You're in for a treat if you liked the chilly, suspenseful setting and slow-burning investigations of the Dept. Q. The investigators on these ten crime television series are torn souls who are trying to find answers, and they use subtle strength instead of loud displays to build pressure. These dramas cover the darkest depths of complex murders.
The mood in these shows is quite similar: dim lighting, quiet crime scenes, and psychological tension. The detectives rely on observation, calm strength, and intense focus. In this list, we examine how each show’s cast compares to the tone, pace, and emotional resonance of Dept. Q through captivating scene comparisons.
Disclaimer: This article is solely the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
Here is the list of 10 more crime dramas like Dept. Q featuring the cast doing what they do best:
10. Spiral (2005-2020)

Spiral is a French crime drama similar to Dept. Q. set in Paris. The crime drama follows judges, legislators, and police as they investigate enigmatic cases. In a moment of extreme intensity, Captain Laure Berthaud silently watches a crime scene covered in rain. Her eyes appear distant as she stands in front of a bloodied corpse. Then she hardens herself and goes into interrogating suspects.
The above scene resonates with Dept. Q, when Morck saunters into the frozen crime scene in Copenhagen. After examining the body that has been dipped in the surrounding environment, he focuses his detective attention. In both shows, the detective's inner emotional process is reflected in the weather and atmosphere, which are significant elements of the scene.
9. Luther (2010-2019)

In Luther, Idris Elba plays London's DCI John Luther, a talented but conflicted detective. He follows devious murderers and does not hesitate to go across the boundary to apprehend them. In one of Luther's episodes, he engages in a fierce fight with a psychopath in an abandoned building. He speaks slowly and rhythmically, keeping the murderer's eyes on him while using stillness as a measure to confuse him. The tension builds until Luther abruptly arrests him.
This brings to mind the scene in Dept. Q, where Morck, the detective, is observing a suspect in a freezing warehouse. He operates with low-key strength and suddenly breaks loose. Silence and tension, which cause you to hold your breath, are used in both scenes.
8. The Fall (2013-2016)

Gillian Anderson plays DSI Stella Gibson in The Fall (similar to Dept. Q.). Stella is a cool, collected detective in Belfast who is pursuing serial killer Paul Spector. There is one such heated scene when Gibson interrogates Spector in a small room. Her tone is quiet, and her eye contact is steady. It gets so tense that Spector eventually confesses after about twenty nerve-winding minutes.
A scene in Dept. Q, where Morck enters a cold chamber to be questioned, is similar to the scene of The Fall. He gradually unveils some crucial facts and sits in silence. Then the criminal snaps and confesses. Both scenes create tension not through dramatic actions but through subtle, intensified power and pressure. You can sense the minds competing, and the findings alter the entire course of the study.
7. The Tunnel (2013-2018)

The Tunnel is a series about the lives of French detective Elise Wassermann and British DCI Karl Roebuck. It is similar to Dept. Q. The two of them collaborate when half a body is discovered in the Channel Tunnel. In one opening scene, the two investigators are standing on either side of the body, lighted only by emergency lights. It is a strained silence. Then Karl holds the line of investigation, and Elise scrutinizes the body quite carefully.
The scenario where Morck and Assad find a body in a shadowy warehouse is similar to one that occurred in Dept. Q. Morck writes and reads every little detail, and Assad is hanging on the edge. Using the same tone, dim lighting, and silence, both series follow the crime’s progression until the detectives take action.
6. Jack Taylor (2010)

Jack Taylor is an Irish criminal mystery TV show similar to Dept. Q. starring Iain Glen as a retired cop turned private investigator in Galway. He is a heavy drinker and a local cop who relentlessly pursues justice. In another scene, Taylor arrives at a dark, deserted pier. He turns on his flashlight to illuminate a drowned victim and kneels beside the body to examine the injuries. The cold night air shows in his breath. He remains silent, letting the scene speak for itself. Then he flips the corpse over in search of a clue.
This mirrors a Dept. Q scene where Morck and Assad enter a cold warehouse. They examine a frozen body under dim lights. While inspecting the wounds, Morck feels the weight of the moment in silence before asking questions. Both scenes utilize quiet tension, the focus on the detective, and the stark setting to captivate you.
5. Murder by the Lake (2014)

