Netflix’s gritty crime drama Dept. Q has taken the streaming world by storm, and fans are buzzing with excitement as the platform officially confirmed Dept. Q Season 2 on June 25, 2025, just weeks after the first season’s explosive debut. Adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s bestselling Danish novel series and relocated to the moody streets of Edinburgh, the show has been hailed as a “tartan noir” masterpiece, earning an 87% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 93% audience Popcornmeter rating. With Season 1’s thrilling mix of cold-case mysteries and personal trauma captivating viewers, Season 2 promises to dive deeper into the darkness with a “darker, deadlier, and more twisted” narrative. Here’s everything you need to know about the release schedule, expected premiere, cast, plot, and why Dept. Q Season 2 is shaping up to be Netflix’s must-watch thriller of 2026.

Release Schedule and Expected Premiere

Dept. Q Season 2 was greenlit by Netflix in late June 2025, following the first season’s strong performance, which saw it climb to No. 1 on Netflix’s UK Top 10 TV Shows list and hold a top-five spot globally for three weeks after its May 29, 2025, premiere. While Netflix has not announced an exact release date, industry sources suggest a mid-2026 premiere, likely between June and August, based on the production timeline of Season 1. Filming for the first season began in February 2024 and wrapped in time for a May 2025 release, a 15-month turnaround. With pre-production reportedly underway as of July 2025, Season 2 is expected to follow a similar schedule, with filming slated for early 2026 and post-production wrapping by mid-year.

The second season is anticipated to feature six to eight episodes, down from Season 1’s nine, as hinted by showrunner Scott Frank in a Collider interview. This tighter episode count aims to streamline the storytelling while maintaining the show’s intense pacing. All episodes will likely drop simultaneously on Netflix, following the platform’s binge-release model, with availability in regions including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Fans can stream Season 1 on Netflix now to catch up, with subscriptions starting at £5.99/month in the UK or $6.99/month in the US.

The Cast: Returning Favorites and New Faces

The heart of Dept. Q lies in its stellar ensemble, led by Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Mørck, the brilliant but abrasive detective haunted by a traumatic shooting. Goode, known for Downton Abbey and The Crown, has expressed enthusiasm for returning, telling Yahoo UK, “We need to get Alexej [Manvelov] into eight weeks of Krav Maga training so the fight scenes in Season 2 can be amazing.” His nuanced portrayal of Mørck’s grief and sarcasm has been a standout, with critics calling it “layered and quietly magnetic.”

Alexej Manvelov reprises his role as Akram Salim, a Syrian refugee turned police officer whose enigmatic past and chemistry with Mørck anchor the show’s buddy-cop dynamic. Leah Byrne returns as Rose Dickson, the resourceful assistant who proved her mettle in Season 1, while Jamie Sives is back as DCI James Hardy, Mørck’s paralyzed partner who rejoins the team on crutches, adding emotional depth. Kate Dickie and Kelly Macdonald are expected to return as Commander Moira Jacobson and Dr. Rachel Irving, respectively, with Macdonald’s therapist role potentially expanding to explore Mørck’s unresolved trauma.

Chloe Pirrie, who played prosecutor Merritt Lingard in Season 1, may appear in flashbacks or as a recurring character, given her story’s resolution. New cast members are likely to be introduced to reflect the second novel’s plot, with speculation on X suggesting Scottish actors like David Tennant or Karen Gillan could join as guest stars tied to the elite boarding school setting. The ensemble’s chemistry, described by What’s on Netflix as “bouncing off each other with laughs and advancing the plot,” will remain a key draw.

