Haven't you heard yet? Turkish series are the new Latin American soap operas. A radically different continent, a completely different language of origin, but a shared essence, and of course, an astronomical popularity that only continues to grow.
We all know what it's like to have a good time with characters straight out of a magazine, tangles more tangled than your headphones when you take them out of your pocket, bad guys so bad they only lack devil horns, and of course this "je ne sais quoi" that makes you can't take your eyes off the screen. If this is what you're looking for, you're in for a treat, but Turkish series offer surprises also for the more sceptical, who will find interesting plots dealing with serious and pertinent issues in surprising ways.
Whatever it is, don't miss these Turkish series on Netflix!
Top 8 Turkish series on Netflix
They've been making waves on TV for a while now, and I'm sure you've come across more than one while zapping on a Sunday afternoon, but if you don't want to deal with commercials and inconvenient channel times, fear not, because the best Turkish series are also on Netflix.
Below, we've put together a list of some of the best Turkish series on Netflix for you , so pop the popcorn in the microwave, it's going to be entertaining!
Smuggled Love
The series Smuggled Love, or Kara Para Ask in its Turkish title, is one of the Turkish series that has managed to gain more popularity internationally, and its success is noticeable on Netflix, where it is one of the most watched Turkish series.
This is not strange at all, because its story promises mystery, surprises and shocking revelations from minute one, and if the series does anything, it delivers on its promises, and more than delivers! Amor de contrabando is the ideal choice for those who love unexpected plot twists ("unexpected" is an understatement), and passionate love stories with dangerous complications. Also for those who have time to follow all the plot twists, as there are more than enough episodes to last all summer.
Ömer is a policeman, and Elif is a jewellery designer, daughter of an Istanbul tycoon. The two lead completely separate lives until one day Ömer's fiancée and Elif's father are found murdered in the same car. From here on, their lives will be intertwined forever as a vast web of secrets comes to light. Intriguing, isn't it?
We Met in Istanbul
From a proposal with classic elements of the Turkish soap opera, we move on to a much more atypical one. We Met in Istanbul, also known as Bir Baskadir, portrays a group of very diverse characters, all citizens of this city, but with very different lifestyles, values and social situations. This makes it possible for the series to deal with more serious issues relevant to today's Turkish society, such as the opposition of secularism and religion, and all the issues that the two sides present.
Meryem, our protagonist, is a young Muslim woman who works as a cleaner in the house of a man who shares little of her way of life. Her story and that of the other characters really begins when Meryem starts to visit a psychologist, representative of the other side of the Turkish coin, and we get to know all the characters and their personal problems. Lost lay people with existential crises, religious people with a desire for something more outside their faith, and themes such as mental health or homosexuality.
We Met in Istanbul is a rather slow and psychological series , with beautiful cinematographic shots and themes that give food for thought, which is a highly recommended option for viewers looking for another type of Turkish series, more introspective.
Love 101
With only one season of 8 episodes (for now), Love 101 is a tender story of young love and friendship set in a high school in Istanbul. The main story is built from flashbacks of one of the main characters back to 1998, when she was in high school. From these flashbacks we meet the rest of the group, students at risk of exclusion due to their bad behaviour at school.
Their only support is found in the figure of Burcu, a teacher, but the threat of expulsion stalks them when they discover that Burcu will be relocated. Logically, the group unites to come up with a plan, which is not very conventional: they will make Burcu fall in love with a new teacher so that she can marry him and keep her job. Will they succeed?
Love 101 is an excellent option to spend a good time entertaining with characters to whom to get more or less fond, and with a story of friendship and love of those that leave you with a good taste in your mouth despite certain more serious themes. And with a second season soon!
The Gift
The Gift, based on the novel Dünyanın Uyanışı by writer Şengül Boybaş, is a very interesting bet for lovers of original stories with supernatural elements.
Atiye is a young artist who has spent her whole life drawing a symbol whose meaning she doesn't know. Just when everything seems to be going well in her life - her exhibition is very successful, and her relationship with the son of a rich family seems to be moving forward - an archaeologist named Erhan discovers the same symbol that has so attracted Atiye in Göbekli Tepe, an important archaeological site. From here, Atiye's life will change as he tries to solve all the fantastic mysteries surrounding his past.
The Gift is a series full of intrigue and mystery that stands out for its originality and ingenuity. If you're looking for a well thought out plot in a story far from the typical, this is the one for you.
Avlu: The Courtyard
Another bet that departs from the typical Turkish soap opera is Avlu: the courtyard, an obvious choice for all fans of series like Vis a vis, Orange is the New Black, and Wentworth, on the last of which this Turkish series is based.
Avlu: The Courtyard does its own take on the oft-told tale of a women's prison by focusing on the story of Deniz, a female victim of domestic violence who will end up in prison to protect her daughter after the self-defense murder of her husband. The life that awaits her in prison will turn out to be a hell through which she will have to survive in the hope of one day being reunited with her daughter.
Avlu: The Courtyard's portrayal of the reality of Turkish prisons is incredibly raw and harsh, closer to their (bad) reputation, and the series has won numerous accolades for it. The series thus demonstrates the ability of Turkish productions to tackle sensitive subject matter like this in the best possible way.
Crossover
To lift our spirits a bit after our previous harsh recommendation, Cruce offers us the perfect kind of soap opera content to entertain us without thinking - or caring - too much. It's a typical love story, featuring one of the country's most popular actors, İbrahim Çelikkol, a former basketball player and model.
In Crossroads we meet the couple Naz and Umut, who have been married for more than ten years but have no children. Their relationship is put in jeopardy by the arrival of the seductive businessman and former racing driver Ali Nejat. He will meet the pediatrician Nat on holiday in Italy, and it doesn't take much imagination to think of what could happen. But don't worry because there are enough stories to fill three seasons of long episodes, so what are you waiting for!
Fatma
Fatma is the most recent recommendation on our list, released just this 2021, but critics are already raving about it, and that's despite - or rather because of - its unconventional subject matter.
Fatma is an invisible woman. A life marked by pain, vulnerability and abandonment leads her to commit an accidental murder while searching for her husband, who has just been released from prison. From here, her life is turned upside down, with this helpless and desperate woman coming to the conclusion that she has only one life left as a murderer to go on.
Fatma is an excellent thriller, unafraid to deal with sensitive issues such as violence, abuse, machismo and the situation of a woman abandoned by justice and society who has only herself left. Essential!
50m2
And the last of our proposals of Turkish series on Netflix will make happy the lovers of Turkish series, and possibly also those who are not so much. action crime series and possibly also those who are not so much. Arriving in January this year, 50m2 has a bit of everything: action, thriller, crime, love story, without leaving aside some touches of humor.
The series follows the story of Golge, a hitman who, after betraying his bosses and escaping death, finds no other solution than to seek refuge in a tailor's shop, where he has to hide in 50m2. There, Golge will adopt a new identity posing as the son of the deceased owner. But his new life will not be so easy, and the past will knock on his door with all its secrets.
A series without a minute of boredom that will make you spend hours in the good company of your Netflix account. Is there anything else you need in life?
With these 8 recommendations of Turkish series on Netflix, some popular and entertaining, and others real gems to discover, we hope we have fulfilled our intention to please a little bit everyone with a variety of entertainment that few countries could produce as well as Turkey. So you know, travel planned through Netflix!
