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Reviews
The End (2020)
Tackling the hard questions and challenging taboos
A fabulous cast who all rise to the challenge of their roles. Films like 'Me Before You', 'Breathe' and 'Last Cab to Darwin' explore end of life but this series is not scared of showing the not so pleasant consequences. If you have ever had to watch someone slowly die from a chronic condition, or had to make the decision on behalf of a loved one to place them into aged or palliative care you will know all the feelings of guilt, uselessness and frustration you experience in the process.
'The End' however is not all gloom and doom. The coming of age arcs of the teenagers, the broken or failed relationships and strengthening of relationships is interwoven with black humour. you don't leave this series feeling morbid.
Kara Para Ask (2014)
What a marathon!
After the first 20 episodes I thought it would be all be wrapped up quickly but then I looked at the Netflix schedule and realized there were another 144 episodes to go. I dug in for the long haul and am in awe of the cast and crew that turned out some many shows in such a short time. It must have been emotionally grueling for the actors because the plots were on a continuous roller coaster. Fiction writing has an element of truth based on real life situations. Compare for example the role of Tayyar being a rich, high profile, philanthropist with a hidden, sordid criminal life and that of Jimmy Savile in the UK or Jeffrey Epstein in the USA and the failure of duty by authorities to allow the coverups. It was an interesting look at family life and personal relationships in Turkey. The conclusion brought us back to basics and to question what is really important in life.
Los favoritos de Midas (2020)
Mysterious puppeteers pull the strings
As the new proprietor of a newspaper becomes embroiled in MoM's extortion of his millions, he tries to take the high road, however the powers that be don't share his view. His noncompliance with his blackmailers has fatal results. This is set to a backdrop of Spain in a state of internal revolt, similar to 2011 or 2018, when citizens took to the streets for peaceful marches protesting against anti-austerity measures, politicians and bankers. Excessive force was observed, and the protests escalated and became out of control resulting in the armed forces being called in to quash the violence and arson. One of his newspaper's journalists responds in a TV broadcast: " . . . leaders condone their actions as being for the greater good . . .". One death in this state of chaos to prevent the deaths of many etc. It is with this moral and ethical dilemma we are left to contemplate. What would you have done?
Atiye (2019)
S1 and S2 simply mesmerising
S2 turned the tables on S1 storyline and the parallel dimensions of time became more apparent. Location shots in the countryside, ancient sites and the cityscape of Istanbul were gorgeous. The cast portrayed their characters believably and the series was beautifully shot. The plot moves along at a fast pace so you need to pay attention!
Kördügüm (2016)
Big business and family a cruel mix
The main protagonists came from different backgrounds: one from a loving yet fractured family whilst the other, was from a cold, ruthless family. Their adversaries came from all areas of their lives and they seemed to be constantly under attack. Killing off one of the main protagonists fitted the storyline, however how the other dealt with it stripped away the integrity from the character, which was why we were invested in them all along. The writers let the series down here and that could have been handled differently. Also another unexplained event which didn't ring true was why Eylul's brother helped Murut when he was in trouble but not the protagonist. The finale was a satisfying end however.
If you are a non-Turkish speaker, for your sanity, listen to the actors speak in their native language and read the subtitles!
There were so many cultural subtleties to be gleamed from watching a series like this, particularly about how women a treated and social taboos.
There were characters that you really loved and those you really hated but on various occasions you could help but switch your loyalties.
The Protector (2018)
All good things must come to an end
I looked forward to each and every show with excitement. Twists and turns of the story provided a satisfying arc which is why I was pleased it finished when it did. There were sufficient clues to keep the audience guessing and attempt to make their own predictions. The panoramic shots of Istanbul were fabulous, and the action and suspense scenes well acted and shot. It was a fascinating plot and the audience had the opportunity to invest in the different characters.