Okay, as you guys know, I wrote an entire blog post on this week’s episode of Menajerimi Ara as well as an additional post on my thoughts on Barış. So, if you haven’t read those posts, I highly suggest you do. I also haven’t caught up on Masumlar Apartmanı however, as previously established, I will create a post specifically post about it. Thus, this week of “A Dizi(ng) Week (A Recap)” will probably be shorter than usual.
On Wednesday We Watch Sen Çal Kapımı
This week’s episode of Sen Çal Kapımı is literally the stuff of dreams (for all of us EdSer fans), but sadly also the stuff of really bad editing skills. The episode starts with Serkan telling Eda that he loves her. They kiss and honestly, I loved it… However, I also hated it. I know this might come as a surprise, however, I feel with the sun setting and Eda and Serkan finally being open about their affections for each other, Sen Çal Kapımı should have leaned into that period drama nonsense, and used that light for the sheer romance of it.
We see a very similar usage of the light in Far From The Maddening Crowd, however, in Sen Çal Kapımı we get the kiss from random angles, and while them kissing is really romantic, I would argue that the sun was not utalised to the best of its capacity and some of the angles were kind of un-aesthetically pleasing.
But what do I know? Perhaps the angles were a product of censorship laws.
Eda decides to postpone going to Italy for two months, to stay in Turkey with Serkan. After two months, Eda and Serkan will go to Italy together… Or will they? Something is happening with Selin and Feris and Engin and Pırıl but to be completely honest, I don’t really care. Alptekin finds out that his family is the reason that Eda’s parents died… drama is about to occur. Serkan and Eda decide to keep their relationship a secret because Ayfer doesn’t want Eda dating Serkan.
With Eda staying in Turkey, most people knowing that their engagement was fake, and their current relationship a secret, the episode follows Eda and Serkan sneaking around trying to be around each other. Honestly, I have no idea what to say about this, because it was so freaking cute, and because the Internet has already said so much about it. That being said, I will applaud the writers of this episode because we saw something that is almost rare in media. I read somewhere that:
“Real love, is not about grand gestures. It’s not about the non-stop-dialled-up-to-11 intensity. It’s about being the day to day today.”
I believe we kind of see this idea depicted in the newest bölüm of Sen Çal Kapımı. While there is something to be said of the intensity and drama that is depicted because Eda and Serkan are hiding their relationship, we still see them being awkward around each other… and it is cute and adds an element of realism. I love how Eda and Serkan just constantly want to be around each other.
That being said that this episode reminded me a lot of the early Erkenci Kus episodes. In both EK and SÇK we see Can and Sanem and Eda and Serkan hide their relationship. While Serkan and Can both want to be open about their relationship, both Eda and Sanem want to keep the relationship a secret because of how their family will react. Both Eda and Sanem have dreams of travelling and work for the men in their lives.
Lastly, in this episode, Erdem reminded me a lot of Ceycey, purely because they were both characters that worked in the firm, knew of the relationship of their boss, and was forced into secrecy. One of my friends suggested that these similarities have to do with the writer, Ayşe Üner Kutlu, being drawn to writing certain things/tropes/characters, which could be an explanation. However, as the episodes continue I hope we see more subversion of common Dizi tropes, which is one of the reasons that I was drawn to Sen Çal Kapımı.
Additional Thoughts:
- Okay, I am going to say this once and for all. While I know that Sarp is probably a cool person, based on the BTS stuff, I really don’t like what the show is doing with Erdem and Fifi’s character. While his initial interest in her was comical, the extent to which pursues her, which involves him inserting himself into her life, really bothers me, especially because Fifi has not shown any interest in him. It borders on him being a stalker, and it really bothers me. If you want to more about why I think this trope is troubling, I will direct you at this video that explains the trope on some level.
- Okay, I know that various people are upset about the introduction of Ali Ersan Duru next episode, especially in regards to the drama that it will undoubtedly create in Eda and Serkan’s life. However, I am super excited! Partially, this has to do with the fact that I am total trash for drama… However, it also has to do with the fact that Kalbimin Sultani was my life during the summer of 2018, and I was so gutted when it got cancelled.
So seeing, Sultan Mahmud on my screen again is going to make me so happy. However, what is happening with Ali’s hair… who allowed this?
- While respect Eda and her life decisions… her deciding to postpone school for a mans… Ooof, that couldn’t be me. Additionally, because I see so many parallels between EK and SÇK, I can’t help but wonder will never happen, just like it never did in EK.
- Lastly, is if you are wondering what the pain of this episode is… it has to do with the fact that Eda and Serkan are so cute it hurts. But also the fact that the editing of this episode was so terrible. It reminded me of a lot of Bölüm 5… I don’t if I have high expectations of editing in regards to dizi-land, or if I’m just projecting my love Halka (which was edited so beautifully) onto SÇK, but this ain’t it chief.
