Dizi Friends Podcast

Episode Notes This week Eda and Maha discuss why do so many Turkish dizis feel like variations of the same story and is that really a problem? In this episode, we step back from individual shows and look at the bigger picture, asking six questions about the current state and future of Turkish television. We talk about the industry’s heavy reliance on family melodrama, why Turkey’s international id...

Episode Notes This week, we take a step back and look at the current weekly Turkish TV lineup as a whole. We talk about the series that are keeping our attention including Daha 17, Ömür Usta, Uzak Şehir, Evlilik Güzeldir, Tuzlu Kahve and Muhtemel Aşk and why some of them are standing out. We especially praise Tuzlu Kahve and Evlilik Güzeldir for bringing something a little different to the screen...

Episode Notes This week, we welcome a very special guest to Dizi Friends : Pınar, an artist, yoga teacher, and Eda’s yoga teacher of eight years , who recently stepped into the world of acting with a small role in Kanal D’s Daha 17 . Living in Bodrum, Pınar decided to take a chance on something completely new and started applying for auditions. That leap eventually led to her playing a veterinaria...

Episode Notes Season 6 is here. 🎧 For our premiere, we’re looking ahead to the new Turkish series arriving in September; who’s starring, what the stories are, and which projects are already reminding us of something we’ve seen before. We discuss: Aşk ve Taht Güneşin Doğduğu Yer Mercan Köşk Hamal Anne Yarısı Sevdam Karadeniz (the movie Eda mentions while talking about this series: https://www.imdb...

Episode Notes Pack your bags because this week, Dizi Friends is going back to 2015. 🎧 It was a very different moment for Turkish television, and in this episode we look back not only at the dizis we were watching, but at the world they were airing in. We start with a little time travel. What did 2015 feel like in Turkey, the US and around the world? What were we watching, talking about and living...

Episode Notes After talking about it for what feels like forever, we finally recorded our Turkish streaming recommendations episode . 🎧 This week, we step away from traditional network dizis and look at Turkish series and films available on digital platforms — from dramas and romantic comedies to darker stories, star-driven projects and easy weekend watches. On the series side, we talk about: Pla...

Episode Notes After a two-month break, Dizi Friends is back — just in time for the return of summer rom-coms on Turkish television. ☀️🎧 In this episode, Eda and Maha take a closer look at two of the season’s new romantic comedies: Doğanın Kanunu and Muhtemel Aşk . We share our first impressions, discuss what works, what does not, and whether either series can bring back the charm, chemistry, and...

Episode Notes This week on Dizi Friends , Eda and Maha do something a little different: We create our own dizi. From casting and tropes to storyline, timelines, and even marketing, we imagine what our perfect Turkish series would look like. Set between Ankara and Istanbul, Second Chances follows a group of university friends whose lives reconnect years later; bringing old dynamics, new relationshi...

Episode Notes This week on Dizi Friends , Maha and Eda explore a question we don’t often stop to ask: What actually makes a great leading man? Using Ozan Akbaba as a starting point, we unpack the qualities that make certain actors feel… different on screen. From charisma and presence to emotional control and casting choices, we look at what makes a performance truly compelling—and why some leading...

Episode Notes This week on Dizi Friends , Maha and Eda explore a noticeable shift in Turkish television: Why do so many new series revolve around crime, violence, and mafia-style narratives? We discuss several recent projects, including: Aynı Yağmur Altında – A show that sparked debate due to a controversial early scene and its reliance on shock-driven storytelling. Sevdiğim Sensin – A series with...

Episode Notes Two friends, many dizis, and an accidental Christmas special. 🎄✨ This week Eda and Maha start with what they’ve been watching, then wander happily into colors, words, creativity, and cozy holiday traditions. What we watched this week Eda: Halef Uzak Şehir Go Türkiye series: An Istanbul Story Kıskanmak Maha: Uzak Şehir Go Türkiye series: An Istanbul Story Veliaht Güller ve Günahlar...

Episode Notes We’re back for Season 5! In this episode, Eda and Maha catch up on the chaos of returning Turkish dizis and the wave of shiny new projects. We talk about why Uzak Şehir is quietly setting the benchmark for what a good dizi can be, why Eşref Rüya and Bahar are breaking our hearts for all the wrong reasons, and how Kızılcık Şerbeti has managed to lose both its premise and most of its c...

