#djem watches dizis

[djemsostylist]

Son Yaz--The End

Son Yaz has ended, and I don't quite know how to feel. I joined the fandom late--I didn't watch until July, and then I was hooked. Son Yaz is one of those shows that sort of settles in you, and it makes you just feel happy. I took a minute to see where it was going, but once I realized what it was, I fell in love. It's the sort of story that draws you in. The characters are beautifully written and well conceived, the relationships are crafted to perfection, and the chemistry between every member of the cast was just electric. In short, it was one of the best shows I've seen, Turkish or otherwise. On the performances of Ali Atay and Alperen Duymaz alone I would recommend this show--@lolo-deli commented once that she wondered if the roles had been written with those two actors in mind, because they just fit so well.

Season 1 had beautiful pacing and an excellent storyline, and had it wrapped before Canan's murder, I would have been happy with what we were given. The characters all came to beautiful place, the ending was well written and satisfying, and the tone of the end felt in keeping with the rest of the show.

Season 2 promised to be more. The theme of Season 2 reminded me of an except from The Testing Tree by Stanley Kunitz.

In a murderous time the heart breaks and breaks and lives by breaking. It is necessary to go through dark and deeper dark and not to turn.

Season 2 was a test for all of them, but in particular, Season 2 was a test for Akgun and Yagmur: what does it mean to truly be your own person, to face darkness of your own and other's creation, and to emerge on the other side? Can we truly leave the dark and stay true to ourselves, and, perhaps most importantly, can we ever be more than our parents? Throughout season 1, both Akgun and Yagmur seek the approval of all the parental figures in their lives--their actions are almost entirely driven by either how they parents have, will, or might react to a given situation. At times, they are paralyzed by their parents--Yagmur is utterly terrified of becoming her mother, trapped by a man she both loves, despises, and cannot live without, bound to his shadow and reduced to nothing in his wake, forever cutting off pieces of herself to remain within his orbit, unable to break free. Akgun is terrified of disappointing both his fathers--all of his actions are bound up in what he believes is loyalty, love, and devotion to men who give him just enough love and affection to keep him, but not enough to make him feel whole. Akgun is bound in the circles of his fathers to whom he is, despite their real love for him, ultimately only a pawn, to be used and moved and traded as needed.

Selim is one of those parental figures I love--in many ways he reminds me of Leia Organa Solo, in that he is selfless to the point of selfishness--his desire to serve something greater leads to him destroying the lives of the people he claims to love, and ultimately, Selim will always chose himself. We see this clearly in the wake of Canan's death--the best thing Selim could have done for his family was to allow them, Akgun included, to be together to mourn the woman they all loved. Instead, fueled by a selfish need to punish himself and those he blames for Canan's death, he takes Akgun with him to kill a man in cold blood. Akgun would have already been dealing with enough in the wake of the death of his brother--we know how he feels about taking a life--but this is so much worse. He does it for love of the man he sees as a father (but who will never quite accept him as a son) and destroys himself, his future, and Yagmur in the process. Selim takes not only Akgun's soul and his future, but he also takes Yagmur's as well.

The act of killing Halil Sadi is breathtaking in it's utter selfishness, and in that fact that despite being the one to bring it about, Selim suffers no real consequences. His withdrawal from his family would have likely happened anyway--if not physically then emotionally, and he can go back whenever he wants. It is Yagmur who suffers, the loss of her father, her mother, the love of her life, the security and support she so desperately needs, and the future she seesfor herself. It is Altay who suffers, losing father, mother, brother in one fell swoop. It is Akgun who suffers, losing his soul, his family, and his future in one breath. Selim lost Canan, but he choses to lose the rest of them, and takes all of them from each other.

Season 2 promised to bring all this to a head. I am confident, had we the time to explore, we would have watched the slow evolution and growth of Akgun and Yagmur into people who can stand on their own, who realize their parents are people--fallible and imperfect, and realize that their own futures are not built by the ones who came before. We would have seen Selim, I think, slowly realize that perhaps the best he might have done for his children was to give them each other, and that sometimes, the best thing a parent can do is die, so that their child might live. I think we would have seen both Yagmur and Akgun see their parents, but particularly Selim, for who he is, and to finally grow beyond the shadow he has always cast. Selim is a character that, despite my love for him, I don't really think deserves a happy ending.

The writers for Son Yaz should be commended. It is clear they expected at least 20 episodes, and had planned a deeply intricate and interesting story that would slowly unfold over the course of the season. The little tidbits we saw of the new characters, the fantastic chemistry with our new main "trio", the beautiful tragedy of Akgun and Yagmur--everything promised a fresh, new exciting season that would have brought our characters to a place that made as much sense as the ending of season one. With all that being known, that fact that I was able to glean the general direction of the season from only 5 episodes, and that, with seemingly only two weeks notice, they were able to craft the powerful finale they did is truly commendable. They brought storylines to a close as best as they were able, crafted satisfying endings for all the people we have known and loved, and managed to keep the side characters just that--side characters. Watching the finale truly was watching a master class in acting, writing, directing--perhaps the only disappointing bit, which seems to be a dizi issue not a Son Yaz issue, was the editing.

I was, however, left feeling hollow in the last few scenes. I attributed it first to feeling disappointed we didn't get more AkMur moments in their happy ending--after all, prior foreshadowing indicated a Yagmur proposal, a wedding, and two daughters, and we saw, well, exactly none of that. This show is hardly all about AkMur though--arguably Selim/Akgun are just as much the main couple as AkMur ever was, and perhaps ending the show with them was more suitable.

