S01.E09: Episode 9

[Snazzy Daisy]

Quote

A decades-old recording helps all the clues to fall into place. But as the pressure rises — in and out of the chamber — can Carl get there in time?

Air Date: May 29, 2025

 

Edited June 1 by Snazzy Daisy

[ichbin]

Overall a great series that is well deserving of  coming back. Hope the ratings are to the liking of Netflix. They really need to have more publicity for the good stuff like this. 

[Rickster]

Really liked the series. Binged the second half, which I rarely do. My only criticism would be that they could have tightened it up by doing an episode or two less, and I found the trapped in a hyperbaric chamber for four years concept to be more than a bit over the top.

I wondered if they really use the f-bomb in Scotland as much as people do in this series.

Would love to see multiple more seasons, just wish they can film them quickly.

[Snazzy Daisy]

The Leith Park shooting isn’t resolved. It will continue to haunt Carl in season 2, if renewed.

I hope the Lord Advocate will keep his promise to Carl to fast-track Akram to the DI rank.

When Merritt is leaving the police station, she bumps into Carl but doesn’t recognize him and Carl says nothing. It’s a bit confusing for me. 

Chloe Pirrie, who plays Merritt in the series, revealed to Cosmopolitan UK that Scott Frank (show’s creator) wanted to lean away from a sentimental ending.

 

OVERALL:

I have been waiting for this show because I love gritty crime dramas, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s one of my favorite shows for 2025. 

Re the cinematography, the 4:3 aspect ratio used in the chamber scenes does heighten the feeling of being trapped and claustrophobic.

My only complaints about Dept Q:

• The story can be told in just 6 episodes with better editing and fewer red herrings.
• Carl’s home life doesn’t really add depth to his character. Jasper and Martin are just annoying.
• The show doesn’t really know what to do with Kelly Macdonald. Narrative wise, Carl’s sessions with Dr. Rachel Irving feels pointless. She brings out the vulnerable side of him, that’s about it.

Matthew Goode is brilliant as DCI Carl Morck. You don’t have to like Carl, but you realize very quickly that he always asks the right, intriguing questions. Carl’s dynamic with Akram Salim is the heart and core of this show, for me.

I first saw Alexej Manvelov in “Top Dog” and I liked this actor straightaway. He has presence and intensity even when he says nothing. Akram Salim became my favorite character in Dept Q for obvious reasons, and they also wrote him quite well.

“I am Akram” is my favorite line from Dept Q. He can say this in every episode and I will chuckle every time. 😂

[EtheltoTillie]

It’s like I am Groot

I feel they’re more like the fantastic four. I loved the whole team dynamic.

[Kirsty]

I enjoyed this. The concept is very hackneyed. Asshole white male solves crimes. That's why I haven't watched a show of this kind for years... Since the first season of True Detective aired maybe? I feel like there will be stories like this at least as long as there are TVs. But this one was well executed and the two actors playing Carl and Akram were top notch.

My criticisms:

The idea that the baddies would have kept Merritt alive for four years seemed far fetched.

I don't think nine episodes were needed. The pace lagged around episode 6. I think eight episodes would have been enough.

The therapy/romance combo was a shambles. I just had to handwave it.

I think Hardy should have stayed in the wheelchair. Why not have a detective character in a wheelchair instead of a miraculous recovery?

[LisaM]

Episode 9 was the best of the series. So good that I had to watch the scene where Akram stabs/shoots Lyle twice. Compelling and well done. Seeing William get off of the helicopter was perfect. 

However, there were too many scenes of Merritt in the chamber. The show could have been condensed into 7 episodes if some of those had been cut out. (I am not big on "women in captivity" stories so perhaps I am biased.) 

I hope this gets renewed. I love the Basement Four and I'd like to see the Leith Park shooting get solved. 

[Raja]

On 6/2/2025 at 12:50 PM, Kirsty said:

My criticisms:

The idea that the baddies would have kept Merritt alive for four years seemed far fetched.

