This is a 2025 release, a series of 8 episodes but a 2nd series will follow to give a more suitable ending (after more meandering into boredom).
The script is by Meriç Acemi who seems to prefer her own view of humans and their interactions (and many rather absurd and unexplained exchanges). The director is Uluç Bayraktar who seems to like fanciful artifice.
One reviewer writes on Internet: “The show looks like someone took opulence, old-world charm and a dash of modern angst, blended them together and said “Yes, this is the vibe”. From candlelit hallways to sprawling estates, Old Money drips with atmosphere. You can practically hear the carpets whispering family secrets”. This is more of an advertisement than a review. There is no “old-world charm” nor “sprawling estates” nor “family secrets”.
Another review hits the mark saying “The conflict [between Old Money and New, or Old high class and new rich upper class] is more verbal than virtually indicative [= shown]”. But is quite wrong in saying that two males of the Bulut family (Osman and Mehir) have their “characters rooted in their tragedy” when years ago an earthquake destroyed the large apartment building and killed all residents except four boys [including the two] and a young female teacher who brought them up as a family.
The main theme is supposed to be the conflict between Old and New Money. But you don’t see old traditional upper class and their values. In fact, the 3 or 4 specimens that are shown close up do not manifest values other than those of the upcoming classes represented by the Buluts. Self-satisfied, cocky and rather rude Engin Naz has neither nobility nor culture to speak of – and almost ignores his servants except when he orders them about. He thinks Nihal, the heroine who has just returned, after years of study and hard work both as a student and as a professional ship-designer, in France, should be or rather is for him alone and can’t see she is not at all interested in him romantically. Nihal’s father appears as a common old man devoid of will, determination and ability. Nihal’s girl friends of the same class seem to care only for enjoyment of the grosser good life – affairs with men and drinks.
Nihal Baydemir is rather exceptional with fighting spirit and determination and Asli Enver acts the role very well in the first five episodes. But later the script and direction undermine her, having her take decisions that are quite contrary to the character they show initially.
Osman, the hero (played by Engin Akyürek), is a pretentious ass who constantly bursts out in absurd statements and seems unable even to walk naturally, but likes to stare intently. He is supposed (and said by others) to be most competent in math, economics and business but his competence is exemplified only once when he is shown repairing a watch! He drinks alcohol at all times of the day and evening and throws back his head to swallow the fluid emptying his glass! He also cooks some fish (ep. 4)! But we see nothing of his much spoken of business acumen. His shortening of the time-horizon for the construction of the yacht by four months (instead of giving an extension, as Nihal hoped) is simply ridiculous.
Of the three male Buluts, Arda (played by Taro Emir Tekin) is the most natural, easy-going, but fairly down-to-earth and compassionate, character. He is also demure and needs time to express his love for Brena, the company’s financial secretary and Nihal’s school mate and friend. Mehir is peculiar and rather aggressive. He breaks up his relationship with the pop-songstress giving the absurd reason that he is an old fool (ep. 4) – and drinks instead!
By the end of the second episode, we have a good idea of how bad the series is going to be. All that I have criticized so far is presented in these two episodes.
For me the second episode is the most revealing of the incompetence of both scriptwriter and director. From their first meeting it is obvious that Nihal and Osman are attracted to each other. Here, Arda has invited Nihal to dinner in their house and, somehow Osman and Nihal get separated from the others. She is leaning on the veranda in her red, shoulder-strap long dress and he very gallantly comes with a large scarf and covers her bare shoulders. But it is done pretentiously. Then he lets her drink wine from one of his special glasses. Meanwhile their conversation is full of thrust and parries, both trying to prove how intelligent they are. When she leaves, on the steps outside, he, again in pretentious gallantry, kneels and ties the cordon of her shoe – a scene highly reminiscent of a similar one in the Korean serial Descendants of the sun. With the same gallantry he opens the car-door for her!
None of this convinces, as so much else.
Eventually they come together as lovers and you think the story ends. But no. The script writer has some more absurd ideas. We get another unconvincing incident which overturns the whole situation. This time it is Nihal who is shown to be inconsistent and unconvincing (episodes 6-8).
It begins with Nihal’s friends gossiping and saying that Osman is fickle, no good for a permanent relationship. Then comes the misunderstanding. Osman arranges for Arda to go to Taormina (Italy) with Brena, but Nihal thinks he is cheating on her. She continues to doubt him even though a former girlfriend of his, a renowned cellist, tells her that Osman never revealed his early past to her and never allowed her to drink from one of his special wine-glassed – both of which he had done with Nihal! Yet she decides to end their relationship and falls into depression. Later Brena tells her that it is she and Arda that had gone to Taormina. But Nihal does not go to Osman to explain her misunderstanding and restore their relationship.
All this is an incomprehensible inconsistency. Nihal’s straightness and boldness suddenly disappear and we are left with an unexplainable obduracy on her part. And she goes off with Engin to get married abroad as if Osman has been at fault and had offended her!
There was no suspension of disbelief earlier and now the spectator is furious with such absurdities. No. I shall not see the second series.
