The Turkish series «The Difference». Of all the Turkish series I’ve seen, this one impressed me the most. First, it features excellent direction, strong acting, and beautiful cinematography. Most importantly, the theme the director explores is compelling. The series delves into the profound divisions within Turkish society. In Turkey, society is sharply split along social, cultural, political, and religious lines—often intertwined. The divisions are so deep that people with differing political and religious views live in separate neighborhoods, avoid interacting, and sometimes even clash. The series also tells the story of a Kurdish family (a national minority in Turkey) whose sisters are at odds due to their political and religious beliefs.
The director portrays the lives of families from different social, cultural, political, and religious backgrounds separately, yet somehow intersects their paths in various situations. You might wonder: they seem so different—could anything truly unite them? In my view, the director’s message is that despite our differences, we all share something fundamental: our humanity. We all experience the same emotions and struggles—the desire to be accepted and loved, the dramas of life, and our shared humanity. If we embrace tolerance and openness instead of opposing one another, we can find moving connections and enrich each other’s lives. A deeply touching series, and interestingly, it also features a psychoanalyst’s work.
I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Turkish culture—and even to those who aren’t!