But they did more than just let her live, the mentally ill mother and son tortured her. The sergeant that didn't know she was alive but covered up her supposed death on the ferry as street justice was my jump off point.

Overall I got lost a couple of times before understanding I was in a flashback. And in the last couple of episodes remained a step ahead of the police coming to the same conclusions.

Akram joins the list of detectives that I don't want ever want to meet if I was on the wrong side of right.

[Chaos Theory]

Never quite sure if I liked this or not.  None of the characters were particularly likeable.  Plus the idea that they would keep her alive for four years was a bit far fetched but I did like the reasoning that they were more interested in torturing her then killing her.     I do think the show pulled out the ending.   The bunch of reveals at the end were pretty good and I am glad that Merrit lived.  If there is a season 2 she would fit in well with the group of misfits.  

[Enigma X]

I binged this show in a day. I loved it. I hope there is another season.

I don’t think keeping Merritt alive for 4 years is far fetched because Ailsa’s past proved she was sadistic like that, and Lyle was a psychopath. I am more like wtf about why the Mhor police chief hadn’t jailed her for her crimes a long time ago. I was confused by that bit.

Once we were introduced to Sam, I figured he had something to do with Harry.

In any case, still so many open stories and hope it comes back.

[Souris]

Corker of a show! Matthew Goode was fantastic. I loved all the team. "I am Akram" is fantastic.

I admit it did lag a bit in eps 7/8. And as much as I like Kelly McDonald, her role seemed pointless.

[Jordan Baker]

Really gripping show. The acting was just top-notch, all across the board. 

I'm really bad at figuring out who the killers are in these shows. I was sure, the first time we saw the older woman outside the hyperbaric chamber, that it was William's caretaker in disguise. That's how far off I was.

I was also sure that one of the main characters would be killed, and I feared it would be Akram. When Morck and Akram went to Ailsa Jenning's trailer and she was holding the shotgun, I actually found myself pacing about the room thinking "Here it comes." I was relieved that I was wrong.

And I should have known better. He is Akram!

 

[SeanBug]

Absolutely loved it. 

I wonder if they dragged out Merritt's kidnapping scenes to make the viewer feel like she did, just on and on and on. How she didn't completely go insane is a miracle. When she went downstairs at the end and saw their clue board, I almost teared up.  To think these people worked so hard to solve what happened to her, and ultimately save her. 

Since this is a book series, I can see why they leave a lot of things open, as the books continue, these characters will be there. 

Anyone else notice William's caretaker, played by Shirley Henderson, is the ghost girl Myrtle in HP and the Chamber of Secrets? 

Matthew Goode was just fantastic. I read that he isn't in the latest Downton Abbey movie (how long are they going to beat that dead horse). He said he was much happier to turn it down as he was filming this.  So are we. 

I wonder if the Finch stuff will come up again.  And will Moira have Hardy work on the Leith park shooting. 

[Raja]

23 minutes ago, SeanBug said:

I wonder if they dragged out Merritt's kidnapping scenes to make the viewer feel like she did, just on and on and on. How she didn't completely go insane is a miracle. When she went downstairs at the end and saw their clue board, I almost teared up.  To think these people worked so hard to solve what happened to her, and ultimately save her. 

Since this is a book series, I can see why they leave a lot of things open, as the books continue, these characters will be there. 

I got the time jump but they played Carl getting shot the second time so casually at the diving docks and at home that might I was surprised the case board was still up.  And since it was there I was thinking was Rose and Akram went back to their old units until Carl returned for the next cold case. Thinking these days later even if all known suspects were dead the case would remain open to look for further accomplices. 

Since Carl took the buckshot for Akram instead of his partner slowing down the bullet hitting him at the first shooting I would guess he is in a better place emotionally.

