WatchmenandDownton AbbeystarMatthew Goodehas many beloved titles in his back catalog, with another exciting addition coming recently in the form ofDept. Q, the latest in a long line of British crime thrillers on Netflix. Created byScott FrankandChandni Lakhani, and based on the Danish book series byJussi Adler-Olsen,Dept. Qfollows Goode as the no-nonsense law enforcer DCI Carl Morck, who is put in charge of a ragtag bunch of misfit police officers as they aim to put an end to crime on the streets of Edinburgh.
With every episode of the series released yesterday to an excited global Netflix audience, the first responses toDept. Qare now in and the reaction has been terrifically positive. On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,Dept. Qalready boasts an impressive, “certified fresh” 87% critics' score, albeit from just 23 entries, with this rating subject to change. For Goode, this score is on par with many other projects in his television career, with the Exeter-born actor boasting huge ratings from the likes ofDownton Abbey,The Good Wife, Roots, and, more recently, 2018’sA Discovery of Witches.
InSamuel R. Murrian’s review of the seriesfor Collider, he awardedDept. Qa promising 6/10, citing great on-screen chemistry as a positive factor and a bloated narrative and clunky editing as negatives. “Dept. Qwill likely gripfans of whodunit farewell enough, but with some crucial tweaks, it’s not hard to imagine it becoming a better show if further seasons are to follow,” Murrian said, later adding, “Adler-Olsen has written ten novels and counting (the Danish setting of the books has been moved to Scotland for Netflix’s series), so ifDept. Qfinds an audience, there should be plenty of material to work with moving forward. If that happens, hopefully, future installments of the series will be as good as its acting.”
Matthew Goode Will Not Return for ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’
Scheduled to premiere on September 12,Downton Abbey: The Grand Finaleis set to see the iconic British period drama off into the sunset as the Crawleys and co face one more round of emotionally-driven chaos before the franchise’s doors are shut for good. With a final outing cast that boasts the likes ofHugh Bonneville,Laura Carmichael,Michelle Dockery,Joanne Froggatt, Jim Carter, and even a returningPaul Giamatti, many had wondered if Goode might also return as Talbot. However, recently, theactor put those rumors to bed, confirming he wouldn’t be involved before playfully saying, “Let’s face it, he was edging towards becoming a bit of a wet lettuce. So maybe it’s a good thing.”
All episodes ofDept. Qare available to stream right now. Stay tuned to Collider for more on the best movie and TV news.
