Emmys Twist: Dept. Q Enters Drama Series Race At 11th Hour, Potentially Upending 2025 Contest (Exclusive)

Did Netflix just throw a grenade into the Emmy race for the second year in a row?

TVLine has learned exclusively that Dept. Q, the Matthew Goode-fronted Scottish thriller that dropped May 29, just two days shy of the eligibility cutoff for this year's Emmys, is being submitted in the Drama Series categories. The acclaimed nine-episode mystery from Queen's Gambit auteur Scott Frank enters a crowded field that includes Severance, The Pitt, Andor, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Netflix's own The Diplomat.

If all of this sounds vaguely familiar it's because just one year ago Netflix similarly sent Emmy handicappers heads' spinning with the late-April release of Baby Reindeer. Richard Gadd's searing, semi-autobiographical dramedy — which appeared on the kudos scene a scant one month before the close of eligibility — went on to essentially sweep Limited Series categories at last September's Emmys.

It remains to be seen if a similar fate awaits Dept. Q, which earlier this week hit No. 2 on Netflix's consumer-facing Top 10 chart and boasts an impressive 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (its critical score stands at a strong 84%).

Dept. Q, based on the book series by Danish writer Jussi Adler-Olsen, centers on a cranky Edinburgh detective (played by Good Wife alum Goode) who sets out solve a cold case involving a missing prosecutor (played by Queen's Gambit alum Chloe Pirrie).

In addition to possibly playing spoiler in the Outstanding Drama Series contest, Dept. Q is poised to be a contender in the acting races as well. A Netflix rep confirms to TVLine that Goode and Pirrie will be competing in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series categories, respectively. The show's supporting cast — which includes Boardwalk Empire vet Kelly Macdonald and Game of Thrones' Kate Dickie — is equally as formidable.

Have you binged Dept. Q? Do you think it deserves to be a serious Emmy contender? Hit the comments with your thoughts!