I think my primary issue lies in that no one paid for anything. At all. Akgun and Yagmur were hurt, deeply, by Selim and his decisions. Now, I'm not saying Selim didn't love them both--he certainly did, I don't doubt that. That Selim has the capacity to love but also be deeply and inherently selfish is one of the things I love about the character--he is in no way a good person, but he still can do good things. Again, it's why he is so excellent at a character.

As I discussed above, perhaps the best thing Selim did was give Yagmur and Altay Akgun, and vice versa. He gave all three of children the family they deserved but never really had--Canan was unconditional love and support for them, but without her, they were all kind of adrift. Selim always loved them, but with conditions.

As I said, in my opinion, what Selim did by asking Akgun to help with Halil Sadi, was unforgiveable. He destroyed Akgun's soul and didn't blink, and he took away the only support either he or Yagmur had at a time when they needed it the most. Akgun was already going to have a hell of time forgiving himself for his brother (which is his other dad's fault), and now he has the added burden of Halil Sadi, Yagmur, and Selim. Yagmur was already in pain with Canan, and she loses Akgun as a result.

Selim is let go with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist, and no one else paid for anything either. Akgun's father ruined his life over and over again, and that was never addressed (I understand time constraints of course, and this one is perhaps the most forgivable, given how short the season was). Even Cihan, who we know tried to kill Soner multiple times, stalked Yagmur for years, and likely caused many, many more deaths (including Canan's, which is my own personal theory), gets away without even a bloody nose for daring to to talk to Yagmur.

I think that's why the end, with Akgun and Selim in the prison, doesn't sit well with me. I thought his goodbye to Altay and Yagmur in their house, where he finally admitted all his faults and all that he had done to hurt them, and his goodbye with Akgun in the car, where he finally took responsibility for what he had done and gave Akgun the trust he always deserved by asking him to watch over Yagmur for him, was beautiful and enough.

It gives his children a chance to forgive and have peace, but also allows for them not to have a close relationship like that with him anymore. The best thing Selim did was give them each other, and now he needs to let them be happy without them. They don't need to be pulled back into his shadow. I'm not saying they never speak to him but Selim is a powerful force in all their lives, and nothing about his story convinces me he will ever change. I needed them all to realize they can love him and not need him. The final scenes with Yagmur and Akgun, and particularly the last scene felt a little...overly saccharine to me? And unearned.

I think my ideal ending would have been the party scene, only this time we get Yagmur with a tiny bump and we see their rings--we know they are married and happy with a baby, maybe even get a little banter line or something so we know she asked him to marry her, then maybe we get another jump to a year later, and Selim is looking at a picture of them in the news in front of their restaurant, with a little girl (and maybe Yagmur is pregnant again) and we get to see that he is happy to see them happy. Selim's peace and happy ending is giving his family their future together, paying the tolls for his and Akgun's sins, and allowing them to be happy. If they wanted to leave it open, it could even end with Sare bringing him the folder, he says something about being content with where he is because his family is happy and safe, and then she gives the folder and he realizes they know who killed Canan--and now he has a choice to make.

In the end, I am as happy as I can be with the finale, given the circumstances. We said farewell to all the characters we loved, they all got their peace and a happy ending--I guess I just thought perhaps there was a little bit too much happiness?

[djemsostylist]

reblogging so that i remember to put this on my list of things to watch which i promise to watch one day when i have nothing else to watch

Kalp Yarasi - Episode 1

@mayuamakura & @lightblindingme were nice enough to recommend this one when I asked if it was any good. I'm lucky they did. This is fun so far. Episode 2 reaction up either tonight or tomorrow.

@djemsostylist @lolo-deli @mrsgreenworld If yall ain't watching this one then you're two episodes behind :D

The opening is pretty.

The song bops.

Some dude riding down the beach is a hell of a way to start. No complaints.

I like that this dude is naming babies he don’t even have yet after his buddies. That’s cute.

Does Baba have a secret or something? Why is he looking at Anne all guilty? Last time they did this to me in a dizi the husband turned out to be a cheating and murdering poo head.

This whole slideshow thing is cute, but that one dude looks like he is going to crawl out of his skin. Is that Ferit?

Uh oh. That horse knows something.

No. It was Yaman who looks like he needs to see a doctor.

That was a nice slap down by Hande.

Oh, Ferit is the fiance. Oh no. This is bad. This is real bad. Poor Ferit.

Now that I know who people are things hurt.

I really hope I’m not supposed to be pitting Hande right now, because that ain’t happening.

Good on him throwing that ring.

How is possible for that outfit to be too festive for breakfast? If people ain’t naked, then they’ve nailed it at breakfast.

We’re going to be haunted by heartbeats this series. Cool.

They are really doing nothing to make Yaman look less like a serial killer.

So Yaman is just jealous of everything involving Ferit and I’m supposed to care?

That headbutt was a little satisfying.

Why doesn’t Hande just be honest? They’re going to figure it out eventually.

I really hate seeing how much this friendship effects Ferit, but not really Yaman. Like he chased him down in the car, but then all kind of emotionalism went out the window.

I NEED YOU TO STOP PARKING DIAGONALLY BLOCKING ROADS!

Baba really knows how to deflate a crowd.

Yaman really does need a doctor who will take his mental health seriously. The dude’s broken.

