I thank Neflix for introducing me to the glories of Turkish television. My husband and I are hooked on the terrific Turkish soap operas available from Netflix. We watched 110 episodes of “Love Is in the Air” and are eager to see more if a new season appears. Other favorites are “Intersection” and “Gonul.”

What makes these shows so special? Larry (my hubby) thinks it’s the high quality villains. The actors playing these roles make their characters feel so authentic, and we keep watching to see what kind of comeuppance each villain will receive.       

Larry makes a good point, but I believe it’s because the complicated love stories grab our interest. Below are some examples.

 In “Love Is in the Air” two beautiful sisters who are dear to one another fall in love with the same man. Their personalities are quite different. One is the sweetest lady I’ve seen on screen for many a year. She’s like Melanie in Gone with the Wind. The other spends most of her time scheming about ways to end up married to the wealthy businessman in question. That sister reminds me of Scarlet O’Hara in the same classic film.  It’s fascinating to watch the twists and turns that develop between among these three key characters as the story unfolds.   

“Intersection” focuses on another rich businessman and his romantic interactions with a caring female doctor as well as his former sweetheart, who yearns for him. Family secrets, ambition, betrayal and compassion for a darling little boy receive attention in this outstanding show.          

“Gonul” tells a woman-in-jeopardy story that will knock your socks off. Gonul, a dedicated nurse engaged to a popular doctor, falls for a carpenter, who is an ex-con. But her fiancé will not let her go. His obsession leads to kidnapping, false identities and worse. Amnesia is also in the picture, and that always intrigues me. I call this show an intense romantic thriller.             

To help you understand the power of Turkish TV for Larry and me, I wrote this short poem.

Addicted to Turkish TV,

we watch and watch voraciously.

Soap operas we like the best.

They pass the Tuckers’ quality test.

We love the way romance goes slow

with characters we get to know.

Ups and downs seem so dramatic.

The good and bad, nothing static.

But beware, folks, before you start.

Some of these shows might break your heart

We’re stopping now because, you see,

we must watch more Turkish TV.

*****