[SeanBug]

25 minutes ago, Raja said:

I got the time jump but they played Carl getting shot the second time so casually at the diving docks and at home that might I was surprised the case board was still up.  And since it was there I was thinking was Rose and Akram went back to their old units until Carl returned for the next cold case. Thinking these days later even if all known suspects were dead the case would remain open to look for further accomplices. 

Since Carl took the buckshot for Akram instead of his partner slowing down the bullet hitting him at the first shooting I would guess he is in a better place emotionally.

I wondered if it was just because Carl had taken some time off, and no one had been down there for a while. 

Also considering Akram shot Lyle and the mother shot herself in her car, there would probably be a lot of de briefing, interviewing Merritt about how they grabbed her, etc.  It was a nice touch to show Merritt looking at it, no matter the reason.  Imagine everything she had to process, on top of the fact she was actually sleeping with Lyle, posing as Sam. Talk about someone needing a lot of therapy. 

This reminds me of cases when a child is kidnapped and missing for years, and is finally found years later. Everyone involved is probably in a state of shock for a while. 

One thing that confused me was when the real Sam saw Lyle walking up the steps at the rock climbing site. Was it just a chance encounter that Lyle took advantage of, or was Lyle stalking Sam.  

I thought Lyle had taken off after he killed the police chief. 

 

[dancingdreamer]

We loved it. !! I love a gritty English  series. Matthew Goode was fabulous, his acting  was right up there( for me) with Tom Hardy in Mobland. Rose and Akram were both excellent We're  ready  for season  2 . .

I like Kate Dickie( Moira) she was very good in Annika. 

[mledawn]

20 hours ago, Jordan Baker said:

I'm really bad at figuring out who the killers are in these shows. I was sure, the first time we saw the older woman outside the hyperbaric chamber, that it was William's caretaker in disguise. That's how far off I was.

 

I also thought it was Claire with aged-up makeup on, but I couldn't understand why she would do that... So I empathise!

[tennisgurl]

This was a great series, I really liked it. I had to make an effort not to watch it all at once so I could draw it all out. Lots of twists that made a lot of sense in retrospect, we have the answers about the main case but there are still a lot of unanswered questions about Finch and Carl's shooting. I really hope that they greenlight another season, I would love to see the further adventures of Carl and the basement bunch.

I liked the whole cast a lot but Akram really stole the show, I watched him taking down Lyle three times in a row, so badass. I really enjoyed everyone eventually becoming a team, even Carl ended up warming to the others in his prickly way. Matthew Goode was so good, Carl is still not a very nice guy but I found him compelling and even likable by the end. 

What is up with Carl and his therapist? I really hope things don't cross professional lines, that is the last thing he needs.

Merrit reuniting with her brother at the end was a great moment, emotional without being sappy, as was her seeing how much work people put into saving her. Considering how few people seemed to personally like her, other than all of her colleagues being attracted to her, that must have have incredible. 

I feel bad for the real Sam, he might have been messy and troubled but it seemed like he was trying to be a better person and he was horribly murdered by someone he tried to connect with. 

I hope that the show does well, there are still a lot of questions and a lot of old cases to be solved.

[sugarbaker design]

On 6/1/2025 at 4:44 PM, Rickster said:

Really liked the series. Binged the second half, which I rarely do. My only criticism would be that they could have tightened it up by doing an episode or two less,

Agreed, it would've been much better at 6 episodes.

On 6/1/2025 at 4:44 PM, Rickster said:

I wondered if they really use the f-bomb in Scotland as much as people do in this series.

I'm sure it's more, and don't forget the c-bomb, that's very popular.

On 6/1/2025 at 10:39 PM, Snazzy Daisy said:

When Merritt is leaving the police station, she bumps into Carl but doesn’t recognize him and Carl says nothing. It’s a bit confusing for me. 

Didn't confuse me at all, Morck wanted to avoid an emotional situation.

