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Netflix's latest release could be the very thing Slow Horses fans have been looking for.
Gritty, character-driven, and rich in psychological drama, Dept. Q lands in the same territory with misfit agents and hard-hitting investigations.
The bonus? It already has an 83% Tomatometer/critic rating along with a 94% popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes, making it not just compelling in content but also critically acclaimed.
Dept. Q is the new underdog unit that mirrors Slow Horses in all the right ways
What sets Slow Horses apart is its deeply flawed heroes, outcasts of the system given one last shot at redemption. Dept. Q follows a similar pathway. At its core is Carl Morck, once a top-tier officer in Edinburgh, now sidelined after a traumatic encounter cost him his team and his sense of direction.
Like Jackson Lamb's group of rejected agents, Carl's journey starts in a dimly lit basement, cheering on a team nobody believes in, solving cases no one wants to be reopened.
But this is where things now begin to shift. Dept. Q does not copy Slow Horses, but rather, it reflects it through a newer lens. Carl builds a small team of fellow outsiders: a rookie cadet, a former Syrian cop, and an unexpectedly fierce therapist.
Together, they go after the long-forgotten case of a missing prosecutor whose enemies stretch far beyond the courtroom.
As with Slow Horses, there's grit, emotional heaviness, and a growing sense of purpose as the team digs into the shadows that the others around them ignore.
Dept. Q isn’t just about cold cases—it’s about unfreezing lives
Dept. Q, as a Netflix show, does so much more than tick off crime thriller boxes—it blends itself into important and contemporary themes such as trauma and failed institutions, and how this takes on an emotional toll.
Carl's personal losses mirror his professional fall, and the series shows just how intertwined these threads are. Whether it's dealing with guilt, reworking strained family relationships, or trying to stay afloat in a system that's keen to put him in the background, Carl's story resonates with the same raw realism that makes Slow Horses so gripping to watch.
Furthermore, what elevates Dept. Q is how it weaves these important contemporary themes into its structure. While investigating Merritt Lingard's disappearance, the team uncovers a much darker story that involves systemic neglect and societal rot.
Yet, even in its bleakest moments, the show avoids shock tactics. Instead, it grounds everything in character-driven storytelling. The discomfort, the danger, the humor - all of this exists in a fragile balance, just like it does in Slow Horses.
And thanks to strong performances— especially Matthew Goode's layered portrayal of Carl, Dept. Q becomes more than a procedural drama. It becomes a deeply human exploration of what happens when second chances are the only ones left.
Dept. Q doesn't just remind viewers of Slow Horses. Rather, it echoes a similar sounding chord in the minds of viewers watching at home.
With a sharp Rotten Tomatoes score and storytelling that doesn't hold back, this Netflix series is not one to skip. For anyone drawn to stories of flawed teams fighting against all odds, this is your next must-watch.
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