“The Turkish Detective”, televised on BBC Two every Sunday at 9 p.m., is an adaptation of the popular thriller novels crafted by acclaimed UK writer Barbara Nadel. Since 1999, Nadel has been drawn into producing these novels, largely with the enchanting hustle of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest metropolis, as the chief setting.
The series offers a vivid depiction of the exuberant turmoil of Istanbul, a substantial city brimming with history, perched on the edge of Europe, akin to Moscow and London, Europe’s two other largest metropolitan areas. This historic city frequently grapples with the tumult of present-day life.
Intriguingly, the initial episode introduces Mehmet Suleyman (played by Ethan Kai), a British-Turkish investigator, who after being reassigned from London to Istanbul, sets foot into this captivating universe. His intriguingly lighthearted first encounter in Instanbul occurs when an eccentric taxi driver, his new boss Inspector Ikmen (Haluk Bilginer), picks him up from the airport.
Mehmet barely gets any time to acclimate himself with Istanbul’s lifestyle when he’s instantly called to solve a murder case of a student. The inquiry into her mysterious passing opens a can of worms involving a potentate of the local drug trade and an obsessive video game enthusiast linked to the victim in an eerie manner.
The series was shot in Istanbul, providing a riveting backdrop and making no reference to political affairs or the controversial rule of the current Turkish president, Recep Erdoğan, possibly to respect its geographic authenticity.
However, Irish audiences may query BBC’s realistic representation of Turkey, throwing back to its previous controversial depictions of the Irish mother and baby home scandal in ‘Women in the Wall’, and ‘A Suitable Boy’, both accused of perpetuating stereotypes.
Authenticity of the series can only be validated by someone intimately familiar with Turkey. However, as a thriller series, the location’s uniqueness adds a distinct flair. Mehmet, as the lead character, adds charisma with his subdued personality and personal issues, which involve his amnesiac sister, who believes she’s still in London, and his journalist girlfriend, who has made some formidable opponents through her work.
It is prudent to focus on Mehmet, rather than divert attention to the unnervingly impulsive Ikmen. Consider him as the Bosporus’ equivalent of Columbo, who thrills in causing everyone in his vicinity to experience his unpredictability. Admittedly, adjusting to him can be challenging. However, the enthralling enigma woven into this suspense novel makes it rewarding.