Karadut

This was a 2024 Fall Season Turkish TV offering that I thought had a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it was canceled prematurely leaving us with only 5 episodes in total...and an ending that not only feels rushed but abrupt. I was excited to see.

I was unfamiliar with Irem Helvacioglu, who plays the lead Zuhal Erdem. She is a professional self help guru, who is celebrating success in her professional life, but has a sad story at home where she has taken care of her exacting retired military father and three younger sisters. Having been dedicated to family, she has been denied the normal and active social life that you would expect of such a lovely and successful young woman. For her birthday, her friend and colleague sets up a fake profile on a dating site where she meets the handsome photographer/former surgeon Tayfun Karca (played by Sükrü Özyildiz). He seems like the perfect match and is understanding of her unusual and oppressive home life, he also ends up being related to a good friend and work colleague of her younger sister Asli, Bora. Any dating on Zuhal's part seems like a betrayal to her father and the breaking of her promise to make him and the girls never miss their mother.

Figan, is the next oldest sister and a bit of a daddy's girl. She is married to Ayhan Yüksel and they have two kids of their own. Resented by the others for not keeping their secrets, she seems to lack the empathy that she should have for her sister Zuhal.

Asli, the next oldest, was almost entirely raised by Zuhal and is on the cusp of marrying her six year boyfriend Alp Velioglu. In her wedding dress on the way to the ceremony, Zuhal has to break the news to Asli of Alp's infidelity...which is only the beginning of their issues.

Begüm Erdem is the youngest and most rebellious of the sisters...she gets caught stealing an expensive perfume that her sister won't buy her in order to impress the wealthy private school kids she attends school with. When she is subsequently teased for being a thief, she attempts to commit suicide.

Meanwhile the relationship between Bora, his mother and his "cousin" Tayfun is not what it seems.

There is some great acting in this series. I have always been a big fan of Sükrü Özyildiz, but was equally impressed with the lovely Irem Helvacioglu. I thought the two had excellent chemistry together and made for a striking couple. I really appreciated how Tayfun seemed to be perfect how he stepped up to handle just about any situation...leaving the relationship between him and Bora to be such an anomaly until the big reveals in the final episode (which as stated seems really rushed, but did explain a lot). Mert Dogan, who played the character of Batman, was fantastic. It seemed like a fun role to play and it suited him very well. He was great with his charming sly smiles to Begüm. Likewise Selin Türkmen, who played Asli Erdem, had a dream role. She really did a phenomenal job with her role which had the biggest emotional roller coaster of emotions in the series. She really put on an acting clinic, swinging from the happiest of moments to the depths of despair. I can't wait to see more from her.

I'm left not knowing how I really feel about the series. I think for the acting alone it's worth watching...but be prepared for a quick summation like wrap up.

My review is based on watching the series in its original Turkish with English subtitles.

Breathtaking actors, storyline, photography.

The actors are physically striking, but also they perform so well they took my breath away. The beginning storyline lays out a thrilling start for each character. And as the story progresses, so does the character development, gradually adding depth and mystique to each person's role. There seems to be quite a bit more to discover about each person. The photography was truly exceptional, from the spiraling staircases to the architecture, to the angles from which they are shot. This showcases some extraordinary scenes from the region.

Extra Bravos to Sukru Ozyildiz for just looking amazing. He alone is worth your two hours and a half for this great and enticing episode. His acting is fabulous and he just emits steamy energy that will have you holding your breath! With each episode, he draws intrigue and mystery.

I am on the edge of my seat awaiting each episode.

**Post Finale Edit: What a shock that this series ended prematurely. There was so much lost potential. I am disappointed that the ending was obviously rushed and I am disappointed that there will be no more episodes. I originally gave it alllllllll the stars, but had to knock one star down because it was obviously wrapped up quickly and it felt rushed. All that being said, I still stand by my statement that Beautiful Sukru O. Is worth every second of this series. It's not wasted time with him in it!

This is the best series this season and I'm absolutely loving it. Don't get deceived by the low ratings. The storyline is interesting, all the actors are doing an amazing job.

Special appreciation for Sukru Ozyildiz 👏🏻, a gem of an actor. He is a delight to watch. Light or heavy scene, his skill confidently stretches to both. Give him an action, a comedy, an intense drama or just a rom-com, he will ace each role and every scene. I love how he conveys the message, feelings, and emotions, and how he puts depth to the character and story. And his breathtaking beauty is the cherry on top.

I very much recommend it.