The third-largest exporter of television is not who you might expect
After America and Britain, Turkey is the biggest seller of scripted shows
Much of Ottoman history reads like a soap opera. In the 16th century Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent killed anyone whom he suspected of trying to rival him, including two brothers-in-law, two sons and a handful of grandsons. (And you thought your family had problems.) A show about Suleiman, “Muhtesem Yuzyil” (“Magnificent Century”), first aired in 2011 and was part of the first wave of Turkish dramas to go global. Fans of the show include Cardi B, an American rapper.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Turkish delight”
Culture February 17th 2024
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