My Dad has been watching Turkish TV shows for a long while now, and I want to try viewing some of them. So, for aby Turks on the sub, which shows would you recomand ?
Posted by Adept-One-4632@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 84 comments
But not the Magnificent Century, please. I don't trust historical dramas
ankarasokaklari@reddit
Behzat Ç
Illustrious-Poem-211@reddit
Immortals “yaşamayanlar” is a modern Vampire/Gang story in Istanbul.
Ethos is a really good personal drama (secular/religious).
merhababenatlas@reddit
you are evil man...
Chillfire1385@reddit
Behzat Ç is insanely good
dictator_destroyer@reddit
Behzaç Ç is pretty good but for a non-Turkish audience it may be boring
turquoisent11@reddit
Watch Magnificent Century with none historic expectations and it could actually be a good novel drama so I’d say give it a try. Beyond that there is Ezel, Kurtlar Vadisi, Elveda Rumeli (good luck finding English sub this one tho) and Behzat Ç that I can recommend as someone don’t watch television much and quite picky.
Prudent-Werewolf-303@reddit
Behzat Ç. is a really nice crime drama, I especially love the acting which is so real and sincere unlike most Turkish dramas
Gibi (As If) is hilarious, it leans towards dark/absurd buddy sitcom, kinda like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
I loved watching Kanıt (Evidence) in high school. It is an anthology series which involves solving crime cases using forensic science, a real-life forensics professor appears in the show to share her expertise. I was addicted to it, but it's not for everyone
atzitzi@reddit
Masumiyet Müzesi
Voldypants_420@reddit
If you value your sanity, don't. Turkish dramas are pacifiers for boomers and complete brain rot.
If you're looking for a really good one though, give Şahsiyet (Persona) a shot.
oioioioioioiioo@reddit
My mother is watching a Turkish series about a kidnapped woman, I think it's called Esaret, it's very emotional and drammatical
Defiant_Being_9222@reddit
I am not a boomer, but in the summer I watched one called Kardeşlerim, cause I randomly came across it on Greek TV at 3am and I just kept watching for some episodes, lol.
It was a bit overly dramatic, but it was interesting as it tackled the issue of poverty. I wonder if that's considered brain rot.
Voldypants_420@reddit
Ok, not all of them. But most of them 😁
crossfire_hurricanes@reddit
omg Šahsiyet was more than decent, I’m watching everything with Haluk. It’s dragged and long though so I need to know if the 2nd season is good and tight
blumonste@reddit
You have to wait till you are a boomer to watch Turkish shows?
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Makes sense. My dad was born in the mid 1960s
saraspaludoa@reddit
You should really be asking Bosnians and Serbians for recommendations...
Happy-Hour88@reddit
Most new ones are bad. The last good ones I remember are "Ufak Tefek Cinayetler" and "Yasak Elma". "Bir Zamanlar Çukurova" is okay most in the last 10 years have been crap. "Leyla Hayat..." whatever is notably worse than the Brazilian original "Avenida Brasil".
ignorantscientist18@reddit
Ufak tefek cinayetler is very good, season 1 may be one of the best turkish shows i’ve ever watched , but its quality declined big time in season 2. Yasak elma was meh till season 3 and i never really watched it but season 3 onwards was very good
Happy-Hour88@reddit
Yasak Elma for me was at its best from season 2 to season 4 when Nesrin Cavadzade was on the show. Probably her best role was that of Sahika there.
When I saw Nesrin on Şahane Hayatım I expected it to be as good but that drama was horrible.
That's proof that writers and directors are even more important than actors in making a good series. Even the actors seemed uninterested and lukewarm in their play. The faces Sumru Yavrucuk made were like "I'm doing this crap for the paycheck" and Onur Tuna seemed bored.
ignorantscientist18@reddit
True, şahika was def the highlight of those seasons. But imo the show leaning into comedy and pop-culture references also pulled it away from being one of the tryhard turkish primetime dramas we see everyday to something more unique, and that change happened in season 3 which is why i think it is more memorable for me. And yes after nesrin left it really became apparent how much of an asset şahika was for the show. Seasons 5 and 6 were ok too i guess but more boring.
Also if you haven’t watched it yet, I strongly recommend Avlu (the yard). It used to be on netflix but i think it got taken off, its one of the best turkish dramas i’ve ever watched. Its an adaptation of wentworth but still i think it has its own soul and the story takes a different path in season 2.
