The 14 Best Turkish Series of 2024

Sahipsizler tells the poignant story of six siblings forced to fend for themselves after the tragic death of their parents. Raised their entire lives to prepare for the worst, Azize, Cemo, Zeliha, Fidan, Samet, and Balım must lean on one another for strength when their greatest fear becomes reality. Leaving the forests they’ve always called home, they navigate the unforgiving streets of Istanbul, where they face a new world of threats coming from all directions.

From the very first episode, the series embarks on a deeply emotional journey, confronting viewers with the raw self-centeredness of human nature. 

Sahipsizler boasts many strengths, but it truly stands out for its exceptional young cast, whose performances draw you in, making you bond with the characters and care deeply about their fates.

Under Cem Karcı’s masterful direction, each actor delivers an authentic and heartfelt portrayal, tugging relentlessly at heartstrings and earning the show an A+ in emotional storytelling.

Bahar became an instant hit when it premiered earlier this year on Show TV, and it has kept the momentum going ever since. 

A remake of the critically acclaimed K-Drama Doctor Cha, the series has been praised for its heartfelt portrayal of the everyday struggles of women. It follows the story of its titular character, who decides to reclaim her life and destiny after years of unwavering dedication to her family, receiving little to no recognition in return.

Facing resistance at every turn, Bahar—a woman who once had a promising medical career ahead of her—chooses to retrace her steps. Tuning out the noise, she embarks on a challenging yet fulfilling journey to complete her medical residency and finally achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Taking a job at the same hospital as her husband and son, Bahar soon comes to uncover hard truths about her so-called loving husband. Yet, instead of breaking her spirit, these revelations ignite her determination to rebuild her life with hope, love, and self-reliance.

In a society where women are still often confined to traditional roles, a show like Bahar feels like a breath of fresh air. Its empowering message of “if I can, so can you” resonates deeply with viewers, making it nearly impossible not to fall in love with the series. Demet Evgar shines as Bahar, delivering an authentic performance that captures the character’s inspiring journey toward independence. From its humor to its deeply emotional core, Bahar is a rare gem—a show that truly has it all, making it the perfect comfort watch.

The challenges of remaking a fan-favourite series are plenty, but the rewards of doing so successfully are palpable.

Ay Yapım (by way of Ayna Yapım) took on the task of reimagining the popular Arabic series Al Hayba for Turkish audiences, and within the first couple of weeks of the show being on air, it is all anyone is talking about –– rightfully so.

Uzak Şehir follows Alya Albora, who, along with her five-year-old son, travels from Canada to the Albora family’s ancestral lands in Mardin to fulfill her late husband’s final wish: to be buried in his homeland. What begins as a short trip quickly spirals into a journey of no return as Alya discovers the immense power of the Albora family. The family matriarch, her late husband’s mother, is no fan of Alya and, knowing little about her, harbors the suspicion that Alya had something to do with her son’s death.

While the matriarch reluctantly permits Alya to stay, she makes one thing clear—her grandson will remain in Mardin. But Alya, a fiercely devoted mother, refuses to leave her child in the care of a family that fires guns into the sky without a second thought. What ensues is a series of daring (failed) escape attempts, each one more dangerous than the last.

As Alya starts to come to terms with being trapped indefinitely, her mother-in-law presents her with a shocking alternative: if Alya wants to stay with her son, she must remarry—this time to her late husband’s brother, Cihan. Dun-dun.

After much resistance, Alya begrudgingly agrees, keeping her focus on the bigger picture. With that, the stage is set for a classic enemies-to-lovers tale, brimming with angst, passion, and drama.

While our best-of-the-year lists typically highlight shows that premiered within the year, Teşkilat, which debuted in 2021, has rightfully earned its spot this year through sheer merit. Now in its fifth season, the series has embraced the slogan “Altay’dan Tuna’ya” and undergone significant changes over the years, most notably its high turnover of cast members, including lead roles.

This season, the series saw the much-anticipated on-screen reunion of Tolga Sarıtaş and Aybüke Pusat, and in a not-so-shocking turn of events, the duo has managed to replicate the success of their 2017 series, Söz. 