Please tell me I’m not supposed to be rooting for Hande. That isn’t what’s going to happen.

Whose the chick with the dogs?

THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS JUST LEFT A DOG! FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES!

Dog lady reminds me of Yagmur from Son Yaz, which is weird that the actress’s actual name is Yagmur. I think I’m supposed to root for her, and I’m much more cool with that reality.

So Yaman is just stalking Hande now?

That was the most normal not making a meal out of the moment kind of walking away from each other I’ve experienced on a dizi so far. Like, that is an interaction normal people would have had.

For real, Hafsanur Sancaktutan and Yagmur Tanrisevsin look like they could be sisters.

This is how Hande (the character) ended up on the American show Snapped.

I don’t believe Hande ever loved Ferit or Yaman at this point.

I like Ferit. He is the anti-Serkan Bolat/Bora Dogrusoz.

Yaman has always looked like a jealous serial killer. Got it.

I don’t have chemistry yet from these two, but the fact that they actually talk is blowing my mind so much that it almost doesn’t matter.

Damn Ferit has had a very long day.

It’s really impressive Ferit’s brother was able to find him.

The brother got there so quickly. He just had to think about it, and boom.

That is some good brothering!

I think Baba might be sick of Anne. It’s really not a good sign that you think someone you’ve raised children with only thinks of themselves.

How is Ferit going to blame Anne though?

Oh I see… Anne is in for a hard series.

I love that he’s thinking of Ayse.

Alright. Fake marriage. To set us apart from our Fake engagement Dizi of yester-betters.

Damn, Ferit is really willing to take all the blame just to get away. I feel for the dude.

Whose the dude at Ayse’s house?

Ayse is going to end up married just to get away from this teenage looking dude.

I want nothing more than for Abi to explode and tell everyone Hande cheated. I know that’s messy, but way less insufferable to sit through in my fiction.

These dudes are going to get someone killed.

Oh no. I don’t want them to do worse things.

Fuck these dudes. They can die.

OH MY SHIT. OH MY SHIT. HE JUST STABBED A DUDE.

HOLY FREAKING POO YALL I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

Baha didn’t deserve that.

Fate wants Ayse to call Ferit, and I’m cool with it. OOOOooo in person is even better!

I like that Ferit already appreciates Ayse and I still cannot get over the fact that they ACTUALLY TALK!

It’s really great that this isn’t starting out of a place of animosity. Everything is so much less predictable this way.

The chemistry is growing. Damn. I think we might be in this now.

At this point, Hande is doing this to herself. He told her it was over. But like over and over again.

They do look so good together.

SHE LOOKS SO DAMN CUTE IN HER DRESS!

I love the take that this something they are both going into with open eyes together and share that as a private joke between them.

Waiting for this reveal is going to kill me.

I was wondering where Yaman was…

LMAO.

[djemsostylist]

Hi! I see what you mean with a new criminal every episode for GS. Kind of similar to Bas Belasi with a new murder every episode but unfortunately that show didn’t last long. Not sure if you watched it.

I LOVED BB. Super cute, she was great, and each episode kept it fresh and moving. I was also really loving the slow burn, I loved her son and they way the two of them got closer--BB was excellent, and gone far before it's time. Like so many good ones

[djemsostylist]

nothing will ever be funnier in Son Yaz then when Selim caught them in the hotel room and spent the next 4 hours yelling "BUT THEY WERE HOLDING HANDS CANAN. HANDS! SHE WAS HOLDING HIS HAND! IN A HOTEL ROOM! HIS HAND CANAN." and Canan is just like "pls calm down you are going to pop a blood vessel" while Akgun is attempting to sink into the ground and die bc he feels terrible for accidentally making Yagmur fall in love with him and Yagmur just keeps trying to say she loves him but everyone keeps yelling at her to shut up EXCEPT for that one time when Akgun thought the best time for a proposal was in the middle of a gun fight and then they just basically screamed it at each other a hail of bullets and if this family isn't the best family to you idk what to tell you really

[djemsostylist]

The Great Dizi List, Part 1

A comprehensive list of the dizis I have watched, chronologically.

Originally part of an ask that spiraled out of control, I figured I'd collect my reviews here for easier reading, and then divide them into eras...

Kurt Seyit ve Şura: This one I watched maybe 4 years ago when I stumbled across it on Tumblr. Period romance drama set in one of the prettier modern times, I was obsessed with the drama and how beautiful it was, but then I googled the end, got pissed and never finished. Swore off Turkish shows. Fast forward 3ish years...

Sen Çal Kapımı: I came across this one through gifs on Tumblr, and fell in love fast. I got hardcore obsessed with this show for months until I abruptly realized...it was kind of crap? I'd still recommend the first 12 episodes, but it goes down hill rapidly. It was never good but if you are looking for mindless fun with beautiful people who have amazing chemistry, I'd recommend. The first 12 are the perfect romcom, and you can just headcanon your own ending (or skip to 27 and then stop.)

Şeref Meselesi: Absolutely stunning.  A true masterpiece. This one is a mafia drama, but it's more about exploring people, found families, and the way you can never quite escape fate. Heartbreaking and beautiful and overwhelming, and I will never truly get over it.  Yiğit Kılıç is one of those characters who will stay with me for a long time.  Compelling characters, beautifully shot and told, super tight narrative.  It was art.  Reminded me more of a stage play than a television show. Cannot recommend enough.

