After the somewhat subdued second installment, "Dept. Q" Episode 3 continues to navigate the same murky waters, perhaps a little too comfortably.
While it's clear the show is committed to its deliberate pacing and bleak atmosphere, this chapter struggles to inject enough fresh urgency to truly elevate the narrative.
Matthew Goode's portrayal of Carl Mørck remains consistently compelling; his internal torment and cynicism are still the show's most potent emotional anchors. Goode truly inhabits the weary detective, making Mørck's every sigh feel earned.
The evolving dynamic between Mørck and Akram Salim (Alexej Manvelov) continues to be a highlight. Manvelov's nuanced performance brings quiet depth to Akram, whose subtle actions often speak louder than words, providing glimpses into a past that hints at far more than we've been shown.
The episode does push the cold case forward, uncovering more layers of Merritt Lynggaard's complicated history and the forces at play. However, the direction, while maintaining the signature visual style, doesn't always manage to prevent the methodical investigation from feeling, at times, a bit like treading water. For a segment of the audience, the lack of significant plot accelerations or surprising twists might lead to a sense of déjà vu rather than mounting tension.
It's an episode that further solidifies the series' grim, introspective mood, but it might not win over those who were hoping for a much-needed jolt of energy.
I'm sticking with it for now, but I have started questioning why this needs 9 episodes of 45 min, when the original movie was 1.5 hours?
