If you’ve been paying attention to Turkish media in any form or capacity, you know that we are seeing lots of conversations about social issues. The strongest example of real-life issues being depicted in diziland comes from the ridiculous success of Masumlar Apartmanı or Kırmızı Oda and the rise of the psychological drama.
Various other pieces of media, even those that veer towards being melodramatic, have taken it upon themselves to depict social issues people face every day. This is evident through the accusations brought against Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu, the depiction of phobias in Sen Çal Kapımı, the depiction of suicide and depression in Sen Kiminle Dans Ediyorsun, and the consensus by fans of Menajerimi Ara that Barış is bipolar.
However, not every depiction or discussion of mental illness in media is edifying. Thus, I want to briefly discuss the way that mental health has been stereotyped in media and connect it to Turkish media.
Mental Health in Turkey
Research was conducted by two psychiatric nurses on the stigmas surrounding mental health issues in Turkey. Through their research, the authors, Fatma Öz and Gamze Sarıkoç found that a common prejudice about individuals with mental disorders includes the individual being considered unpredictable and thus dangerous. They went on to discuss how the negative labelling of the mentally ill can lead to deliberating issues such as housing/job discrimination and income loss, the feeling of isolation, friendship/relationship failures or conflict, an increase in depressive symptoms and a decline in social skills. Öz and Sarıkoç mention that these prejudices are established and generalised by mass media.
With this in mind, it is important to understand that though media is not real life, it does affect shaping people’s perception.
The Mentally Ill as Villains
Since the release of the 1960 Hollywood film Psycho, there has been a trend to stereotype the mentally ill as “homicidal maniacs and narcissistic parasites.” This has contributed to the stigmatisation of mental illness. This is why narratives like Masumlar Apartmanı are important. Through the character of Safiye in Masumlar Apartmanı we see OCD and acrophobia being depicted. Flashbacks are used to give insight into Safiye’s life, making her actions understandable and veers away from depicting her as one dimensional and simply “unpredictable”.
In Masumlar Apartmanı we are given a heart wrenching look at what it could be like to live with OCD and the effects it might have on one’s family. However, it could be argued (based on the first two episodes) that because Safiye is pitted against Han and Inci, she is cast in the antagonist role. Safiye’s actions, though comprehensible, have been depicted as dangerous and her control issues are troubling. Because the dizi is so new and the show is still airing it is too soon to make any judgement. This is especially true because Safiye is not the only character with a mental illness and there is so much to learn about all of the characters including Han, who might also be mentally ill.
Being ‘quirky’ is something that is in your control. It’s something that you could change should you want to. Mental illness is not. Mental illness doesn’t care who it affects and it’ll do all it can to prevent the person living with it from recovering from it.
Hattie Gladwell, Metro UK
The belief that mental illness is quirky is dangerous because it leads it to be romanticised. This could lead to dangerous behaviours being romanticised or by making it so that it is not taken seriously.
The protagonist of Sen Kiminle Dans Ediyorsun is suicidal and depressed. Since the film is a comedy, the suicide attempt is played off as humour. While I understand that there is something to be said about comedy it is important to note that by playing it for laughs, the film does not take the issue seriously.
Clinical Diagnosis in Everyday Vocabulary
Lastly, we have the character of Barışin Menajerimi Ara. In fan spaces, a consensus seems to be have made that Barış is bipolar. After some research, I concluded this has to do with Barış’s actions and fickle nature. He is an impulsive character and is often shown saying one thing, but doing something else. It is this act, I would argue, that has garnered the bipolar label. However, as you may know from my article, I do not believe that Barış is bipolar. The label seems to be caused by a misunderstanding of bipolar disorders.
Birch also points out that there exists an important difference between a bipolar disorder and a mood swing. Mood swings are normal ups and downs relating to things that occur in everyday life. In comparison, a manic or depressive episode of a bipolar disorder can last for days and be triggered by many things, which might not have to do with ups and downs of everyday life.
Andrew McCulloch, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, argues that the problem with using clinical diagnosis to describe minor personality is that they all end up meaning the same thing.
For example, the fact that Barış is labelled bipolar when he is more likely having a mood swing creates a stigma that a bipolar disorder is just a mood swing. As previously established they are completely different things.
