Fans can’t get enough of Dept. Q after its first season on Netflix. Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s hit Danish novels, the crime drama has everyone buzzing about what’s next. Here’s the full rundown on Dept. Q Season 2—renewal news, release date guesses, who’s in the cast, and what the story might hold.
Has Dept. Q Season 2 Been Confirmed?
Good news: Netflix gave Dept. Q the green light for a second season. A post on X from whatonnetflix on August 19, 2025, spilled the beans, confirming Matthew Goode will be back as the moody Carl Morck. The show’s a hit, with an 86% critic score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, plus it climbed the Top 10 in 72 countries. Netflix even pushed it for Emmy nods in the Best Drama Series category, showing they’re all in. That said, fans might need to chill for a bit, since Netflix often takes its time with new seasons.
When Could Dept. Q Season 2 Drop?
No official date yet for Dept. Q Season 2, but some detective work on production timelines gives a rough idea. Season 1 filmed from February to June 2024 and hit screens on May 29, 2025—about 15 months later. If Season 2 starts shooting in early 2026, expect a premiere sometime between late 2026 and early 2027, maybe September 2026 to March 2027. A few folks online are hoping for May 2026, but that’s probably too soon. Figure on waiting at least 18 months from Season 1’s debut, so late 2026 or early 2027 feels right.
Who’s Coming Back for Dept. Q Season 2 Cast?
The cast is a big reason Dept. Q shines, and Season 2 should bring back the main players who made the first season click. Based on how Season 1 wrapped and what the actors have said, here’s the likely lineup:
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Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck
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Jamie Sives as DCI James Hardy
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Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim
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Leah Byrne as Detective Constable Rose Dickson
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Kelly Macdonald as Dr. Rachel Irving
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Chloe Pirrie as Merritt Lingard
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Mark Bonnar as Stephen Burns
Expect some fresh faces too, especially if a new case brings in new suspects or victims, which is par for the course in crime shows.
What to Expect in Dept. Q Season 2?
Season 1, drawn from The Keeper of Lost Causes, followed Carl and his team cracking a four-year-old kidnapping case involving prosecutor Merritt Lingard, uncovering corruption along the way. The finale tied up that mystery but left the Leith Park shooting—where Carl got hurt, Hardy was paralyzed, and a rookie cop died—wide open, setting up a juicy thread for Season 2.
If the show sticks to Adler-Olsen’s books, Season 2 will likely tackle The Absent One, the second novel. It’s about a 20-year-old double murder of a brother and sister, with a killer already behind bars. Carl smells something off about the confession and starts digging, linking the case to a fancy boarding school and a homeless woman named Kimmie who knows too much. Big shots want her quiet, which ramps up the danger. Scott Frank told Collider they’ll mix this cold case with a current investigation, maybe tying it to corruption or the team’s personal baggage. The Leith Park shooting could weave in too, with Carl chasing leads on whether it was a hit tied to gangster Eugene Errington. Fans can expect more of Carl’s guilt, Hardy’s comeback, Akram’s secrets, and Rose’s rise, all from their dingy basement HQ, now funded. Word is Season 2 might be shorter, maybe six episodes instead of nine, for a tighter story.
