Sociologist Prof. Ebulfez Süleymanlı stated that the concept of family in TV series is mostly portrayed through negative themes such as dramatic conflicts, toxic relationships, betrayal, incest, and violence, adding:
"These contents, which damage the emotional world of viewers, weaken family bonds and, by depicting Turkish people as a community constantly living in intrigue, especially reinforce a false image abroad."
Prof. Süleymanlı noted that such productions are criticized not only in terms of the Turkish family but also on an international scale, even to the extent that bans have been considered in some countries on the grounds that they harm the family structure. He said: "Therefore, although the foreign currency revenues and contributions to tourism of these series may appear positive in the short term, in the long run, they can create negative effects on Türkiye’s international image."
Prof. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, faculty member of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Üsküdar University, evaluated the issue of family in today’s Turkish TV dramas.
The concept of family is mostly addressed through dramatic conflicts
Highlighting that family is usually depicted through dramatic conflicts in modern Turkish TV series, Prof. Süleymanlı said: "Negative themes such as toxic relationships within the family, betrayal, incest, and violence form the basic building blocks of these dramas. This approach can lead viewers to perceive family not as a safe haven but as a place of constant conflict. The overshadowing of positive elements such as healing, reconciliation, and love paves the way for viewers to develop a negative perception of family."
There are also productions that strengthen the family
Prof. Süleymanlı emphasized that there are also productions that strengthen family: "Series such as Gönül Dağı highlight values like love, respect, sacrifice, and solidarity, delivering positive messages to viewers. These types of productions, with elements that reflect the essence of Turkish culture, have the potential to achieve high ratings both in Türkiye and in countries where Turkish series attract significant interest. Therefore, series that portray strong family bonds also attract wide audiences, invalidating the claim made by some producers that such content cannot achieve high ratings."
Turkish people are portrayed as a community living in constant intrigue
Pointing out that family representations in Turkish series are often highly dramatized in ways far removed from real life, Prof. Süleymanlı said:"Betrayal, cheating, hidden secrets, and intense conflicts are exaggerated, while extramarital relationships or extreme hatred among family members are unnecessarily highlighted. This approach can have negative repercussions not only at the individual level but also at the societal level. These contents, which damage the emotional world of viewers, weaken family bonds and, by portraying Turkish people as a community constantly embroiled in intrigue, especially reinforce a false image abroad."
Negative effects on Türkiye’s international image
Prof. Süleymanlı noted that such productions are criticized not only in terms of the Turkish family but also internationally, and that in some countries, even the possibility of banning them on the grounds that they damage the family structure has been discussed. He concluded: "Therefore, although the foreign currency revenues and contributions to tourism of these series may appear positive in the short term, in the long run, they can create negative effects on Türkiye’s international image."
Why do some countries want to ban Turkish TV series?
Addressing the reasons put forward by experts in some countries who argue that “Turkish TV series should be banned,” Prof. Süleymanlı said: "Some of these opinions bear similarities to the criticisms voiced in Türkiye. The frequent depiction of themes such as the normalization of distorted family relations, the glorification of betrayal and violence, has led to growing warnings about their long-term effects on social structures."
The claim that Turkish TV series weaken marriages in Russia
Drawing attention to the fact that Turkish TV series are criticized for different reasons as well, Prof. Ebulfez Süleymanlı noted: "Indeed, Russian psychologist Andrey Zberovskiy, while highlighting the negative aspects of Turkish series for his own country, stated that the idealized portrayal of male characters creates unrealistic expectations, particularly among Russian women viewers. According to him, when women compare their husbands to the ‘perfect’ characters in these series, it can lead to disappointment and, in countries like Russia, to the weakening of marriages."
Reaction to the mocking presentation of cultural elements
Prof. Süleymanlı also pointed out that Turkish TV series can become a focus of criticism abroad not only for harming family structures but also for undermining cultural sensitivities: "For example, in some productions, even if intended for humor, the language, songs, and cultural elements of a brotherly country like Azerbaijan have been presented in a diluted or even mocking tone. This has sparked serious backlash in the public opinion of that country. Such examples prevent Turkish series from fulfilling their expected ‘soft power’ role; instead of fostering cultural closeness, they create negative perceptions, even in the closest geographies."
How do younger generations’ perceptions of family get affected by these series?
Explaining that the series children and adolescents watch on various platforms significantly shape both their perceptions of family and their behavior, Prof. Süleymanlı continued: "Research shows that young people are particularly influenced by negative characters. The appealing and dramatized portrayals of criminals, fraudsters, violent individuals, or figures who disregard moral rules in Turkish series can lead young viewers to model such behaviors and to question the traditional family structure. Adolescents, in particular, may imitate characters from these series when they cannot find healthy role models at home. This creates misconceptions about family values and relationships; the passionate romances, dramatic reconciliations, and revenge plots in these series can cause young people to compare them with real-life relationships and experience disappointment. Intense dramatic themes create unrealistic expectations about family among young viewers and, in the long run, negatively affect family communication and relationships."
Family-supporting productions should highlight healthy family relations
Emphasizing that family-supporting productions should be prepared with an approach that highlights social values and healthy family relationships, Prof. Süleymanlı said: "Series should convey not only dramatic elements but also fundamental values such as love, respect, trust, and solidarity to viewers, while avoiding depictions of violence and toxic relationship models. This approach has the potential to teach young viewers healthy family dynamics, mutual respect, and empathy."
Sociologists should also be included in monitoring processes
Underscoring that although Turkish series frequently focus on themes such as “the power of love” and “strong family bonds,” these themes must be presented within a realistic and healthy framework, Prof. Süleymanlı concluded: "Moreover, it is important that series are produced with a sense of social responsibility and that families carefully monitor the content their children watch. In this context, including sociologists in monitoring processes could ensure that content is evaluated more effectively in terms of its social impact. Sociologists can analyze the social reflections of series and contribute to the development of content that strengthens family structures. In conclusion, developing scripts that reflect healthy family structures from the very beginning of production is of great importance in reducing negative effects on young viewers. Such productions will strengthen families and social ties while also making a positive contribution to Türkiye’s cultural image."