Murder by the Lake is a crime series originally filmed in Germany and Austria about detectives Micha Oberlander and Hannah Zeiler. Viewers saw that these two detectives solved the murder cases at Lake Constance. In a stunning moment, they stand on the misty coast in the early morning, watching the surface of the waves. In the haze, a body floats by. Micha shouts,
"Divers!" and Hannah kneels to touch the cold water.
She examines the victim's coat for clues, her breath visible in the cool, crisp air.
This resembles a scene from Dept. Q, in which Morck and Assad discover a body on a misty dock somewhere by the canals of Copenhagen. Crouched down, Morck searches the coat pockets while Assad studies the victim’s hands. They don’t talk much. A gripping mood emerges from the setting and their diligent work as detectives.
4. Wisting (2019)

Wisting follows Norwegian detective William Wisting and his 20-year-old journalist daughter, Line, as they pursue serial killers across the cold Norwegian landscapes of Larvik. There is one tension-filled scene where Wisting and his crew enter an old farm in winter. In the basement, a suspect is hiding. It is a dark, quiet room. Wisting squats to inspect dusty footprints as everyone holds their breath, ready to apprehend him.
This resembles a scene from Dept. Q, where Morck and Assad find themselves in a frozen Danish farmhouse. They examine dirty footprints in the snow, survey the room, and then burst in to seize the criminal. Both scenes are marked by silent moments, snow, and slow detective work that build anticipation before the climax.
3. Wallander (2008-2016)

Wallander, a Swedish investigator, investigates significant murders in the little town of Ystad and is accompanied by Kurt Wallander. There is a scene in which Wallander walks into a derelict shipping container. He moves gingerly, shines his flashlight on the smashed flesh, and crouches to examine it. Before he calls backup, he talks to himself in a low tone.
That is quite similar to Dept. Q, when Morck and Assad discover dead bodies in a warehouse. Morck examines the bodies silently, the stream of lights going through the darkness. He takes a deep breath and then gives the order. Both sequences use silent pacing, brief speech, and body proximity to create a shudder before movement.
2. The Bridge (2011-2018)

The Bridge (similar to Dept. Q.) begins at a time when Swedish and Danish police discover a body in the middle of the Øresund Bridge. The scene opens with detectives Saga Noren and Martin Rohde approaching a dead body in the swirling shadows. When they are working together, they do not speak. Martin takes notes beside Saga, who kneels and documents the body’s position.
The Bridge is a lot like a Dept. Q scene when Morck and Assad are over the top of a dead man in a dark warehouse. As Assad watches the sight and reads the details, Morck slowly drops to his knees. Detectives develop a connection with one another at a distance in both programs, and the tone is set by mutual attention and stillness before delving into the puzzle.
1. The Killing (2011-2014)

The Killing is a crime drama similar to Dept. Q. that follows investigator Sarah Lund as she investigates difficult murder cases deep in Copenhagen's darkness. Another important scene shows Lund walking into a morose morgue at night. She gazes at the body under the lamp, readjusts her gloves so that no sound can be heard, and puts the fingernail clipping scraps of the victim in an evidence bag.
Although she remains silent, her purposeful actions reveal her connection to the victim. The scene where Morck enters a frigid room, examines a corpse under harsh lights, changes gloves, and evaluates a wound makes me think of Dept. Q. Both detectives show respect for the dead by carrying out exact, cautious actions. Afterwards, they sharpen their focus and begin the investigation.
We conclude that the emotional resonance, tension, and stasis in these crime dramas are the same as those in the Dept. Q. The detectives keep their heads cool while working in frozen landscapes, dark rooms, and amid tense silence. The subtle details and restrained performances speak volumes, keeping viewers glued to every move and twist in each case.