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Queen's Gambit creator mixes Scandi Noir with UK crime shows like Prime Suspect for Netflix's Dept. Q (with a side of Matthew Goode)
Logan writer and Godless creator Scott Frank is teaming up with Netflix again for an adaptation of a popular Danish crime series, and we recently learned why
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When Scott Frank sees value in a story, chances are he's right. The two-time Oscar nominated writer, who penned the screenplay for Logan and created Netflix sensation The Queen's Gambit, is partnering again with the streamer to bring to life the Dept. Q Danish crime novels. But inspiration for the series of the same name didn't only come from the book series. As Frank recently explained in an interview, the series came from his love of the way the UK does its crime shows.
That interview was with film outlet HeyUGuys, who published their chat with the director and screenwriter on May 29, the same day that Dept. Q debuted on Netflix. One of the first question that UK-based Scott Davis asked Frank was what made him want to adapt the Dept Q. novels, originally written by Jussi Adler-Olsen and focused on a group of cold-case police investigators, into a TV show.
"I love the way you guys do those kinds of shows," Frank answered (we're assuming "you guys" means the British). "And I thought, you know, that this whole Scandi noir, those those the books and the films, I really enjoy them. But I realized what what happens here, like with Happy Valley or with Broadchurch or even going back to Prime Suspect is: they're deeper, more complex characters."
Even a surface-level familiarity with Frank's previous work is enough to see the creator's attraction to "complex characters," whether that's exemplified in The Queen's Gambit's Beth Harmon, played by Anya Taylor Joy, or the titular ex-X-Man in 2017's Logan.
"It's not just dark situations," Frank continued, "The people are so interesting and they're all kind of in the gray area. Sometimes they're all dealing with their own nonsense, and also there's a sense of humor frequently, too. I thought, you know, I love these shows; I'd love to make one because I love watching them. And I thought it would be perfect to do it that way."
Well, we're not sure about that sense of humor you're talking about, Scott; those shows you're throwing up as examples are all pretty grim. Plus, we know that Dept. Q star Matthew Goode is famous for his straight-faced, imposing characters (he was the vampire dad in Abigail, remember), so we're fascinated to see how that plays out. Guess we'll just have to watch the series and learn.
Dept. Q is streaming on Netflix now.
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