Smooth_Passenger9291@reddit
Dolunay
PancakeMixMia@reddit
My favourites based on genre:
I don't recommend Yalı Çapkın
SubstantialSea7449@reddit
Elveda Rumeli was a good one. It is a historical drama, set in the late Ottoman period in the Balkans, mainly in Macedonia. Elveda means farewell and Rumeli was the Ottoman name for the Balkan territories of the Ottoman Empire. So it literally means Farewell Balkans. It has comedy, drama and most importantly good actors and actresses.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Not sure. I don't trust historical drama to remain faithful to the historical accuracy.
Just how much is the show referencing the events of that period ?
SubstantialSea7449@reddit
It doesn’t focus much on historical events. It’s mostly about a Turkish family living in the Balkans at the end of the Ottoman era, so it’s more of a family drama than a historical or one-sided story.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Ok then. I will give it a try when i can
Full-Rice-9287@reddit
“Museum of Innocence” on Netflix was masterfully done. It glued me to the screen for two days, and I don’t like the sound of turkish so much. Not a soap opera though, and not sure how Balkan-dad friendly.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Maybe i will recommend to my dad to see if he likes it or not.
SubstantialSea7449@reddit
I don’t think your dad will like it. It is about a man obsessing over a woman and ruining her and his own life.
Full-Rice-9287@reddit
I think you should watch it either way. If you value layered narratives, complex characters, social cinema in general. It’s obviously based on Orhan Pamuk’s book, of the same title. Nobel price winner. :D
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Okay. You convinced me. I will see getting a Netflix subscription first
floare_salbatica@reddit
I guess inspired by Orhan Pamuk's novel?
Public-Initiative509@reddit
If you like action and drama, these are really good.
LiderNaMnenie@reddit
The last one I watched was Gaddar and I liked it
Public-Initiative509@reddit
Love Gaddar, but I was one of the few. It wasn’t really populair, but I like that it touched some social issues.
Ornery_Camera_6148@reddit
This one is about sibling jealousy . Not much love drama and things happen fast
Putrid_Speed_5138@reddit
Modern Turkish TV dramas are produced primarily for international markets. Most function as formulaic spectacles designed to maximize viewer retention among specific demographics, particularly seniors and women. These productions often prioritize commercial duration over narrative depth. I dislike them.
I like older Turkish series more as they reflect a more localized, authentic culture. However, their reliance on specific cultural codes and local nuances can render them inaccessible to outsiders, especially in comedy. Furthermore, these titles are rarely available on today's digital platforms.
If I were you, I would spend that time with Turkish cinema instead. Many movies preserve the visual appeal of TV dramas while delivering greater substance within a shorter watch time.
For example, Winter Sleep (2014), set against the breathtaking landscapes of Cappadocia, is great if you like Chekhov-like stories and arthouse cinema.
If you want war movies, The Mountain II (2016) is perhaps the most popular modern example, holding one of the highest audience ratings for its production quality and realism.
If you prefer something lighter, try Mortal World (2018) entertainingly mixes comedy and action, as if it was directed by a Turkish Guy Ritchie.
You can also learn starting why millions of Turks still love him so much by watching "Atatürk 1881–1919", a biographical epic focusing on the youth years of the founder of the Republic.
mihankes10@reddit
Leyla ile Mecnun
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Based from the title, I will take a guess and say it's a romance story.
mihankes10@reddit
It is absurd comedy, very unique
kureysalp@reddit
Yes but no. It's mainly a comedy series which includes many genre touches inside it.
ImamTrump@reddit
It’s not a romance story. But you understand that at the end.
blumonste@reddit
Kızılcık Şerbeti.
Inevitable_Motor_685@reddit
No
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Why? What is about ?
BurgurluGenc031@reddit
its one of those shows about 'secular' and 'conservative' family and their inside fight. İts gets shittier and shittier. Newer ones are more shit like they making all seculars look like atheist that eating pigs and servicin it to muslims in announce trailer(even my hardcore atheist friend from like age 5 dont prefer pig meat bcs its literally not exist in turkish culture and expensive bcs of low produce of it). Perfect to brainwash conservative erdogan supporter muslims.
blumonste@reddit
Don't mind self loathing Turks' views on Turkish shows. Why would you take the advice of a Turk who hates Turkish shows on Turkish shows?
ahmetcihankara@reddit
Ezel is the best series ever made imo
UnderstandingCool574@reddit
Maybe mention what kind of shows you actually like. For example historical, drama, mystery, action etc etc
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
This are my go-to, and political dramas too
InformationTop3437@reddit
Arka Sokaklar. You're welcome.
Puzzled-Smoke-6349@reddit
I recently watched "The Graft" on HBO. Wasn't that bad, but it wasn't great.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36584526/
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
So ? It's a turkish Breaking Bad showv?
