Dept. Q: A Mini Fansite

The Netflix Detective Series by Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani

1. A Profile of Detective Carl Morck

Character Intro

Name: DCI Carl Morck, Detective
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Description:
Height: 6’2”. Weight: About 165. Dark, unkempt hair, mostly-dark beard with some gray coming in, narrow jawline, slightly long nose and chin, deep-set sorrowful blue eyes, narrow mouth. Some aging lines around eyes.
Detective, head of a newly-established cold case unit, Department Q.
Emotionally troubled with some PTSD from his partner (Anderson) being killed and his other partner (James) being paralyzed.

Location, Bases, Vehicles

Primary Location

Scotland

Base

Basement of Police Station, a former shower quarters / restroom with showering area, toilets, and gym equipment.

Base Features

• Green and orange tiled walls, pipe runs, large orange pillars.
• Skylights looking up through police station floor; bottoms of feet are visible.
• Cold case storage boxes.
• Desks with laptops, lamps, stacks of paper.
• Stacks of chairs; chairs for interviewing people.
• Evidence boards.

Vehicles

1980s Ford Sierra (echoes of another series: Taggart, about DCI Taggart).

Personality, Skills, Hobbies

Style & Type

Style: Analytical, logical, dry humor.
Type: ENTP

Skills

• Detection and intuition.
• Quick thinker.
• Charismatic communicator.
• Unblackmail-able (“because he doesn’t give a shit.” – James).
• Relies on associates to gather info and conduct interviews.

Weaknesses

• Panic attacks / PTSD.
• Doesn’t follow correct procedure (walking into homes when the door is open, approaching Lord Advocate in car park instead of calling for official interview).
• Too blunt / direct with people. Too rough with people. Sometimes gets physical when pushed emotionally.

Hobbies, Interests

• Enjoys reading in solitude.
• Likes beer.

Methods

Methods / Tools / Styles

• Talking it out, out loud.
  Not just like any actor; quite a talker.
  “We can assume that… because…”
• Complaining about life.
  Little nitpicks. Why do they call it that? The name is wrong.
• Sarcasm.
  “Wow. I feel like I made a real breakthrough.” (after random therapy appointment banter about different topics)
• Blowing people off.
  “She (commander) wants to see you…” Morck: “she saw me.” (Walking by)
• Thinking up people to talk to.
  People in the office, or people involved in the investigation, etc.
• Interviewing.
  Starts with questions — what’s bugging him.
  Talks out the logic.
• Recalling.
  Relies heavily on his working memory, and seems to spend a lot of time recalling and processing recall. May travel to a location where he was in the past, to meditate and try to remember details.
• Organizing.
  Evidence boards / crazy walls / string maps / Anacapa charts.
• I only “know” what the logic & evidence says.
  Someone says “she’s dead,” he’s like “I don’t know that.”
  “I don’t know if anyone killed her.” – talking about Merritt to her former lover.

Partners & Associates

• Chief Superintendent Moira Jacobson: Commander
• Akram Salim: Assistant, Syrian former policeman, civilian employee looking for more challenging work. Analytical. Trained in martial arts. The “one last question” / “one last insightful remark” guy.
• DC Rose Dickson: Assistant (formerly desk-bound, recovering from a breakdown)
• DI James Hardy: Former partner / assistant (fan of Nero Wolfe)
• Dr Rachel Irving: Therapist

Other People

• Carl’s lodger: Martin
• Carl’s stepson: Jasper
• Ex-wife: Victoria

Quotes

• “(Sigh)… give me fucking strength.” (when explaining something about a crime to his clueless lodger)
• “The most dangerous creatures on this planet are us.”
• “Only on the inside.” (replying to “I heard you were dead!”)

Other

Troubles at home with son, Jasper. Troubles with boss at work.
Unsolved mystery of who shot his partners.
Forced to attend therapy with Dr. Rachel Irving.
Mystery of Merritt, the missing prosecutor.
Irritated by platitudes.
Hard truths.

This page is maintained by Marc Carson, as a project of Friendlyskies.net.