Therefore I really urge fans of the show to stop labelling Barış as bipolar, because it is not true and helps to create stigmas about the illness.
In conclusion there is a movement to acknowledge mental illness. However, there is still a long way to go and there are still many stigmas surrounding and perpetuated in media about mental health issues
If you have been following along on my blog, you know that I have been promising to write a blog post focusing on TRT1’s hit new dizi Masumlar Apartmanı. Masumlar Apartmanı is a promising new show that is totally annihilating the ratings on Monday nights and is an adaption of Dr Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu’s famous book.
There is something to be said of the way in which Masumlar Apartmanı, kills it every Monday night and has audiences coming back to watch more. It could be in part because of the phenomenal cast in lead actors Birkan Sokullu and Farah Zeynep Abdullah. However, when it comes to the cast, every member, regardless of whether they are the main protagonist or side character, give powerhouse performances. There is also probably something to be said about the way in which Turkish audiences have become more drawn to psychological narratives that dig into the nuances of the everyday person. For example, Kırmızı Oda, another psychological dizi based on the works of the good doctor Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu has also gained much traction. Whatever the reason may be, watching the first two episodes of the show was truly a refreshing treat.
In the first episodes, we are introduced to Han, his three sisters, Safiye, Gulben and Neriman, and their diabetic father. They live together in an apartment that Han’s family owns. It acts as both a home and an agony to the family. This is due to Safiye’s crippling OCD and agoraphobia that impacts every part of their home life. Being the matriarch of the house, she insists on everything being a certain way, cleaning everything precisely four times, and making sure nothing soiled enters the house. Han is the loving son and brother of the family who sacrifices to make sure that no one finds out about the way in which the household is conducted as well as attempting to keep everyone in the house happy. However, it is clear at the start of the episode that the issues in his home are taking a toll on Han, and that he has distanced himself from others to properly protect those in his house.
A screenwriting class I took mentioned two ideas that were important in order to write the perfect pilot episode. I do realise that the screenwriting class I took focused on Hollywood, however, I think these ideas are applicable to Masumlar Apartmanı). The first idea is that there should be a sense of cause and effect that allows tension and a rising action to grow. The events of the episode should react to each other, which allows the momentum and tension to be based on things that have previously occurred and not the whims and fancies of the writer. The second idea is that the character that you see in the final act of the episode should be one that is completely different than the one we are introduced to at the start of the episode. The rest of the show should then explore how this character has changed.
I would argue that the success of Masumlar Apartmanı comes from the execution of these two ideas. For example, while we know that Safiye has crippling OCD and acrophobia the episode allows us to see why these things have manifested in her life by showing us flashbacks to her childhood. Through this we see a very strict mother raised Safiye, and thus Safiye internalised her mother’s habits and idiosyncrasies.
The second idea of Han changing from the 1st Act of the episode to the final act comes in the form of him meeting Inci, the “angel” in his life. Han gets into a car accident with Inci, while driving home from work. Inci and Han go to the hospital, where they stay the night together to ensure that he has no complications due to his concussion. Though they spend a short amount of time together, Han and Inci have an instant connection. We start to see a slow change as Han is taken from the place of caretaker to being taken care of by Inci. This has a great effect on him as he becomes fond of her. The chemistry between Birkan Sokullu and Farah Zeynep Abdullah is electric and addicting to watch.
As previously established, this show is not one without nuance. Inci does not just play the role of the caretaker or love interest. She herself is going through a lot because of the proposal from her boyfriend that she turned down. Inci lives with her grandfather and younger brother. She is grieving the loss of her parents. Yet, she remains a warm and carrying person. Inci’s family need to move out of their apartment and are the stress of finding a new home.
The next morning when Han is released from the hospital, Inci and Han unhappily part ways with a single handshake. There is much that they want to say to each other, yet they cannot. When Han returns home, his house is in havoc with his family believing that he has a new girlfriend and his youngest sister Neriman being locked in her room as a form of ‘punishment’ by Safiye. Inci, on the other hand, returns and has to help her family move.
Tensions rise even more when Inci family tries to move into an apartment in Han’s family building. A distressed and angry Safiye refuses to let them enter the building and becomes more and more agitated when Inci and her family accuse her of being unstable. Han hearing about what Safiye is up too rushes downstairs to help and sees his angel who he thought he would never see again.