Meryem: Absolutely adored it.  This one is a crime drama, and without giving too much away, it's about two people who meet after a car accident, and what spirals from there. Tight narrative, satisfying story, and surprising characters–it has the best foursome of any show and my current favorite family.  It was predictable but also surprising, it has arguably the best male dizi character, and the main couple is just stunning together.  It was one of those shows that you finish and immediately want to watch again.  I’d put it up there as one of my favorite shows period, not just favorite dizi.

Bu Şehir Arkandan Gelecek: This one is a family drama, about a boy who comes back to Istanbul after 20 years and the life he builds for himself as he discovers his past. I loved Kerem in this (Ali is a ray of sunshine) and I really enjoyed his story with with his family and the arc his character took, but the two girls drove me up the wall.  I can still hear Derin whining if I close my eyes.  Still, he’s beautiful in it (he boxes, so there are many shirtless scenes and lovely workout moments) so I’d recommend it on that alone.  Not one I’d rewatch tbh.  Good for a one time through.

Kiralık Aşk: This one is a romcom, and the first one I tried after starting SCK. Premise is fairly basic--girl joins a company with instructions to get close to the CEO, which she does but they both accidentally fall in love along the way. I did not finish this one.  Got about 24ish episodes in, and just wasn’t feeling it.  I didn’t really care for the drawn out secret plotline, and while I liked the main couple, it wasn’t enough to keep my attention.  Good, but I didn’t have the patience to last through another 40 episodes tbh. When @lolo-deli rewatched, she sent me screencaps and gifs and YouTube videos of the highlights from the bits I missed, bc she’s the best lol.

Erkenci Kuş: Much like KA, I did not finish this one.  Yet another romcom where a girl joins a major company and has to get close to the CEO and falls in love, etc. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main couple to start, didn’t really love any of the side characters, and after reading about where it went, noped out by the 20th episode or so. Written by the same people who did SCK, so I guess that says something tbh.

Ariza: This one is a mafia drama, which happens to be my favorite kind tbh. I really like this one initially, but then I sort of forgot I was watching it?  Like, it wasn’t bad, but just wasn’t enough to keep me coming back week after week.  It was one of those where something was missing for me. I adore  Ayça Aysin Turan though, she’s flawless.

Maraşlı: This one I'd define as a psychological drama. I only made it about 4 episodes, and while it is excellently done, I just couldn't get into it. I think part of my issue with this one is that I need a ship (romantic or friendship) and this one just didn't have it for me. I've heard it was great, just didn't float my boat I guess.

Part 2, Part 3

[djemsostylist]

Summer Dizis I am Watching

So, to the shock of no one, I mostly chose to pass on summer dizis, bc I sort of hate romcoms. Mostly.

I watched the first episode of Gizli Sakli, and it was fine? It seems to be one of the most popular ones this summer, but meh. It didn't do it for me. Naz almost immediately rubbed me the wrong way, and frankly, I've never really been a fan of the "enemies to lovers" or "irritated aquintances to lovers" trope, and her constant sniping the first episode was mostly annoying. Also, shallowly, her hair style drives me up a wall, and the main dude looks like he is 14.

I am still watching Gul Masali. I like it, but I don't love it. Both leads are good, and it's strange to have to leads who are both nice, kind, genuinely caring people, and a main man who doesn't have to be chiseled out of a hard shell. He's just genuinely a nice person, and I like that. It's not like, particularly gripping, but it's nice and quiet and I enjoy it. I'm just not waiting with baited breath for the next episode.

The breakout star, and frankly shocking star, of the summer is Seni Kalbime Sakladim. While essentially a stereotypical romcom, it plays with some of the tropes in a way I like (rich girl, poor dude instead of the other way around), they are keeping a secret, but not from each other, etc. But I think what I also really like about it, similar to Gul Masali, is that both mains are kind people. Sure, they are making not great choices right now, but it comes from a place of misguided love And they are both genuinely kind, caring people. As are their friends and family. I also love that this isn't an "enemies to lovers" or "pain the ass to each other all the time to lovers" trope. Sure they argue (I don't think you can do a romcom without that) but it's not constant to the point you just want them to shut up. It's funny without being over the top, the two mains are really cute with great facial expressions and awesome chemistry, and it genuinely made me laugh, which is rare.

I didn't attempt any other show this summer, nor do I plan to. Waiting for fall drama possibilities!

[djemsostylist]

Turkish Poldark--In which I finally watch an airing dizi again...and hate it

I didn't really love Ross and Demelza and their excess of drama--but somehow this is so much worse

I don't really consider myself to be a moralist, particularly when it comes to media. And with historical dramas in particular, I almost expect the history to either deeply exaggerated, wholly fabricated, or at the very least extremely bias. And, as stated, I'm not moralistic. Nor am I nationalistic--I'm American, but I genuinely cannot remember the last time I showed deference to a flag.

I've been off the dizi train for a little bit, mostly because work has gotten crazy and I've had trouble focusing. So when Lolo started watching Aziz, I figured it would be a perfect show for me. I was intrigued because it was a Turkish remake of a show I've actually watched (Poldark), and because of all the currently airing dizis (aside from Alparslan, which is a gem), this is the only one that looked vaguely interesting via gifs on Twitter.

I have since watched all 17 episodes that are out...and I have a lot of issues with the show. On it's surface, this show should have everything I love, but somehow they all come out--wrong. The main relationship is vaguely uncomfortable (between the age gap, class gap and the hero worship), the male lead is both miscast and mostly an asshole masquerading as a good guy, the Elizabeth character is sadly tragic in a way that makes Aziz somehow worse, and the supporting cast is pretty boring and forgettable.

