1001 noches

I have to admit that I was kind of prejudiced about this TV series as I don't like soap operas in general and that is why I haven't watched it when everybody was going crazy about 1001 NIGHTS in Turkey. How wrong I could be? When finally I watched the first episode 3 years later, I was instantly hooked,that was not soap opera at all, it was more of a drama, the story starts with a moral dilemma and turns into a modern fairy tale,but it is not your average mushy love story, there are many little stories around the main plot, all the characters are very realistic,you instantly root for Sehrazat, a single mum who does everything to support her little boy who is terminally ill and finally when she finds a donor, here comes the big decision...I won't give away anything, you just have to watch it :)

The storyline was very interesting, clean decent acting,I really liked the Sehrazat character, she stands up against all the difficulty of life alone, very principled, very tough lady, I would say it was a treat to see such a independent and proud character. Besides Berguzar Korel's brilliant performance as Sehrazat, I also liked Ceyda Duvenci and Tardu Flordun in the main cast, Tardu is definitely a rare gem, you love him in one episode and totally hate him the next, only a good actor could pull emotions so high, the elderly couple Evliyaogulları must be dream grandparents, they fit each other like gloves as Burhan Bey and Nadide Hanım,watching them really warmed up my heart.

My other favorite character is Mihriban, it was so nice hearing Azerbaijani Turkish, really liked her cute accent, and Halit Ergenc as ONUR really shines on the screen, I guess he is the perfect mixture of infamous jealousy and over-protectiveness of Turkish men and impossible romantic who never takes 'no' for answer.

Besides the great characterization and interesting storyline, you see the best of Istanbul in 1001 NIGHTS, beautiful Bosphorus with its boats and historic villas, seagulls and KizKulesi(Maiden Tower),that was quite refreshing for those of us who always watches either NYC or LA on screen, 1001 NIGHTS definitely brought the warmth of Istanbul to our homes. After watching 90 episodes of this powerful drama, when it finally finished I felt like I lost my best buddy, I will definitely miss 1001 NIGHTS, I hope one day the same cast does another TV series. 1001 NIGHTS was also full of important social messages, they raised the awareness for leukemia and importance of donating blood to save lives,encouraged people to stop domestic violence, showed some of the realities of the country poverty, land mafia, politics of power and that's why in my opinion a lot of people found 1001 NIGHTS so near and dear to their hearts.I also hope they had the DVD and the soundtrack of the series, because KIRAC has done a great job,the opening theme kind of stuck in my mind...

And no wonder - they apparently actually fell in love during the filming. Plot is razor thin and stretched to unbelievable lengths. But you keep watching because of the fiery chemistry between the leads. Grandparents were great, kids were awesome (especially Kaan). Bennu and Kerem were awesome too. Some of the story extensions were totally unnecessary - Burak, what ever happened to Mihirban, Ahu etc. But I guess they had to fill in 80 episodes. Good escapist soap in these troubled times.

There is a lot to love about this- even for guys. I have only seen the first series- as that is all I can see on Netfix at the moment - I hope that they do put the rest of it on. Generally I love Turkish series, I did not think I would, but they are gripping, human and there are strong moral themes running through them, without them being preachy about it or moralistic. They have a beauty, sweep and realism about them that is so lacking in the Hollywood machine. I am pleased Netflix gives me the opportunity to see these and the leads are excellent.

Firstly,a quick remark to the first critic of the film.To the user called "deadenedsoul" - I am beyond any expectation the average USA consumer who is fond of reality shows and meaningless all-round movies to appreciate anything from the Turkish cinema culture and heritage or the professional acting or the ideas that lie in the plot of the film but this comment leaves me speechless as it is absolutely not related to 1001 nights.1001 nights is a classy novel which is told by the master of story-telling ... and acted wonderfully by talented and young Turkish professional actors.The fables and strings of though in the series are subtle and meaningful.The story is beautiful in essence and is breathtakingly presented.A wonderful piece of art recommended to anyone regardless of nationality or religion.

1001 Nights is a wonderful TV show! Oh yes, there was the everyday living and loving, but more than anything it was wonderful to watch a show that show people of character working through their everyday lives with respect. There is so little of that in North America on TV, in entertainment, on FB. A show that I could watch with my fourteen year old daughter and help her understand decisions people make in life and how it affects them. We cancelled TV six years ago. I do not mind reading sub-titles.