On 6/1/2025 at 10:39 PM, Snazzy Daisy said:

I first saw Alexej Manvelov in “Top Dog” and I liked this actor straightaway.

He was awesome in the Swedish 'Before We Die'.

On 6/3/2025 at 10:43 PM, LisaM said:

However, there were too many scenes of Merritt in the chamber. The show could have been condensed into 7 episodes if some of those had been cut out.

If they were cut out, there would've been zero emotional investment in her rescue.

On 6/8/2025 at 1:58 AM, dancingdreamer said:

We loved it. !! I love a gritty English  series. 

English?  It was set in Edinburgh with a majority Scottish cast.  The only thing English was Matthew Goode.

[Paloma]

On 6/8/2025 at 6:04 PM, mledawn said:

On 6/7/2025 at 9:04 PM, Jordan Baker said:

I'm really bad at figuring out who the killers are in these shows. I was sure, the first time we saw the older woman outside the hyperbaric chamber, that it was William's caretaker in disguise. That's how far off I was.

 

I also thought it was Claire with aged-up makeup on, but I couldn't understand why she would do that... So I empathise!

I was even farther off--I thought it was a man disguised as a woman, especially after the wig came off! 

Overall my husband and I thought this show was really well made, though "enjoyed" might not be the right word with all the hyperbaric chamber torture and savage beatings and murders. But we definitely want to see another season of the team working together, and especially more Akram (though we suspect that he worked for Assad in Syria and was someone we would have condemned there). 

Although I'm obviously glad Merritt was rescued, the timing was too convenient--the team figures out where she is 4 years after she was kidnapped and on the same day (maybe even within an hour--it wasn't clear) of Lyle and his mother turning everything off and leaving her to die, which would have happened pretty quickly if the team hadn't found her. But I can handwave that because it made the story more exciting. 

Harder to handwave, unless I am misunderstanding what happened, is how Lyle (pretending to be Sam) could have been at the trial in Edinburgh every day, sitting where Merritt could see him, when he was a ferry worker. Did he just take off work for an indefinite time so he could stalk Merritt in Edinburgh? And then when she told him she was going to Mhor the morning after they slept together, did he just rush back to his job and alert his mother to take the car on the ferry so they could kidnap Merritt? Did he stop to kill the real Sam before rushing back to his ferry job, or did that murder occur the day before?

[dancingdreamer]

Quote

English?  It was set in Edinburgh with a majority Scottish cast.  The only thing English was Matthew Goode.

The Netflix series "Dept. Q" is primarily English, although it is loosely based on a Danish book series and set in Edinburgh, Scotland. The show is produced in English and features a predominantly English-speaking cast. 

[Raja]

42 minutes ago, dancingdreamer said:

The Netflix series "Dept. Q" is primarily English, although it is loosely based on a Danish book series and set in Edinburgh, Scotland. The show is produced in English and features a predominantly English-speaking cast. 

One of the police cars had POLICE, in English and another language on its hood. Perhaps an FBI agent in Puerto Rico or a tribal police force if an outsider married into the tribe and moved to their reservation to work would be the closest American analogy to the Scotland versus English split that the characters made a point of.  I would say calling someone from Oklahoma a Texan but without another native language it doesn't fit as well.

Carl's outsider status might not have been as noticeable as Akram's but with Carl's combative nature it was brought up as a point of counterattack against him. Whereas with Akram being Syrian was just noted, but his status as a civilian police aid was more important. I guess in the end when the push to get him commissioned with real police status and powers.

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, dancingdreamer said:

The Netflix series "Dept. Q" is primarily English, although it is loosely based on a Danish book series and set in Edinburgh, Scotland. The show is produced in English and features a predominantly English-speaking cast. 

That doesn't make any sense. That's like saying the Cuaron film Roma is a Spanish movie because it uses the Spanish language.