Joining The Shadow Team as Captain Altay, Sarıtaş takes on the mission of rooting out the enemy. Along the way, he encounters Neslihan (Pusat), a resilient patriot who remains committed to defending her homeland despite enduring immense personal loss. Initially at odds, Altay and Neslihan gradually find common ground, their shared goals forging a powerful partnership as they embark on high-stakes missions.

Calling this season of Teşkilat action-packed would be an understatement, and audiences clearly agree as ratings are at their highest since Season 2.

In its heyday, Avenue Brasil attracted massive TV audiences, so much so that the whole of Brazil came to a standstill when its finale aired. Remaking such a massively successful show does not come easily, but when done right, following every detail as closely as the letter, recreating magic a second time, is possible.

Ay Yapım did just that with Leyla: Hayat... Aşk... Adalet…

In the series, we follow the tumultuous journey of the titular character, Leyla, whose life spirals out of control when her father, Hilmi, her only living relative, marries Nur—a woman whose beauty masks a cunning and manipulative nature. 

Blinded by love, Hilmi prioritizes Nur over his daughter, neglecting Leyla and pushing her into a rather vulnerable state. By the time Hilmi realizes his mistake, it’s too late—Nur has already orchestrated a plan to remove him from her path permanently. After successfully carrying out her scheme, Nur doesn’t stop there. To fully claim the life she’s always wanted with her long-time lover, Mali, she cruelly abandons Leyla in a garbage dump, severing all ties with her past.

Left with nothing but painful memories, Leyla vows to make Nur pay for everything she has endured. Over the years, she meticulously plans her revenge, adopting a new identity as Ela. Under this guise, she infiltrates Nur’s home, posing as a skilled and sought-after chef. With each carefully crafted meal, Ela subtly chips away at Nur’s seemingly perfect life, setting her plan into motion.

As strange and unsettling events begin to unfold, Nur grows suspicious, sensing that someone is amiss. Just as Leyla’s revenge seems to be gaining momentum, she faces an unexpected complication: her childhood friend, Cino, aka Civan, is Nur’s adopted soon.

One thing about love is that it has a knack for complicating matters, and it does for Leyla, as her meticulously crafted revenge plans collide with her rekindled feelings for Civan, resurfacing long-buried family secrets and forcing everyone to confront the wreckage of their past.

Though a remake, Leyla: Hayat… Aşk… Adalet… feels anything but stale. Thanks to Hilal Saral’s masterful direction, the palpable chemistry between the leads, and a cast that delivers standout performances across the board, the series manages to strike a perfect balance between familiarity and freshness.

From when it was first announced to date, Bir Gece Masalı has garnered the type of buzz that does not die down but instead amplifies with every new episode. 

A sweeping tale of revenge, the series follows Mahir (Burak Deniz), who returns to his hometown after many years with one goal: avenging his father's death. Now a Commissioner, Mahir has spent years meticulously preparing his revenge, and as he sets off to put his plans into action, his first day back starts on a high note with an unexpected encounter with a nomad girl whose beauty immediately takes up residence in his thoughts. Still focused on the hunt for his father’s murderer, Mahir adds to his backlog of things to do, searching for the mesmerizing nomad girl, whom he names “Şehrazad.” 

Lying in wait, the perfect opportunity to trap Kürşat Kilimci, the man he holds responsible for his father’s demise, arises, and Mahir, determined not to miss said opportunity, dones his best suit and heads for Kürşat’s daughter’s wedding. Lo and behold, the “Şehrazad” he fell in love with at first sight is Canfeza, the daughter of his sworn enemy.

What was once considered a perfectly crafted revenge plan comes crumbling as Mahir finds himself trapped in a wrestling match between his heart and his head, and a winner would need to emerge fast as Kürşat’s insidious plans for his daughter loom. Love prevails, but the road to happily-ever-after is wrought with one obstacle after the other. 

Yılmaz Erdoğan’s pen game is what the Turkish people would describe as şahane –– wonderful. For someone who has been away from traditional TV for ages, he has not missed a beat, and İnci Taneleri is the perfect re-introduction to his particularly stellar brand of thought-provoking storytelling. 

In the series, Erdoğan takes on the role of Azem, a beloved literature teacher whose idyllic family life is obliterated when he is accused and imprisoned for his wife’s murder—a crime he didn’t commit.