Yeni Hayat or the Things I Do For Serkan Çayoglu
Oh, Yeni Hayat, what a show. To be completely honest, this week’s episode of Yeni Hayat was probably the one that I was most excited for since the show aired. Which is hilarious, because I am 99% sure, it had the lowest ratings of the bunch. Never the less, I was super keen on watching this weeks episode, for the scene™, and if you’ve watched it, you know EXACTLY what the scene™ is.
The episode starts with everyone sitting at the breakfast table eating. However, both Adem and Yasemin’s phone go off revealing video footage of their kiss. Both are shocked to learn that they are being blackmailed, especially since both of their spouses are in the room. They spend the next few minutes staring intently into each other eyes in shock, which was strange, because Timur the man, who beat his wife for simply looking at a man, did not seem at all suspicious by this. However, tensions rise even more as Timur’s phone goes off, thinking quickly Yasemin “accidentally” spills water his phone, allowing her to grab it. She deletes the message as Adem distracts Timur.
Regardless, Yasemin is now on the lookout, trying to find out which member of the Karatan household took the video of her kissing Adem. She eventually finds an ally in Fatma, one of the maids in the house. I was initially apprehensive about her opening up to Fatma about her kissing Adem because I most soap operas and dizis would have this be a grave mistake.
However, I really appreciated that the writers of Yeni Hayat allowed Yasemin to find an ally and friend in Fatma. Female friendships are important and I feel those women are often pitted against each other in media, especially dizis. So, to have Fatma become a friend and confidant to Yasemin was a breath of fresh air.
Fatma and Yasemin decide that the video must have come from Gökçe and try to find a way to get Gökçe’s phone from her in order to look through it. While I understand that the show is trying to create suspense, this whole aspect of the Bölüm fell flat for me.
It was pretty heartbreaking to see, purely because the show established things that would make a great mystery. You have the mystery and the only possible suspect being someone who must work or live in the Karatan house. This, to some degree, is the set up of movies like Knives Out, Murder Mystery, or Murder on the Orient Express or the game Clue. Yet, the way that Yeni Hayat attempted to explore this set up felt felt way too dramatic, which took away the element of suspense. Even when they revealed that the message came from Yasemin and that one of the security cameras had been tampered with, I still felt underwhelmed.
Adem and Timur are attempting to find Ahmet, whom they believe is related to Yasemin’s kidnapping. What they do not know is that Ahmet has been captured and tortured by Kunduzi. Yasemin’s revelation to Adem that Timur is abusive, has also taken a toll of Adem who know just sees an abusive man in his boss.
While all of this is happening, Nevin has decided to pawn off her jewellery to pay off Ferda. Adem and his crew have captured one of Kunduzi men and plan on using him to find out more information about Kunduzi. Adem also asks Ayhan to find out who sent him the video footage. (As a side note, everyone reacts to the kiss is too funny because it honestly just looks like Melisa just kissed Serkan on the cheek).
Timur is worried about his new shipment of guns because all of the other ones have been botched. Adem and Yasemin briefly meet and discuss the predicament they’re in, and we get another instance where I feel like we could have gotten a scene that I would have loved and have loved in other dizis… and yet the way Yeni Hayat executed it left me underwhelmed. And yes this scene is the scene in which Yasemin goes to talk to Adem and stumbles into a shirtless Adem. (Menajerimi Ara does it better is all I’m saying!).
Yasemin brings up a conference that she is going to be the speaker at to Timur, who allows her to attend to it. Kunduzi is doing something evil, kills Ahmet, and secretly meeting with Yasemin.
All of this brings us to one of the funniest and one of my favourite scenes in this Bölüm. I have no idea what the directors and crew were attempting when they filmed this shot, but let me tell they did not accomplish whatever it is they wanted because this shot just had me laughing.
However, the scene that follows it is almost cute, something is endearing about Yasemin joking with her brother about she doesn’t need protection because she already has a protector while standing in front of a stoic Adem.
Adem on the way back to his house bumps into Fatih who is fixing up his car to impress Fatma. When Adem tells Nevin about this encounter, she laments the fact that Adem and her never the early dating/flirting stage in their relationship. I feel like this was supposed to show a sort of contrast between Adem’s relationship with Nevin and his relationship with Yasemin. However, I don’t know, maybe its because I don’t ship Yasemin and Adem as much as the show wants me too… But I just don’t feel the emotions that the show wants me too.