Dept Q does, indeed, employ the  English language, but it is not an English series.  For the record, Dept Q is based (not loosely) on the novel The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first novel in the Dept Q series by Danish writer Jussi Adler-Oleson.  It was adapted by American Scott Frank who cast all the major roles, save one, with Scottish actors, while filming in the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh.

37 minutes ago, Raja said:

One of the police cars had POLICE, in English and another language on its hood.

That would be Scots Gaelic.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I’m sorry, but I’m one of those people who can’t completely follow the plot. Exactly what did the Lord Advocate do, and how did it put Merritt at risk?

[sugarbaker design]

42 minutes ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

I’m sorry, but I’m one of those people who can’t completely follow the plot. Exactly what did the Lord Advocate do, and how did it put Merritt at risk?

Finch was on trial for murdering his wife.  There was a witness (Kristie, Kirstie?) who had damning evidence.  Finch had someone drive the LA's daughter off the road.  Finch threatened the LA's daughter.  The LA disallowed the witness's evidence. Finch got off.  This did not threaten Merritt, but it did give K's parents motive to hurt her.

[Daisychain]

On 6/7/2025 at 8:49 PM, Raja said:

Since Carl took the buckshot for Akram instead of his partner slowing down the bullet hitting him at the first shooting I would guess he is in a better place emotionally.

I'm a very literal person and I missed that -- thanks for the post!  I would definitely fail English lit these days.  I am smart enough to love Akram tho.

[Milburn Stone]

Loved everything, don't even care about the illogical stuff, didn't notice it at the time and don't want to notice it now. :) Also, I wouldn't have wished for one episode less than they gave us.

At the beginning of 9, I found it odd at first that the detectives were so casual. Watching videos on Hardy's big screen, they were all like "Netflix and chill." Then I realized my reason for thinking that it was weird was I knew Merritt was being tortured in a hyperbaric chamber, and they didn't yet. The show even made a point of the contrast, intercutting her torture with their chilling.

And glad they gave us as much wrap-up as they did. They could have ended on a dark note right after the rescue (long, slow fade to black on Carl, as he faces once again the tragically dark hyperbaric chamber of the mind he'll be living inside for the rest of his life), but no--they left the audience feeling not just in a state of resolution but a state of joy. 

[chaifan]

I really liked this show, and have been recommending it to people.  I'm not normally one for serious crime/cop shows, but tend to like British ones more than American ones so I figured I'd give it a try.  (Yes, I know it's Scottish, but Matthew Goode drew me in, and I knew it would be in similar tone to British shows, a bit quirkier.)

I ended up watching eps 8 and 9 back to back.  They kept me guessing until the end, and then I kicked myself for not recognizing the physical similarity between "Sam" and Lyle.  I'm glad I was right in it not being the Lord Advocate and/or Finch, as that just seemed too obvious.

On 6/11/2025 at 9:22 AM, Paloma said:

the timing was too convenient--the team figures out where she is 4 years after she was kidnapped and on the same day (maybe even within an hour--it wasn't clear) of Lyle and his mother turning everything off and leaving her to die, which would have happened pretty quickly if the team hadn't found her.

Normally, I'd agree, but it was the team closing in on the Jennings that caused them to turn up the heat (literally and metaphorically) on Merritt, and try to skip town.  Lyle & mom knew the team was figuring it out, which is why they fed her the info to realize it was all about Harry and then left her to die.  Yes, this all happening on the same day/hour was very convenient, but it happening in close proximity made sense within the plot.

On 6/2/2025 at 3:50 PM, Kirsty said:

The therapy/romance combo was a shambles. I just had to handwave it.

I didn't see any romance there.  I think it was clear Rachel was keeping things professional, especially when Carl showed up at both her house and the cafe.  What I got out of it is that Carl trusted Rachel, which is huge for him. 

On 6/7/2025 at 9:20 PM, SeanBug said:

Anyone else notice William's caretaker, played by Shirley Henderson, is the ghost girl Myrtle in HP and the Chamber of Secrets? 

