Ask ve Ceza

It's a low budget production but boy, who cares?! The story is compelling, though it draws on a bit long. The wait is worth it!

I watched Season 1 on Netflix with English subtitles. Am eager to see when Season 2 is on Netflix. The actors are very convincing. The plots are complicated so I can't guess how things will get resolved which makes for continual suspense. I like international series because the scenes and locations are set up with a lot of care and detail, variety, and photographic beauty. I also like the scripts in international series such as this one because sometimes they are exceptionally poignant, heartfelt and wise. The scripts and story lines are always well written and well developed, and I believe the English subtitles are excellent.

This was the first Turkish drama I watched so it has a special place in my heart. However, it's definitely not the best out there. The storylines do drag on and the characters can be really illogical in their decision making, but overall its not bad. Murat Yildirim (savas) and Tomris Incer (sahnur hanim) both gave steller performances and honestly were the best part of the show. The plot line is interesting and delves into certain customs and traditions in Turkey and other parts of the middle east. Despite the love story being a major part of the show, it was one of the least interesting parts for me personally. I would say the first half of the show was its peak.

The production of this show made it difficult to watch. The entire series looks as if filmed with a handheld camera. The initial storyline is also a little troublesome, as it does not lay a solid foundation for the type of love story relationship you would expect in a drama. Setting these problems aside, the actors in this series make up for the poor filming and editing as well as the initial bond missing between the main characters (Savas and Yasemin). The leads (Murat and Nurgul) are well matched and Murat Yildirim does a stellar job as the tenderhearted Savas Baldar. Tomris Incer who plays Savas' mother is a shining star in this show. Murat Yildirim and Tomris Incer's acting anchors the series and make it worth watching until the end.

My first Turkish series was The End. Then, I watched Ezel and fell in love with it. The series had everything, romance, betrayal, vengeance, great script, and scenery was fantastic! After that, there were more... too much to name! All of them great. What a difference with US series where some only shot in a studio.