Timur gun business is not going as well as he wants it too, Nesibe is becoming suspicious of Fatma, and Gökçe is spending a lot introducing Ece to the world of Instagram, which made me uncomfortable. I know that this is just a dizi, but Gökçe really should not be posting content of a minor on Instagram (especially because she is an influencer) without the consent of the child’s parents.
Though Timur told Yasemin that she was allowed to go to her conference, he tries to forbid her from going, when he is unable to go himself. However, when Yasemin insists, Timur sends Adem with Yasemin. Yasemin and Adem drive to her conference, with Yasemin lamenting that Adem hindered her escape, them eating breakfast together, and Adem opening up to Yasemin about his family. Yasemin also has this strange daydream about what her life would be like if she had escaped, and honestly, it was pretty, it also looked like it came out of a music video, and it was also a bit cringy.
Because Yasemin and Adem are going on an overnight together, Nevin has become jealous. Remember in the first episode when Nevin claimed that she wasn’t the lazy type that was fun, no? Her suspicion heightens when she calls Adem and misunderstands the situation thinking that they are sleeping together. Adem explains that Yasemin is sleeping in the car. When Berna makes sure that Adem and Yasemin are sharing a suite, tensions rise again due to the obvious chemistry between Adem and Yasemin. However, when Nevin calls Adem back and learns that Adem and Yasemin are sharing a suite, she becomes jealous.
That night Yasemin has a nightmare of Timur attempting to kill her, Adem hearing her screams goes to comfort her. Adem leaves Yasemin’s door ajar and sleeps on the couch, allowing Adem and Yasemin to sleep watching the other. The next day we get my next favourite scene in this show. Yes, I am referring to the scene™. Adem invites Yasemin to the gym, insisting on teaching her self-defence, specifically how to escape a chokehold grip. Yasemin is initially annoyed at the lessons, knowing they are useless because she wouldn’t be able to use them against Timur. However, Adem explains it’s not about fighting, but instead making Yasemin feel like she has some control and power. Then we get one of my favourite lines, with Yasemin telling Adem that she doesn’t him to save her, and Adem reminding her “But I did, and I will continue to save you.” They eventually reach a point of friendly flirtation with Yasemin giggling as she bests Adem, and climbs on top of him.
The episode ends with Gökçe finding the dead body of Ahmet. Yasemin making her speech about how woman are abused by man, which angers Timur who is now suspicious of why Adem is teaching Yasemin self-defence. Timur drives really dangerously as they drive (they being Timur and Yasemin) and the episode ends with Yasemin tempting fate and Timur by asking Timur to crash the car as she grabs the steering wheel.
Additional Thoughts
- Okay, this episode of the show made me realise that while I am enjoying watching Yeni Hayat, something about how it is executing its ideas fall very flat to me. As previously mentioned the mystery of who filmed the kiss could be so good, and yet it does not pique my interest. The tension between Adem and Yasemin could be intense and filled with all sort of sexual tension, and yet I don’t care or feel excitement about Yasemin and Adem like I do about Edser or Dicbar… I don’t know if this is cultural clash… but something feels off and I don’t know what.
- I really love how Yeni Hayat has shown us a rare female perspective. On one hand the dizi has shown some tropes and events that I would argue are less than great (e.g. infidelity or abuse) however with this Yasemin’s speech this week we get an important message. I also love how we haven’t seen Yasemin and Nevin be openly pitted against each other.
Bonus : I Watched 1. Bölüm of Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir
Watching the first episode of Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir had me reeling. Many moons ago, I realised the irony that was me watching dizis when I judged/heckled my grandmother and mother for watching Indian serials. However, I told myself that the dizis I was watching were different than the serials the woman of my family watched… and to some degree dizis like EK, SÇK, and Halka are different… and than I watched Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir and than I ate my words.
This decision came about partially because I saw this photo-shoot of Demet Özdemir and İbrahim Çelikkol (and it was hot)…
partially because the Internet kept on going on about the show, and mostly because I love Demet. So watching it was an easy decision, especially because I was half asleep and barely coherent. To keep it short, watching Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir made me remember literally every over dramatic Bollywood/Tollywood/Kollywood/Mollywood/Sandlewood and every other wood of Indian cinema + all of the Indian serials that come with it.
The plot of a young girl being raised by someone else to gain a better life is prevalent throughout Indian cinema. The women in Mehdi’s life being nosy and trying to find him a wife had me remembering various pieces of Indian media and conversations with family members.
Zeynep and Mehdi meeting and having an instant connection filled with prejudice as well as a little “something something” reminded me of various movies. Zeynep refusing to marry her boyfriend because he came from a different place, and instead allowing her biological mother to arrange a meeting with her husband, the man she met and connected with ages ago made me realise a truth.
I am my mother’s daughter. I have become my mother.
ERICA TALKS SH*T 