What makes 'Strawberry Sherbet' so captivating?

The show's unique blend of traditional and modern themes, its engaging storyline, and its talented cast of characters all come together to make it a must-watch.

Is 'Strawberry Sherbet' a realistic portrayal of modern Turkey?

Yes, the show does an excellent job of capturing the complexities and nuances of modern Turkish society, including its rich traditions and modern values.

How does the show handle sensitive topics like family and love?

The show tackles these topics in a way that feels authentic and relatable, avoiding clichés and stereotypes.

Is 'Strawberry Sherbet' suitable for all audiences?

No, the show deals with mature themes and issues that may not be suitable for all viewers, especially younger audiences.

Can I stream 'Strawberry Sherbet' online?

Yes, you can stream the show on various online platforms, including Netflix and Amazon Prime.

How many seasons of 'Strawberry Sherbet' are there?

There are currently two seasons of the show, with a third season in production.

What is the show's budget like?

The show's budget is relatively modest, considering the high production values and talented cast.

Has 'Strawberry Sherbet' won any awards?

Yes, the show has won several awards, including best drama series at the Turkish television awards.

What inspired the show's creators to tackle such tough topics?

The show's creators were inspired by their own experiences growing up in modern Turkey, and wanted to share their perspectives with the world.

Strawberry Sherbet TV Series Review: A Wild Ride

The Unpredictable Journey of 'Strawberry Sherbet': A Series That Defies Odds

Hello!

I've got to say, the Turkish TV series 'Strawberry Sherbet' has left me speechless more than once. It's probably the only show that's managed to survive despite government sanctions and still gets slammed by the state. They've shut it down multiple times, suffered huge financial losses, but it just keeps breaking records and attracting more viewers. Now, they're even planning to film a third season. That's what caught my attention - what makes this show so captivating?

The show gives us a glimpse into the lives and worldviews of two different families. One family is deeply rooted in their religion and traditions, while the other is more modern and liberal. And then, two young people from these families fall in love - Doa, a young student studying to be a dentist, and Fati, the son of a wealthy and conservative family. Doa gets pregnant, and Fati decides to marry her, which sets off a chain of problems between their families and affects their relationship.

Let's start with the main characters. Doa (Syyla Turkoğlu) is a young student studying to be a dentist. She grew up without her father, who's estranged from her mom. Her parents divorced when she was a kid, and her dad lives and works in another city. Despite that, they have a good relationship. However, things are complicated with her mom, who's super strict and tries to control her life. But despite all the restrictions, fate has other plans for Doa. She meets Fati and falls deeply in love with him. When she gets pregnant, she decides to take a drastic turn that will change her life and her family's forever.

Fati (Doğukhan Güngẽr) is a bit of a complicated character. He's the son of the wealthy Unal family, and they're super conservative. His parents are all about tradition and following the rules, and Fati's always trying to please them. Even when he does something on his own, he usually ends up going back to what his parents want. So, he's always gonna be living with them, no matter how crazy things get at home. Fati's also got a thing for Doga, but let's just say she's not exactly the kind of girl his parents had in mind for him. He knows their families are different, and Doga's a bit of a wild card, but he's all about the romance. Fati's convinced that love can conquer all, and Doga will eventually come around to his way of thinking.

Now, let's talk about the supporting characters. Kivılcımlı (Evrım Alasya) is Doga's mom, and she's a total firecracker. She's the principal of a popular school in Istanbul, and she's all about discipline and following the rules. At first, I was a bit taken aback by her strictness, but as the show went on, I started to see her in a different light. She's got a lot of depth, and her tough exterior hides a lot of vulnerability. Kivılcımlı's all about giving her kids the best possible education, and she believes that love is fleeting. She thinks that relationships will eventually end, and that's why she's so focused on making sure Doga and her sister get the best education possible.

Çimen (Selin Türkmen) is Doga's little sister, and she's a total sweetheart. She's always looking out for her big sister, and she's got a bit of a complicated relationship with their mom. She doesn't understand why her mom is so strict, even when she's the principal of her school. But when Doga gets married to Fati, Çimen's over the moon with joy. She's always been a bit of a free spirit, and she loves that her sister's found someone who's willing to take on all the craziness that comes with their family.

Sönmez (Aliye Uzunatağan) is the mom to Kývıljım, grandma to Doi and Çimen. Sönmez is a super sweet and modern woman, despite her advanced age. She thinks Kývıljım is being too strict with her kids, but she was the same way with her own kids.