But all the aside, my chief issue with this show is the portrayal of history. Look, Turkey was an empire that remade themselves a republic, and like most countries, it has an unsavory past. Invasions, imperialism, slavery, genocide--Turkey hits all the spots that most modern day world powers hit. The main difference seems to be that while most modern world powers admit to their unsavory past, Turkey has a history of...not.

Aziz takes place, supposedly, in 1936ish, just prior to the Turkish takeover of the Hatay region. (I should note that prior to watching the show, I didn't know most of the history, but a few interest searches, articles, and wikipedia entries gives you all the background you really need). It focuses almost exclusively on the French occupation and the oppression of the Turkish population (which was not, to my knowledge, really a thing in that region), and makes no mention of any of the issues surrounding the sovereignty of the region, the tension with Syria, or, of course, the genocides, purges, and general oppression, resettlement, exodus, or homogenization of various ethnic groups within the Turkish Republic as they worked to form a homogenous republic.

Look--no country is perfect. I'm an American--our closet is basically all skeleton. And like I said--most of the time I can ignore the gross misrepresentation of history in media. And I'm not even particularly interested in the history of Turkey in the modern day. But basic google searches give you enough information to realize that this entire show is fictionalized propaganda, which would be bad enough without the weight of everything else that goes with it. It reached a point where I couldn't ignore it--every episode made it worse than before. It felt deeply uncomfortable, and honestly, with the entire Hatay issue being more the main storyline, it made it unignorable. Look, I don't know much about the French occupation. But what I can say is that a basic internet perusal tells me that the French rule of Hatay was mostly in name, and that the general Turkish citizenry (who were not the majority population) was left alone to live the way they had. And that the Turks of the region were not the ones being oppressed--especially after Hatay became a Turkish province (which is still disputed by Syria today.) The point is, that while Turkey experienced difficulties post WW1 (as they had sided with the central powers and lost), they also committed genocide. Which is something you really, really can't ignore. I'm not saying I can't enjoy Turkish media anymore--I certainly can. If I didn't watch the media of any empire that didn't commit genocide or war crimes, I wouldn't be left with anything besides, well, Icelandic shows I think.

But in this case, this show is so overt with it's biased story telling (honestly, the storyline with them bringing in a reporter to report on the oppressions of the Turks hits weird when you consider the treatment of journalist surrounding the Armenian Genocide, as does the handwringing over orphans in danger of conversion considering the forced conversion of thousands of Christians by the Ottomons 20 years previous) that I spent more time googling and checking the context than enjoying the show. Add that to an uncomfortable main pairing, poorly conceived side pairings, and a general feeling of ickiness, and I'd rather watch season 3-5 of Poldark (which are exhausting) than continue the series.

*also, on an entirely petty note, the male lead cannot mount, dismount, or ride at horse at speed at all, and the closeups of him clearly riding a barrel are so distracting. Like, they probably should have cast a dude who could ride a horse, if they wanted him to ride a horse. And also cast a 20 something if they wanted to portray a 20 something but I digress

[djemsostylist]

Hi! Are you watching any Turkish Dizis right now? I just started watching Kardeslerim and it’s really good. It’s a drama and can be quite sad and depressing but I’m getting addicted. I know you’re into dramas so I thought I would recommend.

At the moment, I am not. Work has gotten very busy and my poor brain is unable to focus on Turkish things atm. That latest one I watched was Kuzgun.

That one was incredibly frustrating, because the general idea was brilliant, the characters as conceived in the first 3 episodes were brilliant, and the casting was A+. But the writing sucked. Like good god it was straight up awful. The only consistently written character was Kuzgun, but Dila literally changed personalities every three episodes, depending on what the narrative needed her to do. She was either a hypocritical and unlikable asshole, or a dumb, naïve little girl, or a woman who had had been through hell and stayed as strong as she could for as long as she could. Tbh I hated her most of the time, she was really awful. And season two was a whole travesty.

Anyway, thanks for suggestion! I'll put it on my list, although tbh I don't love watching dizis that are that long, but I've heard good things about it! I do love a good, deeply depressing drama lol.

[djemsostylist]

How are you gonna put both Alperen and Ayca in a dizi where they are both beautiful and cry all the time? Am I supposed to handle it or...? @lolo-deli you're paying for my therapy

[djemsostylist]

Hi! I think the grey anatomy Dizi you are thinking of is Kalp atesi. That was a medical drama. Kalp yarasi was a summer drama that came out last summer. Fun fact though, the male lead in both was played by the same actor.

OH THAT ONE. Right right, I got you. I had a friend who watched it on here, and she liked it but said it got a little over the top by the end, I think? I might still try it tho 😂 This dude stars in a lot of Kalp titled dizis

[djemsostylist]

Hi! Only read the rest of this if you’ve watched the 1st epi of Gul Masali. I don’t want to give away spoilers. Honestly, I thought it was good. I’m excited for the next episode. I’m happy Erdem was able to get a lead male role. He deserves it after his portrayal of Batu. The female lead was alright. I need to see more of her to decide. As for the story, it’s interesting. I’m not getting good vibes from Arda or Toprak’s ex. Both look like they’re gonna cause problems.

