The 90s was a unique period all over the world and the same goes for Turkey. In Turkey, alongside its distinctive music genres and eccentric fashion, the 90s also produced well-known TV shows which we still keep talking about to this day. If you are curious to know what Turkish life was like in the 1990s, here are five awesome Turkish TV shows that depict 90s culture and are sure to make you want travel back in time.
Çılgın Bediş (1996 – 2001)
This fantastic-comedy youth series was one of the most popular TV shows among youth at the time. The series revolved around the crazy hipster girl Bediş and her high school friends just as quirky as her. The plot consists of the adventures she has with her friends and her platonic love for the attractive bachelor Oktay. He is so handsome that he would often make Bediş daydream in inappropriate circumstances whether it is during the class or while crossing the street. In these fantastic dreams, Bediş becomes the superstar or a princess and everyone around her adores her, while Oktay is madly in love with her. Bediş’s dreams gave the show its character, turning it into one of the best fantastic comedy shows of the Turkish cinema. The show is especially known for its iconic intro that was the first of its era in Turkey. Check it out below.
Kara Melek (1997 – 2000)
This show was a phenomenon at the time for introducing the first female villain protagonist of Turkish TV: Yasemin. Her evil motivation for messing up with other people’s lives was the sheer reason behind the success of the drama. She was a savvy young woman focused on getting what she wanted and she would eliminate everyone that comes in her way. This show opened the way for Aşkı Memnu, Ufak Tefek Cinayetler and other shows that feature evil protagonists. It’s also one of the first Turkish shows that had explicit sex scenes. Check out its first episode below.
Süper Baba (1993 – 1997)
Super Baba was a drama with warm family vibes. The limelight of the show was on the main character, the single father Fiko and his sometimes peaceful but most of the time action-packed life in Çengelköy, one of the oldest districts of Istanbul. In the show, Fiko’s love life as a hopeless romantic was the main focus of the series yet beautiful Çengelköy scenes stole the attention occasionally. The popular show was especially known for its soundtracks by the famous Turkish band Yeni Türkü, and the legendary cast that consisted of many A-plus actors. Watch its first episode here.
İnce İnce Yasemince (1995 – 2005 )
This comedy show consisted of different short series put together and the funny main characters of these series were the old and sick granny Sürahi nine, Kakılmış the charlady who is beaten by her husband every day, Gülazer the gypsy who gets herself in trouble and ends up in the police station all the time, and many others with black humor. All characters were starred by the same actress. The show gained its popularity for depicting various different fractions of the Turkish society, whether it is the gypsies, the low-income families, the rich and fancy, rebel teenagers, and many others. Check out İnce İnce Yasemince’s first episode below.
Mahallenin Muhtarları (1992 – 2002)
Mahallenin Muhtarları is another series revolving around a neighborhood and its residents. In this show, main plot were the romantic relationship between main characters Temel and Şirin and the sweet familial and neighbour relations in neighbourhood. The show reflected the values of Turkey like caring for your neighbours, relatives and it also displayed the unbreakable bond and sweet disputes between those people. For that reason, it was so relatable and everyone identified with the characters in the show and it has been a popular show for ten years in a row.
All in all, watching the old Turkish TV series is not only a fun way to spend time but it can also open up a whole new perspective on the country and the Turkish culture. So, check out these five of the most popular Turkish TV shows we crafted for you, to get to know the culture better, understand why things are the way they are in Turkey and how the country has evolved since two decades.
If you have a favorite Turkish TV show from the 90s, comment below and let us know. For more information on Turkish TV shows, check out some of the must-see Turkish TV shows from the 2000s here and here.