Alef (Müjde Uzmañ) is Kývıljım's younger sister and Sönmez's younger daughter. Alef has been burning the candle at both ends since she was a kid, it's hard to keep her in one place. Sönmez still struggles with Alef, they often argue. Alef is a lively woman, straightforward, and loves to talk - she says what's on her mind without thinking it through. That's why she acts first and thinks later. Alef has never gotten married and doesn't have any kids. She's great at breaking hearts. She dresses to impress and has her own agency, specializing in event planning.

Abdulla (Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan) is the dad to Fatiha. He's a religious and conservative guy. Abdulla takes Doa in as his daughter-in-law, but little does he know that getting to know her family will bring a storm. Tante Doi has caught Alef's attention, despite their big age difference and the fact that she's her son's mother-in-law.

Omer (Barış Kılıç) is Uncle Fatiha, Abdulla's brother. Omer runs the family business with Abdulla. He's married, but not happy in his marriage - he's been trying to get a divorce for ages. He was forced to marry the widow of his deceased twin brother after their father told him to. Omer was shocked when he met Kývıljım, and his interest in her is a whole different story.

Mete-chan (Rahimcan Kaplan) is Omer's son. He's a difficult kid, still reeling from his parents' long divorce process. He's in school, where Kývıljım works as the principal.

Pembe (Sibel Taschioglu) is a real piece of work. Looks all sweet and innocent on the outside, but trust me, she's got an ulterior motive. Pembe's a controlling figure, always getting her way, and she's got a tight grip on her kids and her husband. It's like she's got a plan, and it's not going to change anytime soon. Her daughters-in-law aren't off the hook either - Pembe wants them all living under one roof, and she'll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Nursema (Gürcan Karakoç) is Pembe's daughter, and she's got a bit of a wild streak. Initially, you think she's this strict, conservative girl, but then you see her in action, and it's like she's a different person altogether. She's got a strong sense of self, and she's not afraid to speak her mind.

Mustafa (Emrah Arintoprak) is the oldest son, and he's a total sweetheart. Always calm, always collected, and always looking out for others. But despite his good nature, his dad, Abdullah, is always on his case, saying he's not good for anything. It's like, come on, Dad, give the guy a break.

Nilya (Feyza Civelek) is Mustafa's wife, and she's a bit of a firecracker. She's a widow, so she's got a bit of a hold on this family, and she's not afraid to speak her mind. She's got a bit of a wicked sense of humor, and she loves to stir the pot, but deep down, she's just trying to fit in.

Umut (Sercan Tinmaz) is a friend of Alef's, and he's a bit of a musician. He's got a good heart, and he's always looking out for others. When he meets Nursema, it's like sparks fly - they're total opposites, but they just click. It's like they were meant to be.

Rüzgar (Yigit Kırazcı) is Alef's ex, and he's a total player. He's got a reputation for being a bit of a ladies' man, and it's like he's still got a thing for Alef, even after all these years. He's a bit more settled now, working as a director at a TV station, but you can tell he's still got a wild streak.

Kayhan (Soydan Soydaş) is the ex-husband of Kývıljım, father of Doga and Çiğdem. He lived separately in Ankara, returned to Istanbul when he found out that his eldest daughter was getting married to a wealthy guy. Kayhan decided to use this connection to get his business back on track. Kayhan is a sly guy, always looking for his own gain, and honestly, he doesn't care about the pain his kids are going through.

Leman (Sevim Erdoğan) is Omer's wife, Matahan's mom. Leman has been on the verge of divorce for a long time. Given her situation, she's started developing some psychological issues. I wouldn't say she loves her husband; it's more like a habit and a feeling of familiarity. Leman is a very kind and gentle woman, but a bit naive.

Sevilay (Özlem Çakar Yalçınkaya) is the housekeeper of the Kývıljım family. She takes care of the household chores and is very fond of Çiğdem and Doga. Sevilay has been working for them for a long time, and they have a pretty good relationship.

Ishak (Vurgun Adalı) is a loyal guy to Abdullah. He's been working with him for a long time and knows all his secrets.

Hayat (Nurhayat Karacaja) is a long-time employee of the Unal family. She's a calm and patient woman.

Zülbekir (Bahadır Memi) is Nilay's uncle. After serving his time, he found out that his niece had gotten married and was now part of a wealthy family. He decided to track her down and eventually ended up working for the Unal family. Zülbekir quickly found common ground with Pembe and became his trusted assistant.