Episode Notes In this special Spotlight Chat , we welcome our first male guest — a therapist and lifelong dizi fan — to talk about the psychology of Turkish TV. We explore why dizis are so addictive, how emotional storytelling creates connection across cultures, and why familiar characters like the “wounded protector” or “resilient caregiver” strike such a chord. From Poyraz Karayel to Kiralık Aşk...

Episode Notes This week, Maha and Eda dive into a pressing question: "Have Turkish TV series lost their magic, or is it an industry problem?" Following the cancellation of Çift Kişilik Oda , the girls felt compelled to unpack why romantic comedies—a genre once loved both in Turkey and abroad—are now struggling to survive. Once guaranteed hits, romcoms have faced a sharp decline in rating...

Episode Notes In this premiere episode of our new Career Deep Dive series, we explore the evolution of Çağatay Ulusoy’s journey — from his breakout role as Emir in Adını Feriha Koydum to becoming a leading figure in Turkey’s streaming revolution with projects like The Protector , Yeşilçam , Kübra , and The Tailor . We unpack the turning points, image shifts, acting style, and the impact of his lat...

Episode Notes This week's episode is about Eşref Rüya. Eda and Maha explore the mafia romance genre, take a look at the main characters and do some analysis on each. They also make some predictions about the second season. Let us know what are your thoughts about Eşref Rüya in general. Did you enjoy the season finale? What are your expectations? Dizi Friends is on X and Instagram as well as Tiktok...

Episode Notes This week Eda and Maha have two special guests, Rachel and Janina. Rachel is from New Zealand and Janina is from Estonia. They are Eda's first dizi friends and therefore have a special place in Eda'a heart. Highlights from the episode: 03:18 - 05:39 Rachel introduces herself. 05:39 - 07:08 Janina introduces herself. 07:08 - 11:54 Janina's first dizi is "No 309". "Benim...

Episode Notes In this week's episode Eda and Maha have great recommendations for those of you who kind of feel like they are in a dizi slump. Even if you aren't make sure you check out these dizis that are probably lesser known gems. Here's the the list of dizis they discuss with the actors who star in them. Rom Coms "Ulan İstanbul" (Bandits) is an action comedy drama starring Uğur Polat...

Episode Notes Hey Friends, Maha and Eda are back after a long break — and they're thrilled to return! In this episode, they catch up with each other and dive into the latest dizi buzz. Tune in as they discuss: Kuma (Second Wife) – their first impressions of this new YouTube dizi “The Daughters of Buket” – unpacking the buzz around this famous manager and her unique approach to spotlighting the act...

Episode Notes Disclamer: Unfortunately because we record on Zoom and are in different locations we have some internet delay issues. We are working on a solution for this and we hope to have it resolved starting from our next episode. Thank you for your patience. Hi friends, in this week's episode our lovely guests is Daphne MacLeod, an author who reached out to us online and that's how we became f...

Episode Notes Hey friends, it feels so good to be back! As we start our new season all we wanted to do first was to give you a summary of the weekly lineup and our opinions about the new projects that have started. Here are all our notes to keep you informed. We hope you enjoy the episode and don't forget to follow us here and on our social media. Also let us know you thoughts, what are some proje...

Episode Notes In the final episode of 2024 and also the last episode of the third season of Dizi Friends, we really want to take a look back at the second half of the year especially starting from September and give you an update on all the new dizis that started. We also want to give you our version of Spotify’s Wrapped list and share a few numbers with you to give you an idea of the impact dizis...

Episode Notes There is a new dizi in town and this week Maha and Eda discuss the hype around "Uzak Şehir" (remake of the Arabic series "Al-Hayba") and why it might be such an instant favorite. The iconic Lebanese singer mentioned in the episode is Fairouz (also known as Fairuz). Her song "To Beirut" is the one that the theme song is based on- take a listen to her amaz...

Episode Notes This week, Maha and Eda have a guest on the podcast; we get to speak with the person behind Derin Universe. Derin is a Turkish blogger who lives abroad and studied business in France and is starting her Masters in Creative Industry which includes TV and Films in London. She mostly writes in English so you can follow her writing easily. Interestingly, Eda discovered her blog through a...

Episode Notes In this episode Eda and Maha are doing some dizi therapy and are sharing some things that are bothering them about the dizis they are watching. We know for many people who watch dizis it's a way to let off steam but lately dizis have been causing Eda and Maha some stress too so if you are interested in why join us for an engaging conversation between two dizi friends. Some things we...