The 2024/2025 season on Turkish television has started recently, with a total of 24 Turkish series airing in September, eight of which were new releases. By the end of the season, with more than 15 new series expected to premiere, the total number of shows is projected to surpass 40.
Due to the absence of Turkish series during the summer, eight new shows debuted in the first month of the season. The first one of Turkish series to air, The Nightfall, made an impressive start by increasing its rating by 70% (+3.46 points) by the second episode. Similarly, Valley of Hearts (+2.27 points) and The Good and the Bad (+1.73 points) also saw significant gains in their second episodes.
Out of the 17 series renewed from last season, 15 returned to the screen in the first month of the new season. Among these shows, One Love quickly surpassed 9 rating points, making it the most-watched series in September. Despite starting with low ratings in 2021, the show rapidly grew its audience and became the second most-watched series last year.
TRT 1’s weekend shows made a strong comeback this season. An Anatolian Tale, a heartwarming story about a close-knit neighborhood, quickly reached 8 rating points, becoming one of the most-watched shows of the week. Airing on Saturday nights with 148 episodes released so far, the show has been especially popular in the Anatolia region.
The channel’s Sunday night spy show, The Shadow Team, also saw a boost in performance after the lead actor changed. The series, which is popular among male viewers, kicked off the new season with Tolga Sarıtaş (The Oath) in the lead role and, for the first time in 52 episodes, surpassed the 7-point rating mark.
Now, let’s talk about the themes of the Turkish series… The theme of “revenge” stands out in many of the newly premiered series. For example, Leyla, a Turkish adaptation of Brazil’s hit series Avenida Brasil, quickly surpassed the 6-point rating threshold and tells the story of a young girl seeking revenge on her stepmother. The Good and the Bad, which saw a notable increase in its second episode, tells the story of a young man out for revenge against his father, who caused his brother’s death, approaching 8 points in the ratings. Similarly, The Nightfall, which made a big leap in its second episode, focuses on a police officer seeking revenge on the mafia that killed his father, while Valley of Hearts centers around twins who want to avenge themselves against their mother, who abandoned them years ago to marry a wealthy businessman.
By the end of September, we can say that Turkish series have started this season at a level similar to last year. Just like last season, 24 Turkish series aired in the first month, with the average rating recorded at 4.45 points.
The Most-Watched Series of the Season (Average Rating)
| SERIES | AVERAGE RATING |
| One Love | 8,10 (3 episodes) |
| Blooming Lady | 7,90 (1 episode) |
| The Good and the Bad | 7,11 (2 episodes) |
| Red Roses | 6,92 (1 episode) |
| The Nightfall | 6,58 (4 episodes) |
| An Anatolian Tale | 5,88 (4 episodes) |
| The Shadow Team | 5,78 (2 episodes) |
| The Ottoman | 5,47 (1 episode) |
| Leyla | 5,43 (3 episodes) |
| Valley of Hearts | 5,02 (3 episodes) |
Shows of the Season
| SERIES | MAXIMUM RATING |
| One Love | 9,07 |
| The Nightfall | 8,30 |
| An Anatolian Tale | 8,06 |
| The Good and the Bad | 7,98 |
| Blooming Lady | 7,90 |
| The Shadow Team | 7,18 |
| Red Roses | 6,92 |
| Valley of Hearts | 6,09 |
| Leyla | 6,08 |
| The Ottoman | 5,47 |
| I Am Mother | 3,92 |
| Fatih: Sultan of Conquests | 3,86 |
| Golden Boy | 3,48 |
| Dark Legacy | 3,41 |
| The Family Burden | 3,39 |
| Loveberry | 3,29 |
| Back Streets | 3,23 |
| Dirty Laundry | 3,19 |
| The Brave | 3,18 |
| Remember | 2,61 |
| Land of Love | 2,59 |
| Wild Heart | 2,59 |
| Legend of the Black Tree | 2,02 |
| Kör Nokta | 1,83 |
*Blue indicates new shows, while black represents renewed Turkish series.
Written by Burak Sakar, this article was featured in Episode Magazine’s MIPCOM 2024 issue.
