Department (Season 1)

Department (Otdel, 2016) is a Russian crime series you can watch online on iFILM — three detectives who catch criminals their own way, even when that way drifts well outside the law.

At the center are Roman Rusakov, Vladimir Shchukin and Alexei Mukhin. Every episode brings a fresh case, and every time it's easier for the team to bend the rulebook than to let a guilty man walk; their methods are rough but they work. Running through the whole season is the hunt for a killer who murders streetwalkers with an army knife brought back from Nepal. At the same time the squad is trying to spring their boss, Ivan Ushanov, from pretrial detention after he crossed a general in the city police.

It's a solid genre piece with no gloss — grimy back alleys, moral shortcuts, and men loyal to the job rather than their superiors. The cast includes Alexander Bukharov, Evgeny Sidikhin, Vadim Demchog and Anna Khilkevich. Good for anyone who likes their detective drama dark and frayed. Stream Department (2016) online on iFILM.