clues bit by bit. They even drop breadcrumbs about Akram’s past — that Spock-like takedown of a junkie? That wasn’t random. It screams “former interrogator” and hints at a deeper backstory.

Okay, I have one minor gripe: Carl’s house looks like a set. Like, not lived-in at all. And while I love Kelly Macdonald, the whole flirty therapist subplot felt like a weird add-on. Did Carl need a romantic interest? No. It might be something from the later books – that I haven’t yet read – but I don’t remember that from the Danish movie versions.

Final Verdict: One Book, One Season = Just Right

I’m so glad they didn’t try to cram multiple cases into a single season. Giving this one cold case room to breathe gave us real depth — both in plot and characters. Carl, Akram, and Rose become such a fun little trio, with real complexity.

This show is very bingeable. If this is the new blueprint for crime dramas? Sign me up. I hope we get more seasons, one book at a time.

The first case was cold, but this season is 🔥. I’m all in.

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