Yes, from the first word out of her mouth.  That voice is unmistakable. And it's been a decade since I've seen that movie.

I will jump on the I love Akram bandwagon.  And I loved the scene at the Hardy's where Hardy's wife kept yelling at the guys to let Rose speak.  I think Hardy's recovery was a bit quick, and to be honest the way he uses the crutches makes it look like his legs really aren't improving - it's just all upper body support.  But the scene with him at the top of the stairs was fabulous.

I also think it was a bit much to have Merritt held for 4 years.  Yes, mom and Lyle were both psychopaths, but I don't buy that mom would have devoted 4 years of her life, day after day, to just sitting there watching Merritt, feeding her, doing her laundry, etc.  Especially in the winter, crossing the compound from trailer to the chamber building.  I think this could have been just as effective if it were 6-12 months instead of 4 years.  But then it wouldn't have been a "cold" case, I guess, and they would have had to find some other reason for Carl to get the file.

The island cop - someone tell me if I have this right...  it seems that he didn't know they were holding Merritt all this time.  But that at some point he knew Lyle was the one responsible for attacking William, not Harry, and that is what he was covering up.  I don't know why - was it to save face, so his department didn't seem like they pursued an innocent kid to his death?  Or was there another reason, like why the mom got away with such horrible abuse of the kids with seemingly no punishment?

I think they wrapped this up well. I'm glad Merritt and Carl just passed by each other at the elevator and there was no big reunion.  And they set it up well for a second season.  

 

[Raja]

3 minutes ago, chaifan said:

I really liked this show, and have been recommending it to people.  I'm not normally one for serious crime/cop shows, but tend to like British ones more than American ones so I figured I'd give it a try.

The minute they put the office in the toilet I couldn't buy "serious", sure a grim tone especially with the twist after the first episode. But that comic relief style of the toilet and junker cars has me wishy washy on a pick a lane level.

5 minutes ago, chaifan said:

The island cop - someone tell me if I have this right...  it seems that he didn't know they were holding Merritt all this time.  But that at some point he knew Lyle was the one responsible for attacking William, not Harry, and that is what he was covering up.  I don't know why - was it to save face, so his department didn't seem like they pursued an innocent kid to his death?  Or was there another reason, like why the mom got away with such horrible abuse of the kids with seemingly no punishment?

He definitely didn't know about the kidnapping. The way I read it was that he suspected Merritt was murdered on the ferry as revenge for the brother/son dying. That he thought that Merritt was a bad girl too and street justice took its course.

I don't remember any case being made that the chief or anyone else knew the boys were held in solitary in the chamber as family punishment. It would take a  crime fiction writer with a demented sense to imagine that it would be turned on someone's own kids. 

[TiredMe]

I just finished this. I was on the edge of my seat during the rescue scene. I love Akram. Hope he’s promoted if this show comes back. I thought it was pretty well done, 

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 hours ago, chaifan said:

Yes, I know it's Scottish, but Matthew Goode drew me in

The minute I heard Matthew Goode, I was in! Loved it! Finished this within two days, sacrificing sleep. Matthew is absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS with the scruffy beard and Carl being an asshole didn’t affect that for me.

11 hours ago, chaifan said:

And they set it up well for a second season.

I had actually stumbled across an interview with Matthew on some Scottish daytime show and he did confirm a possible second season, but nothing official has been announced. BOO. 😒😒

Same issue with Paramount+ not saying whether Mobland will get a second season.😒

 

[chaifan]

22 hours ago, Raja said:

I don't remember any case being made that the chief or anyone else knew the boys were held in solitary in the chamber as family punishment.

Lyle spoke about it on the video that was taken while he was at the detention center, so someone knew about it.  And I'll have to go back to verify, but I thought someone said something about the mother getting off rather easily for it.  I thought that was island cop, but maybe it was the guy at the detention center.