Netflix’s Dept. Q, created by Scott Frank (The Queen’s Gambit, Monsieur Spade), is a riveting British crime drama adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s bestselling book series. Centered around the brooding and emotionally scarred detective Carl Morck (played by Matthew Goode), the show follows a mismatched trio—Morck, the enigmatic Akram (Alexej Manvelov), and the sharp-witted Rose (Leah Byrne)—as they reopen long-forgotten cold cases from the dark corners of Scotland’s criminal archives. With tight pacing, haunting visuals, and emotionally complex characters, Dept. Q combines slow-burn procedural elements with layered psychological drama, making it one of Netflix’s most compelling crime thrillers of recent years. It has already drawn comparisons to shows like Mindhunter and Broadchurch, thanks to its cerebral tone and richly textured storytelling.
If you’ve been captivated by Dept. Q and are now looking for other shows like it that scratch the same itch—of morally grey detectives, disturbing pasts, and meticulously layered mysteries—this list is for you. These 10 shows like Dept Q range from gritty British procedurals to atmospheric Nordic noirs. Each title here reflects the psychological intensity, narrative depth, and emotional weight that made Dept. Q such an addictive watch.
1. Mindhunter
Set in the late 1970s and early ’80s, Mindhunter follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, along with psychologist Wendy Carr, as they develop criminal profiling by interviewing America’s most notorious serial killers. These include fictionalized versions of real-life murderers like Edmund Kemper and Richard Speck.
Like Dept Q, Mindhunter is one of those shows that is methodical, cerebral, and obsessed with the “why” behind violent crime. Both shows emphasize psychological depth over action, and fans of Carl Morck’s dark introspection will see echoes of that in Holden Ford’s increasingly blurred morality. If you’re searching for shows like Dept. Q that peel back the minds of monsters while also interrogating the investigators themselves, this is essential viewing.
2. Broadchurch
When the body of 11-year-old Danny Latimer is found on a beach in the small town of Broadchurch, the local community is thrown into turmoil. Detectives Alec Hardy (David Tennant), a gruff outsider, and Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), a local with personal ties to the victim’s family, are tasked with solving the case.
Broadchurch explores how grief, suspicion, and secrets ripple through a community—and its emotional intelligence is what makes it one of the most memorable shows like Dept Q. Both series are grounded in character development, layered mysteries, and a refusal to offer easy answers.
3. The Bridge
This Danish-Swedish crime thriller kicks off with a dead body found on the Øresund Bridge, linking Copenhagen and Malmö. It turns out to be two halves of two different victims, placed deliberately on the border. Saga Norén, a socially awkward but brilliant Swedish detective, teams up with Denmark’s more emotional Martin Rohde to solve the case.
Like Dept. Q, The Bridge thrives on mismatched partnerships, moral complexity, and long-form investigations that grow more personal with every episode. It’s a cornerstone of Nordic noir and one of the most tonally similar shows like Dept. Q on this list.
4. Marcella
Anna Friel stars as Marcella Backland, a former detective who returns to work after her husband leaves her, only to be thrust into a case involving a serial killer that may be linked to one from her past. As Marcella begins to suffer from blackouts and dissociative episodes, her reliability and sanity are called into question.
Marcella is dark, fragmented, and unrelenting in its psychological exploration—much like Dept. Q. Both shows revolve around detectives fighting personal demons while investigating disturbing crimes that often reflect their own internal turmoil. If you’re looking for emotionally unstable yet brilliant investigators in shows like Dept. Q, Marcella delivers.
5. Wallander
Set in the misty coastal towns of southern Sweden, Wallander follows Kenneth Branagh as the eponymous detective Kurt Wallander, who tackles brutal and often politically charged murders while wrestling with his own declining health and melancholic worldview.
This British adaptation of Henning Mankell’s novels captures the same slow, heavy atmosphere as Dept. Q. Both shows are drenched in existential dread and moral ambiguity, exploring how justice often comes at a personal cost. If you want slow-burn Nordic introspection in your shows like Dept. Q, Wallander is a must.
6. The Fall
Set in Belfast, The Fall chronicles the parallel lives of serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) and detective Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), who is sent from London to catch him. The series explores gender dynamics, the psychology of violence, and the emotional toll of obsession.
Both The Fall and Dept. Q center around deeply controlled but emotionally fraying investigators facing darkness that feels too close to home. The Fall is one of the best shows like Dept Q in how it examines evil without glamorizing it, and how it allows its characters space to fall apart.
7. Top of the Lake
When 12-year-old Tui Mitcham goes missing in a remote New Zealand town, Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) takes on the case while grappling with her own traumatic past. The investigation exposes layers of misogyny, corruption, and psychological scars.
This show, created by Jane Campion (The Piano), is beautifully shot and emotionally raw. Like Dept. Q, Top of the Lake focuses less on procedural tropes and more on what justice really means in a broken system. It’s one of those shows like Dept. Q where the mystery is just a door to something much deeper.
8. Dark Winds
Based on Tony Hillerman’s novels, Dark Winds is set in the 1970s Southwest and follows Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee as they solve crimes that mix Indigenous folklore with real-world violence. Their investigations are often tied to historical trauma and spiritual dilemmas.
While the cultural setting differs, Dark Winds shares Dept. Q’s fascination with buried truths and morally complex investigations. Its slow pacing and deeply personal stakes make it one of the more original yet emotionally resonant shows like Dept. Q.
9. Happy Valley
Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) is a Yorkshire police sergeant dealing with the loss of her daughter and the reappearance of her rapist, who is connected to a string of crimes. The show balances personal grief with violent criminality, grounded in unflashy realism.
Like Carl Morck, Catherine is emotionally broken yet quietly resilient. Both characters carry enormous weight while pursuing justice in unforgiving systems. Happy Valley belongs to that rare class of shows like Dept. Q where emotional stakes are as tense as the crime itself.
10. Mare of Easttown
Kate Winslet plays Mare Sheehan, a weary detective in a working-class Pennsylvania town investigating the murder of a teenage mother while dealing with personal loss and a tight-knit community that’s falling apart. The show blends mystery, family drama, and regional authenticity.
Mare of Easttown stands out among shows like Dept. Q because of its emotional maturity and ability to depict trauma without sensationalism. Mare, like Carl, is a detective shaped by grief, guilt, and a relentless need to find closure—not just for the victims, but for themselves.
Dept Q was fantastic and I am glad to see I watched all the shows you recommended but the one with Elizabeth Moss, which I willl now watch. Thanks