At this ending, we again see another major difference from the Han that is introduced in the 1st Act. Not only did he briefly think about himself and Inci when he spent the night at the hospital, a contrast to the man who sacrificed repeatedly for his family. We also see a man who has someone in his life seeing the realities of his family life and sister, a thing that he sought to keep a secret. Another thing to note is that at the start of the episode, Han tries to help Neriman by going against Safiye’s wishes, but ultimately does not follow through, allowing Safiye to have her way (this is a comment about the soiled bedsheets). However, at the end of the episode, Han does intervene to get Neriman free of room arrest. He also goes against Safiye’s wishes by allowing Inci and her family to stay the night at his house (a thing we see at the start of the next episode).
So, is that the answer to Masumlar Apartmanı, success? An understanding of Turkish audiences interest in psychological narratives, wonderful acting, brilliant production value, and excellent writing?
Probably.
However, as I said in my previous blog post called “A Dizi(ng) Week (A Recap) : Or A Week Of “Git Me” (Or Some Variant Of It)”, watching Masumlar Apartmanı reminded me a lot of the hit American TV show, This Is Us. As I said in that post, the comparison could come from the fact that Birkan Sokullu acts in the Turkish remake of This Is Us. However, after thinking about it for a bit, I realise that there is something to be said of the comparison.
Both Masumlar Apartmanı and This Is Us focus on the lives and relationships of a family. It delves into various social issues that are relevant to audiences. However, in my search for answers, I found an article published by The Seattle Times called, “Why is ‘This Is Us’ so popular? The answer is simple”. In the article, they discuss various things and a few of them stood out to me, because of its relevance to the success of Masumlar Apartmanı.
One recurring idea that was stated in the article was the prominence of cynical, dark, superhero narratives in the American television landscape. While I personally don’t think that Turkish television is being oversaturated with cynical and dark narratives, there is an abundance of romantic comedies and action, and thus Masumlar Apartmanı comes as a breath of fresh air in the genre of family dramas.
The creator of This Is Us, Dan Fogelman argues that the structure of This Is Us, which allowed audiences to see the characters in different points in their lives was a major aspect of the success. It also allowed for a structure of storytelling that gave us insight into various characters and for surprises to be written into each episode.
I would argue that from the first few episodes of Masumlar Apartmanı we see different aspects of the characters. Yet, the writers have weaved in mysteries and secrets that the audiences want to see more of. For example, why does Han collect paper or go out at night to rifle through trash?
The last reason that This Is Us was applauded as such a good show, is though the audience knows that the characters are struggling, they are good people at heart. Additionally, there is something to be said about the fact that audiences of This Is Us were able to see themselves reflected in these characters.
I would argue that because Masumlar Apartmanı gets into the psychology of all of the characters, we see them struggling and being in pain. Yet, this insight allows us to empathise with these characters and though psychological dramas may be new to Turkish television, the dizis and the characters still resonant with audiences who might be seeking from the overdramatic land of dizi-land.
This week was a hectic week. With my life going from being in hiatus (due to, you know… the global pandemic) to have to go to job interviews lined up, it was crazy. But nothing would have prepared me for the craziness of events that would occur in dizi land. So let’s start this recap, shall we?
Masumlar Apartmanı or the Gift That Keeps on Giving
When I first saw the promo and fragments for Masumlar Apartmanı, I wasn’t overly keen on watching the show. However, when the Internet keeps on going on and on about what an amazing show, you have to listen? Right? Needless to say, I had no choice but to watch it… and let me tell I all but screamed!
That’s right, I screamed “VAMPIRE JESUS!” as soon as Birkan Sokullu appeared on my screen, what can I say. You see the first dizi I watched with him in it, was Immortals and let me tell you, Numel had some serious Jesus vibes going for him.
I had a very similar and visceral reaction when Farah Zeynep Abdullah appeared on my screen, seeing the first Dizi I ever watched wasKurt Seyit ve Sura. So, seeing these actors who I had become so familiar with on my screen again was heart-warming.