Herkem (Özge Özcayır) is a daughter from a conservative and wealthy family. Her family doesn't approve of her love for freedom and entertainment, so Herkem lives a double life - one in front of her family and the other at work. But when she's away from home and work, Herkem lets loose, drinks, meets guys, and has short romances. Nobody knows her true self, and she does an amazing job of keeping her true nature hidden.

Gyrai (Kaan Tasaner) is a wealthy, single businessman with a pharmaceutical company. After meeting Doga, Gyrai starts showing interest in her.

At first, I was a bit bored watching the show, but now I understand it was necessary to get into the characters' lives and feel the atmosphere, traditions, and differences between the two families. As the story unfolds, new conflicts arise, and it becomes clear that love isn't always long-lasting - it fades away, but when you're young and in love, you don't realize this until you face problems like family rejection, restrictions, and constant arguments.

Kivajilcim, Doga's mom, tries her best to shield her daughter and keep her safe, but no matter how hard she explains to Doga that it's impossible to create a family with Fati, Doga just won't listen. This made me realize that young, in-love girls never listen until they experience it all firsthand.

I want to highlight Kivajilcim's character. At first, she seems strict and cold, but that's just her director persona. In reality, she's a wise, understanding, and kind woman who can connect with many people, and they often share their thoughts and feelings with her. She's always willing to listen and offer advice. However, Kivajilcim missed out on communicating with her children when they needed guidance and support.

Pembe, on the other hand, is a sly and hypocritical woman who loves to meddle in her family's affairs with her sweet talk. This is why the family is always fighting and arguing.

I really like Nursema's character. She seems like a lovely girl on the surface, but her whole life has been spent under the shadow of her parents. She's always wanted to live a different life, pursue her own goals, and build a career, but her parents told her that her duty is to get married, have kids, and be a housewife like her mom. After meeting Umut, Nursema starts to change and grow, becoming more confident and brave, and she finally finds the strength to stand up to her family and live her life on her own terms.

As I kept watching the series, I started to feel the atmosphere of the show more and more, and with each episode, I found myself getting more invested. It made me think about what's going on in my home country, and where we're headed. To be honest, it feels like the series was shot in one of the Muslim republics, not Turkey. There are so many familiar moments and stories that I've heard and experienced before.

I don't want to offend anyone, but as a Muslim myself, I have to say that I don't agree with some things. Just because someone prays and follows their religion, it doesn't mean they're perfect. It's the little things that can be problematic, like gossiping, spreading rumors, judging others, and meddling in other people's business. These are the things that many religious people do, and it's a big difference in upbringing and perspective that can lead to serious conflicts. It's not just about love; it's about these other things that are way more powerful.

Fati thinks that traditions are important to follow, but he doesn't understand that you shouldn't force people to do things they don't want to do. He's got his own ideas about what's right and wrong, and he's not open to changing his mind. Doga's got a different idea of what her life should be like, but she's in for a surprise. She doesn't realize that things aren't as simple as they seem, and that Fati's not the person she thought he was. He's still a pretty conservative guy, and there are a lot of things he won't discuss.

So, what can we take away from this series? It's got a lot of depth and tackles some really tough topics. A lot of people who are super strict about their religion and traditions are trying to push these values on young people. Yeah, religion and tradition are important, but not if you're doing it in a fanatical way. Don't try to force people to follow your rules – they'll come to their own conclusions when they're ready. And please, don't interfere with the way people live their lives, especially when it comes to their kids. I mean, every mom wants their kid to be happy, but when you get involved, things can get way out of hand. It can ruin their happiness and even lead to some serious consequences.

Being a parent means being there for your kid, so they know they've got a safety net, a support system. You've got to give them space to figure things out, make their own decisions. Don't try to dictate their path or impose your own desires. If you see that a particular choice might lead to some serious mistakes, you might feel like holding back, but trust me, your kid will take that risk anyway. And that's exactly what they need - to learn from their mistakes and grow up a bit. I've been there myself, so I get where Kývıljım and Dóg are coming from.

With each new season, the show just keeps getting better, introducing new characters and storylines. I'd love to dive deeper into each aspect, but I'll have to save that for another time.

One thing that did get on my nerves was the amount of ads. I get that it's necessary to keep the show on the air, especially considering the financial struggles they've faced. Despite the sanctions, fines, and criticism, the show has managed to stay afloat, and I appreciate that.

Overall, I'd highly recommend 'Strawberry Sherbet' to anyone looking for a compelling watch. I promise you'll be hooked, and I'm personally counting down the days until the third season drops.