Matthew Goode's newest series Dept. Q is officially here on Netflix, and I have to say it's good to have the actor back on the small screen. Since A Discovery of Witches, he was in limited series The Offer which came out in 2022. Now, he's returned to the television world with the crime drama, and we're here to recap it for you! Here's what happened in episode 1. Spoilers below.
Introducing DCI Carl Morck
Of course with this being the first episode of the show, it begins by laying the groundwork and introducing all the main characters. Though the opening scene is quite chilling and captures your attention immediately. Goode's character Carl Morck and his partner Hardy are injured responding to a call, while the officer there is shot and killed. The two don't wait for backup and the response team, and unfortunately it has dire consequences.
While Morck is fine now after being shot in the face/neck, Hardy is paralyzed. Even though Morck is visiting him and trying to keep his partner and friend's spirits up and he has a family, Hardy is having a hard time adjusting to his new reality and the trauma he's been through, and doesn't want to continue on. Though near the end of the episode, the character is in some higher spirits when he asks Morck about the new department he's now heading.
Needing a win for the police department, the higher ups decide to start a program focusing on cold cases called Dept. Q, and it comes with all the funding that the government allegedly doesn't have. Detective Chief Superintendent Moira does establish it and puts Carl in charge, and the only one working it too. Though she does take most of the money to better her own department upstairs. Look, it's understandable.
Carl is closed off and broody anyway, not getting along with his co-workers. So this might be the best fit for him. Especially since the authorities still don't know who was behind the shooting, and his co-workers are looking into it. Though he doesn't think they're capable enough to figure it out. He does get an assistant in the form of Akram Salim, who seems to take his broody behavior in stride.
Dept. Q has its first cold case
Then there's Merritt who is a successful prosecutor being stalked by someone. She continues to get death threats throughout the episode. We're also introduced to her brother William who has a disability, and the show is making us think he had something to do with her disappearance. Though I don't think that's going to be the case.
It turns out all the scenes we get of Merritt and William are actually from four years ago, which means her disappearance has become a cold case. And guess who's going to reopen it? Dept. Q of course! Plus, the ending scene reveals that Merritt is indeed still alive and trapped. Will they find her? I'm definitely intrigued right off the bat and interested to see where this investigation goes. I'm also wondering if the whole season will be focused on Merritt, or multiple cold cases. We'll find out!
Be sure to check out all of our episodic recaps of the series, here. Dept. Q is now streaming on Netflix.