I did actually! Which is a miracle for me lately, and I had to watch in two parts, but I did watch! I quite agree with you on the points--the story is interesting, and the mystery of her family and her connection to his family definitely makes me want to know more. I'm quite enjoying Erdem in this role--it's a far cry from Batu, but I think he sells it well. I know the lead actress from Serkan's historical dizi (never finished it, but I liked her).

To be honest, I think the thing I liked the most is that both leads were kind. I know that sounds weird, but in so many shows, at least one of the leads is bitchy, or snotty, or cold, or haughty, or just not approachable and they kind of have to be "broken down" to reveal their inner softness. I like that both leads are soft from minute one. They are kind, loving, caring people, who seem to choose to see the good in all people. I liked that.

The real test for this dizi is going to be how they handle Thing 1 and Thing 2. Obviously they are going to cause problems for our soulmates (and I'm def getting a soulmates type vibe with our leads--he wanted to be an architect, she is an architect, he has been designing a redo on the house she inherited for years, then there is his dad and her mom--lots of potential there), but the degree to which they are annoying, and how the leads respond, will determine whether the show stays fresh or just gets old and obnoxious. It's not going to be smooth sailing, but if it's done in a way that makes sense, and doesn't make our leads dumb or annoying, I could be okay with it.

Overall, I am definitely interested in the next episode, and excited to see where it will go. I like both leads, and have hopes for good things! Glad you are watching too anon!

[djemsostylist]

Hi! Are you planning on checking out any of the new summer Turkish dizis? Some look to be romcom and some dramas. Good mix.

I'm gonna...try? Ngl I am not into romcoms pretty much at all (that's not true, I liked Ada Masali until episode 13) but I'm trying Gizli Sakli (I'm halfway thought episode 1 and a lil bored rn) but I was also considering...this other one with the dude from AM who played the slightly crazy "bad guy" who's name I can't remember atm? I've been very out of the dizi world lately, but I haven't seen any that have peaked my interest enough to actually remember them. Any suggestions?

[djemsostylist]

The Great Dizi List, Part 3a (The Summer Dizis and Son Yaz)

This list is comprised of dizis I'm currently watching. Some are in progress, some are on break. I'm in the process of watching all of them.

Son Yaz: This one is a dizi that has been recommended by countless people, but I had put off watching until closer to the second season. This is ostensibly a mafia drama, but I think a closer fit would be a family drama. It reminds me most of the old CW dramas, like Everwood (or Friday Night Lights as @lolo-deli said) with teens and their parents as the core of the story. It's good, and I think I'll enjoy it more as the story progresses. I'm a lot more interested in the parents right now and their struggles and in Selim and Akgün's burgeoning bromance--the teens are a little, well, teeny for me right now, but I suspect they'll grow as time progresses and we leave some of the more cliché storylines behind. (I had initially compared Akgün to characters like Cihangir and Yiğit or Sarp, but he's just a little too young and dumb to be compared to those men.)

Baş Belesı: This show is currently ongoing, and I think it's best described as a copy dramedy, in the vein of MI. It has a Pushing Daisies kind of vibe to it--not necessarily in the quirkiness, but the feel of it if that makes sense. The cases are serious but are handed with a sort of irreverent hilarity that makes it fun, and the focus of the show is fairly firmly on Ipek and Şahin and their respective families and issues. The two leads have excellent chemistry, and they work wonderfully together. This show is fun and smart and light, and the latest episode was deeply heartwarming. There is an element of "found family" that I really love, and the inevitable slow burn romance makes this an all around delight. I would highly recommend, and it's the only dizi I see having the legs to handle a long run...the plot changes weekly and the focus is mostly on the family, which makes it easy to have content into fall.

Ada Masalı: I've written a few pieces on this show on tumblr, but this is pretty much as pure romcom as you can get. The plot itself is straight-forward and doesn't really ask much from the viewer other than to sit back and enjoy the pretty. But the characters are solid (both lead and secondary), it balances humor with seriousness, and it subverts enough tropes while giving us others in a way that makes the two hours you are watching it breeze by. As with all romcoms, the main draw is the lead couple, so if you aren't feeling them, I wouldn't recommend. But as long as it ends by not later than 20, I think this romcom would join HYS as the only romcom I would recommend.

Cam Tavanlar: This show reminded me a lot of Yeni Hayat if I'm being honest, in that it had a really great premise and the first two episodes were strong, the actors were good, and then...it just kind of went nowhere. (Turns out both were made by the same production company, which is interesting.) This is a story of women in business and the sexism they endure, but after episode 2 the script seemed to lose its way. It became a meandering story with poor pacing and a wishy washy main character, who seemed to vacillate between trying to be the strong woman we could believe in and the stereotypical Turkish romcom heroine--who is honestly not that interesting. I felt like there were threads early on that have so far gone nowhere, character motivations and backstories are still unclear, and overall I just find myself growing increasingly apathetic as the weeks go on. With rumors that it's being cancelled running wild, I can't say I'd be all that sad to see it end. A quick wrap up may be a mercy for a show that seems to not be clear on what it truly wants to be.