Masumlar Apartmanı was a dizi that I was immediately drawn too. The writing of the show is well thought out, the editing is great all making it easy to watch. However, I think what makes this show stand out is the characters and how the cast plays them. Maybe its, because Birkan Sokullu acts in the Turkish remake of This IsUs, but I couldn’t help but compare the show to This Is Us.
This Is Us is show that has much acclaim for how it depicted the very complicated and beautiful family ties of the Pearson family. It delves into the childhoods of the main characters and delves into how it might shape the way it deals with their lives, all the while dealing with important issues such as addiction, mental health issues, fatphobia, racism, and numerous other issues.
At first glance, the show could seem like a love story between Han, the only son of his family who is holding his family together and the angel that comes into his life, Inci, with their respective families playing foils in this electric love story.
However, in the first two episodes, we are immediately shown that all of the characters have such depth and are all dealing with such huge problems. From, Safiye one of Han’s sister who initially seems like just the over-controlling older sister, only to pull back the curtain of her childhood showing how her mother treatment towards her, to Han, who is dealing with his OCD tendencies and Inci who is dealing with the trauma and grief at the loss of her mother.
Each of these looks into the characters lives and pasts add such a rich element to the storytelling and makes you care about all of the characters. The first two episodes did a really good job in establishing the characters and the complex relationships between them. Farah Zeynep Abdullah and Birkan Sokullu are so charming in the roles of Han and Inci you can’t help but be drawn to them and root for their relationships. In Han’s family and sisters (Safiye, Gulben, Neriman) and father, we see the difficulties and struggles of living with someone who has a mental illness such as OCD. Through Inci we see how loss and grief can change a person. All of this being said I am super excited for the upcoming episode of the show.
(Also, I will probably be posting a more thorough analysis of the first episode.)
Lastly, because this blog post is called “A Dizi(ng) Week (A Recap) : Or A Week Of “Git Me” (Or Some Variant Of It)”… the episode ends with Inci locked out of her house with Han. Without having any options left, Han says the magical words.
Additional Thoughts/Questions
Though the first two episodes of the show seem great and the way that they are delving into these social issues is such beautiful. However, I hope we do not see the vilification of Safiye as she deals with her OCD and Agoraphobia. After the reaction to 6. Bölüm of Sen Çal Kapımı it is clear that mental health is important to Dizi watchers. There is also something to be said of mental illness issues being depicted in a less than positive light in media.
Menajerimi Ara, the Dizi of My Heart
Okay, if for whatever reason you’ve been reading my blog, you know that last week I made the outlandish claim that Menajerimi Ara is my favourite dizis of the season. I just wanted to start by saying, that after spending a week giffing the Bölüm, I have no choice but to accept the facts. I have great taste, and Menajerimi Arais my favourite dizi of the season.
The bölüm starts with a sleep-deprived Dicle being put in another pickle as Feris wakes Dicle up early in the morning demanding coffee though none of the coffee shops is open. With Dicle not owning a coffee machine herself, she has no choice but to go to Barış for help… Because the famous and rich actor totally has one… and he’s her only hope (or so Meral insists).
With the help of Barış, Dicle can make coffee and meet with Feris who is still upset with Kıraç. Attention is drawn to Dicle because she is the one who told Feris that Kıraç plans. Lines are drawn in the agency with Kıraç on one side and all the other agents on the other. This tension is heightened since Feris is now Beren’s agent and Beren and Barış have been offered a new movie. Meanwhile, Kıraç is dealing with one of his clients, Şükran Ovalı trying to return to acting after the birth of her child and Çınar sets Jülide up with a small role in a dizi.
Beren and Barış are at a crossroads, to take the film role or not. Much like Şükran Ovalı, Beren wants to take the role to stay relevant in the film sector. Aydın, Barış’ brother also insists the film role would be good. However, Barış has doubts seeing the script is bad, and he wants to make something of his art.
With everyone telling him to do something, and Barış unsure of the best choice, Barış goes to Dicle asking for her opinion on the script, because she understands his desire to make it in the film industry and what it means to come from nothing.
