New Year, New Favorite

For the past year, I got my historical fiction fix with Muhteşem Yüzyıl every Wednesday night, as soon as the newest episode hit the internet. I have Otttomania (Ottoman mania), like the people in 26+ countries who get it via satellite.

But it's a new year, so I went looking for a new distraction.

Scratch that - Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ (top right) was an ongoing distraction obsession - for many, many ladies in the world. I went looking for his latest series, Kuzey Guney. Unfortunately, that series was scheduled for Wednesday nights too, so I'd misssed a whole season. :(

No problem. Every episode was up on YouTube.

Since most people don't speak Turkish, I'll give you the set up from Episode 1:

Kıvanç plays Kuzey (translation=north). He is just getting out of prison, but we don't know why. He's impulsive and reckless, so we assume he did something bad, but we immediately start to question that assumption. Kuzey wants to join the military to become an officer. He loves Cemre (translation=ember), a girl from the neighborhood.

Guney (translation=south) is Kuzey's older brother. Studious and steadfast, he's always cleaning up Kuzey's messes. Guney also loves Cemre.

It all comes together in the flashback:
Kuzey was devastated when he found Cemre kissing his brother.
Kuzey decided to go out for the night, but his father stopped him. Domestic violence ensued, in which his father struck his mother. Kuzey - a tall, strong young man (190, or 6'2"+)- decked his father, and then ran off to get wasted.

Guney fetched Kuzey, and responsibly took possession of the the keys to drive them home. BUT on the way, Guney and Kuzey argued. Guney hit and killed a pedestrian.
They fled the scene.
The parents were distraught. They believed Guney - their golden son- was ruined. They blamed Kuzey.

When the police arrived, Kuzey stepped forward and accepted responsibility for the accident, and went to prison for four years.

One more layer -

In prison, Kuzey was stabbed, and subsequently had an operation which disqualified him from military service.

He lost Cemre. He lost his dream. He lost everything. And he blames Guney.

So there you have it. The double talk, the harsh family drama, the gorgeous Istanbul sites, and of course, Kıvanç - all come together and make it irrestistable. I do have one note, however insignificant: If Kıvanç kept his shirt on, I might be able to concentrate on the scene a little better. But, well, I guess those scenes are OK the way they are... Sigh.