Following his release, Azem’s sole focus is reuniting with his children, who have grown up in separate adoptive families. However, the world outside has moved on without him, and the reality of his children’s vastly different lives presents unforeseen challenges.

Amid his quest to rebuild a fractured life, Azem encounters Dilber, a troubled young dancer, forging an unexpected connection that adds complexity to his journey. Unable to return to his teaching career due to his tarnished record, Azem begins private tutoring under an alias. This leads him to Piraye, the mother of a wealthy student, igniting a new and unforeseen attraction.

Caught between the ghosts of his past, two different women, and his determination to reunite his family, Azem must navigate a slew of varying emotions with hopes of one day recuperating what time has taken from him.

The stunning backdrop of Cappadocia is a selling point in itself, but combine it with a compelling plot and a stellar cast, and you’ve got a compulsively watchable Turkish drama.

In Siyah Kalp, we follow the story of Sumru, who, after abandoning her newborn twins, Nuh and Melek, builds a new life as the wife of a wealthy, influential man and mother to two more children. However, her carefully constructed facade begins to crumble when the twins discover her whereabouts and arrive at the Şansalan mansion, determined to confront her and claim the justice they believe they deserve.

Caught unprepared, Sumru denies her past, but the threat of her secret unravelling looms like a ticking time bomb. As Nuh and Melek’s plans for revenge take root, unexpected complications arise when their paths cross with members of Sumru’s new family. Melek captivates Cihan, Sumru’s stepson, who is trapped in the shadow of an impending arranged marriage to his cousin, Sevilay. Meanwhile, Nuh finds himself falling for Sevilay, who is waging her own battles against familial expectations.

Despite Sumru’s best efforts to keep her past hidden and her estranged children at bay, Melek and Nuh gradually infiltrate both the family and the hearts of Cihan and Sevilay, unravelling buried secrets and igniting forbidden romances. 

Bergüzar Korel and Mehmet Günsür hadn’t appeared in a traditional TV series for years, but when the script for Annem Ankara came their way, they both eagerly signed on—a testament to just how great the series is.

Set in the 90s, the series follows Zuhal Soydaşlı (Korel), a mother of three who was married to a sucker of a man who never fully grew up. While Zuhal prioritized the well-being of her family, dedicating her life to catering to their every need, sometimes at her own expense, fate hits her with the biggest blow: her husband, Hasan’s (Günsür) infidelity. 

Seeking refuge in her mother’s house, Zuhal soon comes to the realization that marriage distanced her from the very place she once called home and fueled her determination to provide the best possible life for her children.  

Annem Ankara succeeds well in mirroring the plight of many women internationally but boldly steers away from the clichéd narrative of surrendering to one’s fate, delivering instead an uplifting tale of hope and resilience.

Only a handful of actors have must-see series, and Aras Bulut İynemli is undoubtedly one of them. This year, he opted to star as a mathematical prodigy, Devran, in Ay Yapım’s Deha. 

In the series, Devran’s life transforms from poverty to prestige when he solves a millennia-old math problem, earning him a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious U.S. university. 

Raised in the slums with his mother, grandmother, siblings and his first love, Esme, the pieces were falling into place for Devrim and on the cusp of finally fulfilling his lifelong dream, his estranged father, İskender, a notorious con artist, resurfaces. While Devran was revered among his peers and other heavyweights, there was only one person he ever cared to impress, and that person was his good-for-nothing father, İskender. 

As Devran inches closer and closer to becoming his own person, a fast track to wealth and riches inches his little brother Boran closer and closer to their father, who somehow managed to become even more treacherous over the years. 

One thing leads to another, and Boran gets caught up in İskender’s self-serving schemes, but he meets his end before Devran can tell him, “I told you so.”

Enraged and determined to avenge his family's suffering, Devran sets aside his U.S. aspirations to confront İskender. Armed with his brilliance and a deep-seated desire for justice, Devran comes face-to-face with his father in a high-stakes battle where his ruthless intelligence is pitted against İskender’s deceit and ambition.

A thrilling rollercoaster ride, Deha effectively taps into the viewer’s desperate desire to see the good guys triumph in the end.