I'm not watching any of the other summer shows--keeping up with two is hard enough, and none of the other romcoms are doing it for me just based off gifs/fragmans. The problem with romcoms (and it's likely why I've only finished 1 ) is that if the main couple doesn't do it for you, it's just not worth it. I've heard variously good things about BO and AMI, but I'm shallow enough that neither couple is doing it for me aesthetically, so I think I'll pass for now. I am looking forward to fall dizis, and am looking to start Kuzey Guney next, though this one is something of an undertaking. And always, I'm hoping for Halka season 2!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3b

[djemsostylist]

This week the cause of my death will be two things:

and

So I'll be a mess by the time Sunday roles around this is fine

[djemsostylist]

Every once in a while a show sort of creeps up on you, you know? You don't really expect much of it, and then it sort of quietly wows you. Ada Masalı is that show.

At its surface, AM is about a city girl who falls for a small town boy, and all the clichés that entails, and that is the core of the story. I think that's part of why it's so good--bc this story had a premise and it's kept that premise solid. City girl moves to small town and falls in love with a local and everyone learns lessons along the way.

But AM takes the tropes and clichés and does them well. I've written before about how they take the basics and give them just enough "oomph" to make them special. I'll quote myself here, if I may:

Haziran and Poyraz both seem to fit into pretty typical roles: gruff, silent man and bubbly, talkative woman. But they’ve given each character enough nuance to move them out of the typical mold. Yes, Haziran is bubbly and talkative and a little overly loud, but she has a reason for it–silence in her childhood meant anger and fighting with her mother, and she learned how to fill the silence with talking. She is also very competent at her job, genuinely kind, smart, and driven. Poyraz is the “strong, silent” type, but he manages to subvert the “asshole” which far too often comes with the role. Like Haziran, he has some difficulties in his past, but he also seems well adjusted, smart, genuinely kind, focused, and again, competent. He and Haziran are true equals in this show, which is rare in romcom couples, particularly Turkish ones. They both are in similar financial situations, they both seem to have similar philosophies and outlooks, and, perhaps most importantly, they are both head over heels for each other and they both know it, even if they are unable to say it out loud just yet.

At the time when I wrote the above piece, I believe we were just before episode 6 or 7, so the secret hadn't been revealed yet, and at the time I speculated that it was likely to drop before their relationship started, and I was correct. This show continues to take the obvious and turn it on its head.

Poyraz and Haziran are one of the few dizi couples, and certainly the only romcom couple, I've seen where they have entered into a relationship that isn't built on a fragile house of cards held together by mutual attraction. This couple is completely and totally all in, and it makes sense. They've had conversation upon conversation about their parents, their past, their fears, their insecurities, their concerns. They've seen each other vulnerable and hurting and scared and been there for each other at their lowest. They have complete and total trust in each other, in their love for each other, in their relationship.

There is attraction yes, certainly, god is there ever, but there is also a deep affection. They like each other, which may seem a silly thing to fixate on, but so many times with couples I ask myself "okay, but do they even like each other though?" and in this case, they genuinely do. Poyraz loves her rambling and her overreactions and the way she hops from one idea to the other but somehow always manages to make it work. He loves that she works hard and never pawns off the hard jobs and he loves how genuinely kind and caring she is. He memorizes everything because he liked her before he loved her, and that's huge. And same for her. She loves his kindness and his empathy, his ability to fix broken electronics and his stubbornness when it comes to getting his way. She loves his honesty and his pride and the way he can't ever really say no to her. I think she also really loves that he doesn't let his past affect who he is. There's a connection between them that started with a spark but grew into something actually real.

The best bit, though, is that this is the first romcom couple I've seen (there may be more) that enter the relationship on completely equal terms, no secrets, and no uncertainties. All their secrets from each other were cleared up long before they ever said I love you. They are both in a similar place life wise--financially they are both probably around equal in terms of overall assets, they both have equal romantic histories (probably a series of short term relationships but nothing big or long lasting), they both value hard work and honesty and kindness, they are both mature adults who have been "out" of their parents house so to speak (yes, both still live with their respective parents, but neither play the typical "kid" role--they both are honestly more in the caretaker role), they are both college educated with business acumen. They both have had difficulties in their past, but neither allow those issues to hurt others--they both possess enough self-awareness to know how their issues effect them personally and they both work to ensure their issues don't become someone else's burden. Poyraz helping her with her fear of water or Haziran talking him through his mother are not them burdening each other, or using their issues as a reason to avoid a relationship--on the contrary, they build their bond by supporting each other through their pain. And, and this one is perhaps most important, they both love each other equally, and they both knew it before it was ever said outloud. That Poyraz could say "I love you" and Haziran could say it right back, no hesitation, speaks volumes to where they are both individually and as a couple.

Perhaps what's been the most refreshing is them communicating, constantly. When these two fight, they share their issues, their anger, their irritation, and then they work through it. The way they talk through their issues, every time, is honestly stunning for how completely refreshing it is. When they get mad at each other, they don't act like everything is fine while actively treating the other like crap--they explain the reasons behind their anger/irritation, they listen, they talk. The scene this episode of their banter after their fight on the first date was incredibly refreshing--bc it wasn't actually fighting. Haz was upset bc Poyraz ruined their first date--which he acknowledges, apologizes for, and then makes up to her, and she accepts. Their playful flirting in the kitchen the next day is just that--fun and playful and both of them are in on it. It's not Haz treating him like shit under the guise of "comedy", it's not him purposely being an obnoxious pain in the ass. It's them being cute and flirty and light after their fight the night before, which they already solved with a text conversation.

