Dept. Q (series)
Review by Dennis D. McDonald
The first word that comes to mind when reviewing this series is gritty. It also makes me question whether I’d ever want to visit Scotland, which—at least as portrayed here—seems relentlessly gray and depressing. But Dept. Q is also a unique and engrossing police procedural, and I was quickly hooked.
The story centers on a detective returning to duty after months of recovery from a gunshot wound sustained during a violent confrontation in which several officers were killed, maimed, or paralyzed. Disliked by nearly everyone due to his abrasive manner, he’s relegated to the basement to run “Department Q,” a supposedly dead-end assignment tasked with investigating long-unsolved cases.
The first case he chooses is a doozy: a prosecutor who vanished four years ago after a career filled with turmoil, political enemies, and an intense devotion to caring for her emotionally challenged brother.
That case becomes the focus of the series—a layered investigation led by a man disliked by his peers.
The detective assembles a small, ragtag team. They unravel a fiendishly complex mystery surrounding the missing prosecutor. Numerous backstories emerge, and the team struggles to piece together the puzzle. That uncertainty is one of the show’s strengths: it remains a mystery throughout, even though you, the viewer, are repeatedly shown how the pieces connect.
There’s no shortage of quirky characters, along with plenty of violence and grim subject matter. This is not a show for the faint of heart. Still, it's all executed with impressive skill, and even minor characters are given room to shine.
Recommended.
Review copyright 2025 by Dennis D. McDonald.