The Plot: A Darker, Deadlier Cold Case

Season 1 of Dept. Q, based on Adler-Olsen’s The Keeper of Lost Causes, followed Carl Mørck as he was sidelined to the basement of Edinburgh’s police station to head Department Q, a PR-stunt cold-case unit. After a shooting left a young officer dead and his partner Hardy paralyzed, Mørck, wracked with guilt, tackled the four-year-old disappearance of prosecutor Merritt Lingard. The case unraveled a twisted conspiracy involving the Jennings family, with Mørck, Akram, and Rose exposing dark secrets. The season ended with the case solved, Hardy returning to the team, and an unresolved mystery: the Leith Park shooting that scarred Mørck and Hardy, hinting at a coordinated hit tied to gangster Eugene Errington.

Season 2 is expected to adapt The Absent One, the second novel in Adler-Olsen’s series, focusing on a 20-year-old double murder of a brother and sister. The official book blurb reveals: “One of the suspects confessed and is serving time, but it’s clear to Mørck that all is not what it seems. Kimmie, a homeless woman with secrets involving powerful individuals, could hold the key—if Mørck can track her down before they do.” This cold case, set against an elite boarding school, promises a darker, deadlier narrative, with themes of privilege, corruption, and revenge. Showrunner Scott Frank told Collider that Season 2 will blend this cold case with a current investigation, maintaining the layered storytelling fans loved. The Leith Park shooting will likely be a central arc, with Moira tasking Hardy to dig into the case off the books, raising questions about trust and betrayal within the police force.

The plot will delve deeper into Mørck’s trauma and his evolving relationship with Akram, whose Syrian backstory may unfold further. Fans on X speculate that Kimmie’s secrets could tie to Edinburgh’s elite, mirroring Season 1’s societal critiques. The Guardian praised Season 1’s “sharp and lean” script, and Frank’s vision for Season 2 aims to amplify the “grimy, gothic” atmosphere, with Edinburgh’s moody landscapes enhancing the noir aesthetic. Expect more morally complex characters and shocking twists, with one IMDb reviewer noting, “The silences speak, and the spaces between the action matter.”

Why It’s Darker, Deadlier, and More Twisted

Dept. Q Season 1 was lauded for its emotionally intelligent storytelling, avoiding generic crime drama tropes. Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-, calling it “an especially effective sub-genre when writing, directing, and casting align.” Season 2 promises to raise the stakes with a colder, more brutal case. The double-murder mystery, combined with the ongoing Leith Park investigation, introduces a web of elite corruption and personal vendettas, making it “deadlier” than Season 1’s kidnapping focus. The involvement of Kimmie, a marginalized figure hunted by powerful forces, adds a twisted layer of suspense, with Frank hinting at “murkier waters” in a Forbes interview.

Fans on X are already raving, with one writing, “Season 2 of Department Q needs to happen 100%. I was hooked all the way through.” Another called it “a darker Broadchurch with better writing.” The show’s slow-burn approach, focusing on grief and institutional neglect, resonates deeply, with Variety describing it as “an emotionally fraught thriller that never lets up.” Season 2’s tighter episode count will likely intensify the pacing, delivering more action—potentially with Manvelov’s Akram in Krav Maga-trained fight scenes, as Goode teased.

The series’ Nordic noir roots, relocated to Scotland’s stark beauty, create a haunting backdrop. With 10 novels in Adler-Olsen’s series, Dept. Q has ample material for future seasons, and Frank’s track record with The Queen’s Gambit ensures a cinematic quality. The show’s Emmy submission for Best Drama Series in June 2025 signals Netflix’s confidence, boosting renewal prospects.

Why It’s a Must-Watch

Dept. Q Season 2 is poised to be Netflix’s darkest thriller yet, blending a chilling cold case with personal stakes and a stellar cast. Matthew Goode’s Carl Mørck, described by What’s on Netflix as “a man hollowed out by trauma,” anchors the show’s emotional core, while the ensemble’s chemistry elevates every scene. The promise of a twistier plot, exploring elite corruption and a 20-year-old murder, ensures a gripping ride. As one X user put it, “It’s thrilling, enthralling, and sublime.” Stream Season 1 on Netflix now to prepare for a darker, deadlier Season 2 in 2026, and join the “Q-ties” fandom in anticipating this unmissable crime drama.