However, shit hits the fan when the news of Kıraç leaving is leaked in the press. This issue is resolved only to have another issue arise, Barış’ decision. At a dinner party Barış’ reveals he plans on turning down the role a thing he didn’t confide Beren in. Beren is hurt and becomes apprehensive of Barış’ relationship with Dicle. However, things become messier when it is revealed that Aydın is using his brother and connection with celebrities to make money. Barış and Dicle leave the party together, and go back to his house… and because this post is called “A Week Of “Git Me” you know how this episode ended.
Additional Thoughts/Questions:
Okay… So I am aware that in the fandom there is much debate about whether Barış is using Dicle. I completely understand why people take that stance. He only talks/pays attention to her when it suits his purpose (when he needed help on making a decision) or when he has to for work. However, I love Barış and Dicle as a ship. I also love the fact that the narrative is aware that he is like this (and isn’t romanticizing his lack of interest)… However, Barış does care, because he helped her run away from her dad in the first episode, he bought her pizza, and he fixed her light fixture.
However, I firmly believe that Barış is unaware of his feelings towards Dicle and her feelings towards him, and thus doesn’t understand how she’s interpreting their interactions. That being said if he hurts her feelings unintentionally or not… HE BEST BE READY TO CATCH THESE FISTS! 🔪🔪🔪🔪
As for Kıraç, the man just needs to get over himself, owe up to fathering a child, and stop hurting and trying to fire Dicle.
I also love how the film industry was shown in the episode. We see just how fleeting fame and fortune can be (from Jülide’s scenes being cut, to Şükran Ovalı, Beren, and Barış being worried about staying relevant). We also see that though the film industry is an industry that is dreamlike, sometimes compromises must be made to stay afloat and that actors can’t always have the roles that they want
Also, as you know from the previous blog post, I am a total hoe for handholding… and let me tell you, this week had me giggling when it came to the hand holding! It was so cute and Deniz’s hands are so BIG and Ahsen’s are so tiny in comparison! (I made an entire twitter thread).
However, that being said, I would like to note that I am not a huge fan of the grabbing wrist method of hand-holding that Dizi-Land is obsessed with…
Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up watching Kuch Kuch Hota Ha and that method of hand-holding reminds me of Aman dragging Anjali to the wedding… but I hate it.
@ the writers of Menajerimi Ara, use your resources aka Deniz’s huge hands, and have him gently hold Ahsen’s in his… BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THE FANS WILL GO MAD!
(Yes, I am fans!).
On Wednesday We Watch Sen Çal Kapimi
This week’s episode of Sen Çal Kapimi starts where the previous episode ended. With Selin shooting her shot and telling Serkan that she would drop Ferit for Serkan but before he can answer, Eda and Ferit interrupt him… And at that moment all I could do was roll my eyes and quote a wise woman who said:
“If you are so ready to drop your fiance for another man… Maybe don’t marry at all. Instead go to therapy?”
I cannot help but to agree. However, Serkan pulls a fast one and pulls Eda in for some casual hand-holding, making his intentions known (to Selin). Eda kisses Serkan confusing the robot man.
Next, we see Engin who is meeting with Ceren to ask for forgiveness. However, I think it is important to note that Ceren is hiding the fact that her father is the bossman at the law firm she is working at, and she hasn’t told Engin this who believes she is a lowly intern. The only reason I bring this up is that as I have said repeatedly, the Engin, Ceren, Pırıl love triangle reflects the Serkan, Eda, Selin nonsense. That being said, in this episode Engin learns that Ceren comes from money, and I believe this will reflect Serkan’s finding out about Eda also coming from money and more about her family (and her grandma) in the upcoming episode. But to get back to the actual plot of the show, Engin eventually learns about Ceren and decides to distance himself from her, focusing more on Pırıl.
Eda talks to Ceren about her feeling for Serkan, and Serkan talks to Engin. Engin asks Serkan to prove that he doesn’t have feels for Eda by distancing himself from her. Ceren, however, asks Eda to dress in a way that would draw Serkan’s eyes to her. Eda dressed to impress is picked up by Serkan (who apparently can’t stay away).
Ayfer finds out about the contract and clause about Eda’s education and is immediately upset. She decides to call Grandma Yıldız to help Eda financially without Eda’s knowledge.
