Rapid Insights: ‘Dept. Q’ illustrates how the cold case genre can still break new ground
Netflix recently released a thrilling new dark drama about a traumatized, guilt-ridden detective (Matthew Goode) reassigned to investigate some of the most difficult, high-profile cold cases in Edinburgh. Adapted from a Danish book series by the creator of The Queen’s Gambit, this crime thriller show is racking up views on the service and has both critics and viewers buzzing.
Here’s what you need to know about Dept. Q:
Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs:
Who’s been watching this compelling new series?
We’re seeing an audience that’s 53% women and 81% aged 30+–a more gender-balanced viewership than many similar dark crime dramas. Other entrants in this space often appeal more heavily to women, even those led by male detectives (e.g. Mare of Easttown, Happy Valley, Long Bright River, Broadchurch, Wallander, Sherlock–all 57-63% women), though they all show a similarly heavy 30+ skew.
What’s the show’s biggest draw?
Its eccentric protagonist (Eccentric Character POV, 145). After a case gone wrong destroys his meager emotional stability, Detective Chief Inspector Carl Morck is relegated to the cold case basement, investigating unsolvable crimes that no one else wants to touch (Lifestyle Change, 118). Brilliant yet thoroughly unlikeable–his judgement, sarcasm, and ego spare no one–he’s tasked with putting together a competent team (Team Up, 140) willing to embrace his vicious quirks and sand down his edges. Audiences are tuning in and staying put for Morck’s tortured Journey of Self Discovery (130) as he attempts to course-correct his flailing life and overcome the Psychological Turmoil (113) of past trauma–his personal story drives both ratings and bingeability.
What else about the series is attracting viewers?
Tension and suspense. Dept. Q traffics inDark Themes (160) and dangerous situations as Morck becomes fixated on solving the seemingly unsolvable: the disappearance of a high-profile prosecutor four years prior. As his team ventures farther down the twisted rabbit hole (Conspiracy and Cover Ups, 117) in their Search for the Truth (132), audiences are reveling in the riveting emotional experience (Terror, 128; Surprise, 117; Aggressiveness, 114) of their high-stress investigation.
How does the show’s online buzz look?
Killer. Online activity skyrocketed with the show’s full-season release on May 29, maxing out our social buzz meter (at 160) and holding steady at peak levels for nearly three weeks straight. Viewers are texting and tweeting about the same key driver that’s drawing them into the show: Morck’s erratic character.
What will help catapult Dept. Q into a second season?
The crime-solving elements. While the show’s acerbic protagonist is what’s driving ratings, it’s the steady drumbeat of its Police Procedural (119) framework that will keep its story engine running for seasons to come. Audiences will keep returning to see Morck follow new clues, crack new cases (Solving A Murder, 116), and put new perpetrators behind bars (Criminal Justice System, 111), all in a quaint Edinburgh setting (British Culture, 114).
Methodology
Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault’s algorithms — utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside viewership performance and other datasets — to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.