What I love most about their relationship is that I buy it. Completely. These are two people who aren't going to run when things get tough, who aren't going to play coy about their feelings, who aren't going to fight just to fight. We've seen them be honest and straightforward in their feelings, good, bad or otherwise. We've seen them fight for each other and their relationship. We've seen them encounter problems (whether in their relationship or in life) and work through them, together. And perhaps the greatest part of their relationship is that they allow each other to be exactly who they are. They are both allowed to feel the things they feel, and the other lets them. They are given a safe space to be themselves, and to know that they will always have the support and love of the other person, no matter what.

I said I thought this show was about love, at it's core, and all the ways love manifests, and I still think that's true. But I think this show is also about happiness--and about the idea that we can't always know exactly what is going to make us happy. True happiness can't always be predicted--what you think might make you happy isn't always what actually does, and sometimes that's a hard thing to accept. All of the characters on this show have a view of the world and what will bring them joy, and one by one I think we are seeing that change. Sometimes what makes you happy is the thing you didn't expect.

This show is hardly perfect. It's a dizi, and it has it's flaws. And without knowing how long it's set to run, the chances of it losing focus is not an impossibility. But this show continues to delight and surprise--from introducing new characters like Batu who are far more than they appear, to continuing to keep us guessing with old ones, I think AM has the chance to be a romcom people remember as being special. I'm hoping right now for between 20-25 episodes, which would allow us to explore their island and it's story in the detail I think it deserves, without leaving too much room for nonsense to creep in.

I think I'll leave this here for now--sometimes a show is more than it seems, and sometimes a show is exactly what it seems. AM is both and neither, and I'd be willing to argue that it's the summer's best. The focus in the diziworld seems to be entirely on the summer's other two romcoms, but AM stays quietly getting better by the week. I look forward to what these writers have in store for us in the weeks to come!

[djemsostylist]

Hi, are you currently watching any Dizis?

GREAT QUESTION ANON!

So, in the aftermath of the loss of Son Yaz, I was in a slump. A dizi depression if you will. I had long since given up on Ada Masali (turns out I really am not cut out for romcoms) and with the great loss of my comfort show (fuck you Fox) I had sworn off airing dizis. Now, Ada Masali, despite becoming both boring and intolerable with breakup, did have great actors. I've watched of Ayca's collection, and so @lolo-deli and I thought, why not embark on the Great Bot Watch?

Our thought was this: Alp is hot, and he really only has three complete dizis. How hard could it be?

Our first try was Elimi Birakma, which Lolo actually did finish. I...did not. Cenk was hot an all that, but tbh I couldn't really take Alp and his female lead seriously--he looked like her dad, or like a really protective older brother. Plus the story was boring and Lolo was ahead of me so she told me all that mattered and I was like "fuck it" and I didn't finish. Sorry Alp, Cenk had nice pants but EB was a no from me. (Plus it was like, 40+ episodes, no one needs that, lbr.)

So then we decided to divide and conquer. Lolo took Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters, and I took Zumruduanka.

And oh boy. Oh boy oh boy oh boy. So Faz ends up being super boring and Lolo is only half watching bc Sinan has nice outfits, but Zum? Zum? Zum was fucking INSANE.

You ever watch/read something and you sort of feel like it's the greatest disaster you've ever watched, but somehow the worse it gets the more you want to watch it and you sort of can't stop? And it's really fucking terrible, like seriously so bad and you really shouldn't be watching it but also you can't stop? I don't do drugs but watching Zum is what I imagine doing drugs is like.

That show was fucking awful. Like, I cannot over emphasize how absolutely fucking TERRIBLE it was. First of all, this dizi features some of the screechiest women I have literally ever had the displeasure of watching on screen, and they are present constantly. It's never ending. At any given point in this show, someone, somewhere, is shrieking.

And the acting and characters were terrible. Like, truly, really, terribly bad. I like Alp, and I'd say he's a good actor--he's charistmatic and easy on the eyes and he brings a sweetness to his characters that makese them charming, if not particularly memorable. Not even Alp and the fabulous selection of winter wear they put him in could save this show. His character, Serhat, was the biggest asshole I have ever seen in a dizi, and considering the dizis I've watched, that's really saying something. He spends nine episodes hating the woman he claims is the love of his life bc when he went off to war and got blown up (not really but they thought he did so they buried this tiny box in a cemetery and it was very funny) for marrying his uncle when she thought he was dead bc she was basically blackmailed into it (note that the uncle died on their wedding night so like, nothing ever even happened--they literally never even kissed) and he blames her for not waiting for him, so then he marries her to protect her (which he likely should have done BEFORE going off to war and getting himself blown up but anyway) and then basically tortures her for 9 episodes by saying he will never forgive her, only for her to get hit by a car, go into a coma, at which point he realizes he was being an ass and he really does love her, only he has to divorce her comatose self to marry his ex baby mama who he just found out about to adopt the daughter her didn't know he had. I'm not even making this up. Then there is this whole side plot about a cousin marrying the world's most gormless man, Zumrut, our heroine, being both too pure for this world and also extremely very stupid, and an entire convoluted thing about his other evil uncle. Then they kill his daughter, he gets divorced, Zumrut gets a brain transplant in the last episode and learns how to drive, and the entire thing is just one giant clusterfuck of "who asked for this?"

Anyway, Zum was like, a -10/10 but yet I watched all 26 bc despite being truly awful was also like, oddly addicting and I kind of couldn't stop. So, do with that was you will.

Anyway my new goal is to catch up on Serkan's Mustache drama which used to be BZK but got the name changed so now idk wtf it is, and to start the new historical drama about Alparslan. Probably.

Aren't you glad you asked?