Netflix has announced the cast for new series Department Q

Currently filming in Edinburgh, Department Q is a new Netflix series based on the set of novels by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen. The series is written by Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani, Stephen Greenhorn and Colette Kane, and revolves around Carl Morck, a former top-rated detective in Edinburgh assigned to a new cold case whilst wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralysed and another policeman dead.

The Department Q cast announced (as shown above) are (top row) Matthew Goode, Chloe Pirrie, (bottom row) Alexej Manvelov, Kelly Macdonald and Leah Byrne. Other cast include Mark Bonnar as Stephen, Shirley Henderson as Clare Marsh, Jamie Sives as DS Hardy and Kate Dickie as Moira.

Who’s who in the Department Q cast?

The announcement has a fair amount of detail, we summarise here:

Matthew Goode as  DCI Carl Morck — brilliant but impossible — has his life turned upside down after a violent incident leaves his partner paralysed and an officer dead. Upon his return to work, he is tasked with setting up Department Q – a new cold case department, which is little more than a PR exercise.

Chloe Pirrie as Merritt Lingard, a ruthless and ambitious prosecutor, has quickly risen the ranks in the Crown Office.  Merritt had a troubled childhood, raised by her absent father on the Isle of Mull.  But after her brother William suffered a severe brain injury, she turned her life around and dedicated her life to him, whilst striving for justice in her role as prosecutor.

Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim, an officer in the Syrian police force when civil war broke out. He decided to flee to Europe with his family. Unable to work as a cop in the UK, he petitions for work at Edinburgh’s police station, becoming Carl’s assistant.

Kelly MacDonald as Dr Rachel Irving, the therapist charged with getting officers back on the front line. She’s smart, and she soon gets the measure of Carl, his trauma and his superiority complex.

Leah Byrne as Rose, once a top police cadet with a promising future in the force.  But a mental-health-related breakdown during her first year as a detective constable has left her on shaky ground.

With filming under way, we expect post-production later this year, so we might see this show at the end of this year. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.