Mark Bonnar Breaks Free from Shetland with Dark, Transformative Role in Netflix’s Gritty New Thriller Dept. Q

For years, audiences have known Mark Bonnar as the steady, intelligent presence of Duncan Hunter in the BBC’s long-running crime drama Shetland. Calm, dependable and morally grounded, the character became one of the series’ emotional anchors. Now, Bonnar is preparing to shock viewers with what may be the most daring turn of his career in Netflix’s upcoming Scottish crime thriller Dept. Q — a shift so dramatic it threatens to completely redefine his screen image.

Set against the brooding, shadow-filled streets of Edinburgh, Dept. Q introduces audiences to a newly formed cold-case unit tasked with reopening the city’s most disturbing unsolved crimes. Inspired by the internationally successful Danish crime franchise, the series brings the concept firmly into a Scottish context — blending psychological intensity, social realism and noir-style suspense. Early production insiders describe the series as “relentless,” “emotionally harrowing,” and “unlike anything Netflix has yet produced in Scotland.”

At the centre of this darkness stands Bonnar’s new character, Stephen Burns — a man who could not be further removed from the composed detective he left behind in Shetland. Burns is described as enigmatic, morally complex, and emotionally fractured, operating in a world where truth is blurred and justice comes at a heavy personal cost. Industry sources suggest the role pushes Bonnar into far darker psychological territory than fans have ever seen before.

The transformation is significant. Where Duncan Hunter represented stability and quiet integrity, Stephen Burns exists in a world of compromise, buried trauma, and uneasy alliances. His motivations are opaque, his loyalties constantly in question. Those close to the production say Bonnar delivers a performance layered with menace, vulnerability and internal conflict — a far cry from the reassuring presence he once embodied.

Netflix’s Scottish expansion has steadily gathered momentum in recent years, and Dept. Q is being positioned as one of the platform’s most ambitious UK crime dramas to date. Produced with cinematic масштаб and meticulous attention to atmosphere, the series leans heavily into Edinburgh’s stark beauty — its winding closes, looming architecture, and rain-soaked streets becoming characters in their own right. The city’s gothic skyline and historic underbelly provide the perfect visual backdrop for stories steeped in secrecy, guilt and obsession.

Each episode follows the cold-case unit as it reopens investigations long abandoned — disappearances written off, murders left unresolved, and crimes buried under layers of political pressure, corruption or institutional failure. But rather than providing neat resolutions, the series reportedly digs deeper with every case, exposing the moral rot beneath the surface of civic respectability. The further the team probes into the past, the more dangerous the present becomes.

Within that pressure cooker, Bonnar’s Stephen Burns plays a pivotal role — one that places him at the heart of the show’s emotional and narrative tension. While full character details remain tightly guarded, those familiar with the scripts hint that Burns is a man haunted not only by the cases he works, but by decisions he made long before the series begins. His journey appears to explore how far someone can descend before redemption becomes impossible.

For Bonnar, the role represents a calculated leap into darker material at a crucial point in his career. After years of reliable supporting performances across British television, Dept. Q positions him not simply as a recognisable face, but as a dramatic force capable of leading complex, morally unsettling storytelling. It is a reintroduction, not just a continuation.

The move also reflects Netflix’s growing confidence in Scottish crime drama as an exportable global genre. With international audiences increasingly drawn to bleak, character-driven thrillers rooted in specific locations, Dept. Q arrives at a perfect moment. The combination of a beloved national star taking on his most dangerous role yet, a moody urban setting, and a proven crime format gives the series built-in momentum.

Early internal buzz suggests the show will not shy away from controversy. Themes of institutional failure, hidden violence, and psychological collapse run through its narrative. Viewers should not expect comforting resolutions — only difficult truths and emotionally charged reckonings.

For fans of Shetland, the shock may be immediate. Seeing Bonnar stripped of his familiar moral certainty and plunged into ambiguity is likely to be one of the series’ most talked-about elements. For new viewers, Dept. Q will serve as a powerful introduction to an actor operating at the peak of his range.

As Netflix prepares to unveil the series later this year, expectations are climbing fast. If early reactions hold true, Dept. Q may not only mark a turning point for Mark Bonnar’s career — it could also become one of the most unsettling and talked-about crime dramas to emerge from Scotland in years.