In 2022, Star TV and OGM Pictures joined forces to bring high-quality Turkish dramas to the screen. For Star TV, this partnership was a chance to revive its standing following back-to-back shortlived, low-rated dramas. On the other hand, OGM Pictures was coming into the partnership with a slate of successful shows under its belt, the likes of Masumlar Apartmanı and Kırmızı Oda. Established in only 2019, the powerhouse production company quickly made a name for itself for its brand of conversation-provoking Turkish dramas, anchored by the works of controversial psychiatrist Dr. Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu.
Yalı Çapkını marked the first output of the partnership, and from the series' very first episode, which aired on September 23, 2022, it was clear that the classic family drama revolving around the story of two sisters whose paths cross with the heir to a family full of betrayal, lies, and secrets, was destined to become a hit. Lo and behold, the second episode of the series experienced a rating increase of over 3 points in all categories. Yalı Çapkını later went on to become the highest-rated show of the 2022-2023 season, one of its many accolades to date.
Then came Çöp Adam, a real-life-to-TV adaptation that followed the love story of game developer Tamer (Engin Altan Düzyatan) and bankers Peri (Elçin Sangu), who meet in an extraordinary way that traps them in a dangerous yet beautiful game. While not as successful as Yalı Çapkını, the series performed moderately in the ratings in its first season, averaging 3.76 in Total, 4.21 in AB, and 4.51 in ABC1. Thanks to OGM's partnership with Star TV, the series managed to score a Season 2 renewal, but soon after it returned for a new season, it was canceled.
In January of 2023, OGM Pictures opted to try something different from its next production: a Turkish adaptation of the critically acclaimed Israeli series Shtisel. Staying true to the original, the remake, Ömer, tells the story of a man whose life turns upside down when he falls in love with an older woman, a relationship that his conservative father will never approve of. OGM's risk paid off, as Ömer created some buzz with the Turkish audience, reaching rating highs on Monday night. Despite tough competition, Ömer managed to maintain steady ratings throughout the first half of its second season before experiencing a sharp decline in viewership.
Yüz Yıllık Mucize was the next series to make the slate, and unlike its predecessors, the series began and ended on a low note. Concluding with a mere 13 episodes, the story about the man who never aged never resonated with the audience despite its very strong cast ensemble.
OGM Pictures was poised to dominate the 2023-2024 season, but following unforeseen delays linked to cast withdrawals and a handful of script rewrites, its first series of the season did not premiere until November 2023. Like the series that came before it, Sakla Beni's first episode featured a controversial scene that created quite a storm on social media, and like always, people tuned into the second episode to see what the fuss was all about. The buzz quickly died down, but its ratings, on the very busy Thursday schedule, remained decent but not decent enough to earn it another season. At press time, the series has aired 22 episodes and is currently averaging 4.25 in Total, 3.04 in AB, and 3.96 in ABC1.
Up until this point, all of OGM Pictures' dramas had at least been given a few weeks on screen in the hopes of winning over the audience. The same luck was nowhere to be found for the highly anticipated Yan Oda. Premiering considerably late in the season, and on a Saturday at that, the series about two very families forced to live under the same roof following a shotgun wedding was literally yanked from the screen following its 4th episode. To the amazement of the cast, crew, and viewers, the series was given no final episode to wrap up the storyline, a frustrating trend we've seen an uptick in recently.
With the exception of Yalı Çapkını, which has been confirmed for a third season, all of OGM Pictures' current series is expected to end this season, and the future is looking bleak, to say the least. While many argue that OGM has lost its charm, the start of a new season is a chance to start over, and if there's one thing we've learned since the company's offset, it is that it knows how to rise to the challenge.
It is uncertain whether Star TV will continue to air OGM dramas exclusively (the terms of the contract between the parties have not been revealed). However, if the channel does choose to continue with the arrangement, its top brass will likely be eager to have more hit dramas on its slate in the forthcoming 2024-2025 season.
Will OGM Pictures choose to branch out of works by Dr. Budayıcıoğlu and welcome new writers/ideas? Will the company try its hand again at another Turkish remake, or will it chill for a bit to revamp its approach to dizis?
Stay tuned as the next couple of months into the new season will surely be interesting.