Serkan in an attempt to keep Eda close shows her a house that the firm is going to be working on and asks Eda’s help. She reminds him that she doesn’t work for him anymore and that the contract is void, seeing Selin is getting married. However, Serkan convinces her to stay and they discuss the house and the owner. I am almost 99% sure that this house either already belongs to Serkan, or that he is going to buy it for Eda.
In a hilarious scene that is reminiscent of the drain the pool scene, Serkan tries to get Eda to stay in his life by having Engin offer him a job. Eda’s scholarship to Italy “mysteriously” comes through. With the prospects of Eda leaving haunting Serkan, he pushes everyone out of his life and finds himself becoming ill. Aydan calls Selin to talk to Serkan, however, unbeknownst to her, Seyfi calls Eda. Eda and Serkan read a bit from the book, The Little Prince a thing the folks at the DizzyForDizi podcast probably went crazy about.
Serkan’s fever takes for the worst and he starts having bad dreams. When he asks Eda to take him with her to Italy, Eda has but no choice but to stay and keep him warm.
Which leads me to a random rant. What is up with the Turkish Dizis I’m watching and the characters choosing terrible sleeping positions? Like Serkan has a whole bed in his room, as do Han and Barış and yet all of these idiots decide the best place to fall asleep is on the floor or the couch. Your beds have got to feel better my dudes, make smarter decisions.
Han your back is going to hurt. Inci the bed is literally there.
If Eda moves she’d literally fall off the couch.
Barış barley fits on the couch
Eda is hurt when she realises that Serkan has no memories of asking Eda to take him with her leaves. She is preparing to leave to Italy when Serkan pulls her car over…
and you know what he says! Serkan does what we’ve wanted him to do and confesses his undying love to her and they kiss.
Yeni Hayat or the Things I Do For Serkan Çayoglu
Okay, I have a confession to make. Though this part of the segment is called “The Things I Do For Serkan Çayoglu” andthe post is called“A Week Of “Git Me” (Or Some Variant Of It)” I can’t recall this episode… lololol.
I feel like that largely had to do with the fact that this episode felt a lot like a filler episode and I felt like they didn’t need 2 hours and 30 minutes to tell me what happened. The episode starts with Yasemin still “abducted” and asking for ransom money. Timur summons Adem and asks him and only him for help, pushing aside everyone else who works for him. Adem sees this as an opportunity to gain Timur’s trust, however, finds the events leading to Yasemin’s abduction suspicious.
Nevin and Melahat face stress when she learns that Ferda, a woman in prison who has some connection to her and Ece starts asking for money or threatens to tell Adem the truth.
I have a feeling that this Ferda lady may be Ece’s biological mother or the person who helped Nevin acquire a baby seeing that in the previous episode Nevin mentions she can’t have children of her own.
While all of this is happening, Özgür, Timur right-hand man is jealous of Adem taking his place. Özgür’s wife Berna is also unhappy and seems to hate Yasemin planting thoughts in Gökçe’s head about Yasemin.
Adem puts the plan to save Yasemin into motion, however, it is revealed that Kunduzi is working with Timur’s business partner whose name I can’t remember. It is then revealed that they have no plans on keeping Yasemin alive and plan on killing her. However, before they can, Adem saves Yasemin and is shot saving Timur.
Adem reveals to Nevin that he plans on continuing working for Timur, much to Nevin’s surprise. Then we get the most important episode in this whole damn show, the scene where Ece and Adem eat breakfast together. It’s freaking adorable and I literally cannot.
Yasemin talks to Adem about why she wants to run away from Timur, telling Adem of the abuse she faced in her marriage. The episode ends with the Karatan family at breakfast when Adem joins them. Yasemin and Adem receive pictures of their kiss, and the episode ends with Timur’s phone receiving a message.
Additional Thoughts/Questions:
As you can tell, this episode doesn’t end with “Git Me” (Or Some Variant Of It), which may be why I don’t like this episode as much as I liked all the other episodes.
However, with apparently seven dizi cancellations looming, I cannot help but be saddened by the potential loss of Yeni Hayat.
I am super excited about next week’s episode. I love how the show advertised itself as a show about adultery, yet we are getting a much more complicated story…
and can I say I am super excited about next weeks episode… Adem teaching Yasemin how to fight? YESSSS!!!!
ERICA TALKS SH*T 