When it comes to historical dramas, TRT1 consistently earns an A+ for its ability to blend captivating storytelling with stunning visual spectacle.

A history buff’s epic for the ages, Mehmed: Fetihler Sultanı chronicles the open-minded titular character’s journey from ascension to the throne at a young age through triumphs on the battlefield to moments of despair and hardship. While others mistook his youthfulness for weakness, Mehmed defied expectations, prioritizing innovation and progress over archaic traditions.

His first mission was the conquest of Constantinople, a feat that not only secured his place in history but also laid the groundwork for transforming the Ottoman Empire into a global power through sweeping reforms in education and justice.

Faced with hurdles at every turn, from relentless enemies to betrayal by trusted allies, Mehmed remained steadfast in his pursuit of greatness. In this exhilarating retelling, viewers are immersed in a grand-scale saga packed with the perfect balance of intrigue and historical fightfest spectacle.

Anchored by an all-time performance by Serkan Çayoğlu and TRT1’s budgetary flex, Mehmed: Fetihler Sultanı is a striking, magnificently crafted historical drama that already ranks high among the greats. 

Şakir Paşa Ailesi: Mucizeler ve Skandallar is a captivating retelling of the lives of the infamous Şakir Paşa family, an Ottoman dynasty plagued by continuous scandals, ultimately giving rise to some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. 

Boasting stunning visual flair and meticulous attention to historical detail, the series underwent an extensive pre-production process—and it shows.

Hailed as Türkiye’s answer to Bridgerton, the drama, set in 1912, begins with the return of Cevat, the family’s eldest son, from Oxford, accompanied by his Italian wife and their baby. While Cevat’s mother, İsmet Hanım, is overjoyed to have her son back, his authoritative father, Şakir Paşa, is notably absent from the homecoming festivities, his disapproval of Cevat’s wife and lifestyle casting a shadow over the reunion.

As tensions simmer within the family’s Büyükada mansion, old grievances resurface, and deep-seated conflicts come to light. At press time, only a few episodes have aired, but with countless pieces of literature chronicling the Şakir Paşa family’s dramatic history, the series appears to be steering toward an explosive forbidden love affair between Cevat’s wife and his father. If the story remains faithful to its inspiration, even more scandalous twists await—and we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

The only show to grace our screens this summer, Yalan, delivers a poignant tale of the sacrifices a mother will make for her child.

The series centers on Melike, who, after serving 20 years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit—the murder of her husband—is finally free and determined to reunite with her daughter, Hazal. Left in her sister’s care as an infant, Hazal has grown up in a world vastly different from the one Melike left behind.

While Melike is eager to leave the nightmare of her wrongful conviction in the past, she finds herself stepping into a new web of lies and deception. On her quest to uncover the truth and identify her husband’s real killer, she must also navigate the delicate reality of Hazal’s life, shaped by the woman she’s called “mother” in Melike’s absence.

As she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth and unmask her husband’s real killer, she must confront the complexities of the life of her daughter, who has called another woman “mother” in her absence. 

An understated gem, Yalan masterfully captures the heart of the Turkish drama genre, delving into nuanced family dynamics with emotional resonance and depth.

Period dramas are an acquired taste, often hit-or-miss, making it rare to find one that enthralls. TRT1’s Kara Ağaç Destanı is a standout, seamlessly journeying through the 1950s and 1970s against the rich backdrop of ancient Anatolian lands.

The series centers on Celal Ağa, who goes to extreme lengths, murder included, to covert lands. Getting rid of anyone and anything that gets in his way, Celal Ağa succeeds in amassing the type of power that makes him untouchable.

Celal Ağa’s reign of terror is not only directed toward his rivals but also at home, where everyone works on eggshells, afraid of his wife. Among the most terrified is his wife, who, in a bid to save her female child from an inevitable demise after Celal Ağa had demanded a male child or else, swaps her daughter Sultan for Ömer, the son of a trusted ally.

Years go by, and an unknowing Celal Ağa raises Ömer as his son, but secrets of the past soon linger with the return of Sultan, whose sole mission is revenge. 

Fate works its magic, crossing Sultan’s path with Ömer’s, thereafter, changing the course of Kara Ağaç forever.