Puzzled-Smoke-6349@reddit
Lol, no. It's an organized crime type of show. A innocent man is pulled into the underground world.
I liked it because for me didn't look like it is trying to be too much "western" type of show and they incorporated the culture and the actors were alright.
humanistazazagrliti@reddit
I really liked
Bir Başkadır (every translation seems to have a weird different title for it)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethos_(TV_series)
and
Hakan: Muhafız (The Protector in international markets) - the character Zeynep is so badass!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protector_(Turkish_TV_series)
Tasty_Needleworker86@reddit
Hakan: Muhafiz was really nice, and I also liked The Gift with Beren Saat
Also I watched Yunus Emre series a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it
UnderstandingCool574@reddit
If you liked "Yunus Emre" you might like
Tasty_Needleworker86@reddit
Thanks, I'll check them out
humanistazazagrliti@reddit
Did you watch that vampire series that was also on Netflix? I wonder what that's like.
No-Championship-4632@reddit
I thought only grannies are into that.
Jazzlike-Moose3123@reddit
Magnificient century is the most known i think. Give it a try.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
I know about that series. My nanny watches it, but like i said, i am not really into historical dramas since they have a tendecy to be historically inmacurate.
It is also why i never watched Gladiator, Braveheart or Kingdom of Heaven.
Kadude27@reddit
Yeah no don't watch if you have any interest in history bro it is so bad. From the costumes, armour and the battles like damn. It feels like a fantasy at times and the current historical turkish dramas seem even worse.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
I know right. Like, I actually saw some clips on Youtube about the show with Sultan Abdulhamid (I don't remember the name) and it is clearly ottomanist propaganda.
I also saw a post where the sultan's daughter is portrayed wearing traditional muslim clothes in tge show, though in reality she adopted western clothing.
This is revisionism at its worst. And i will not fall into Erdogan's fanmade stories
Kadude27@reddit
The state of Turkish cinema is atrocious unfortunately and I say this as a religious muslim. I don't like this fucking pandering show how things were not like you would like to have it been.
RasputinXXX@reddit
Pera Palace.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Whats the premise ?
RasputinXXX@reddit
Time travel. Quite cool.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
I don't know. I kinda have a pet peeve whenever tv shows or movies commit historical innacuracy.
humanistazazagrliti@reddit
I think historic accuracy is totally thrown under the bus here. It's all about an Agatha Christie fan doing a whimsical time travel. And being mistaken for someone else, so she has to dress and behave accordingly. Think Outlander, but without romance or thorough historical research.
I couldn't tell if the historical stuff was propaganda or if they left out things. The Brits are presented like comic book villains.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
And this is exactly why i will not watch it. At least it is not as bad as that show about Abdulhamid.
humanistazazagrliti@reddit
Since it's a suspense entertainment series, the whole setting really fades into the background. But if you know the setting, I assume it can be annoying.
My hubby stopped watching Hijack season 2 with me, because he just couldn't ignore the inaccurate things about Berlin, where we live. I guess I can allow for more suspension of disbelief, especially if it's just something I binge on the side. Like, even the acting in Pera Palace is super cringe, to the extent that I can tell, even though I don't speak Turkish.
humanistazazagrliti@reddit
This one is fun!
JustWakedUp@reddit
f you value your mental health, do yourself a favor and stay away from this mess. I don't touch Turkish dramas, but if you're absolutely determined to suffer, I guess the ones on paid platforms are at least a bit more watchable.
Maximum-Doctor2564@reddit
- Şahsiyet
- Ezel
EarlGreyKv@reddit
Ethos is one of the best in recent years, I’d recommend that. It’s on Netflix.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
If it has romanian subtitles, then I will give it a try
Karshall117@reddit
Valley of Wolves from Osman Sınav, most importantly the first 97 episodes.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
What's the premise ?
pinelogr@reddit
OMG what is it with dads and TR shows? My dad watches them too...
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
Maybe he is nostalgic about the ottoman times )))))
pinelogr@reddit
he is watching a period series about those times...hmm
Winter_Way_8513@reddit
I dont know why levant arabs egyptians some of iranians and central Asia People likes "Kurtlar Vadisi" its about mafia and Turkish deepstate by the way deepstate word founded by Turkish politics then US bureaucrats in Turkey imported to US then they exported to whole world i dont know why they send their most influential, capable bureaucrat s to TR. I think because politic dynamics are very similar and they use it as a lab.
Adept-One-4632@reddit (OP)
I made a quick search, and i found the series is owned by Kanal D, which is also in Romania. Never thought i will be reminded of that channel