1001 Nights (2006–2009) User Reviews

Waste of time

[deadendsoul · 4/10 · 3 March 2009]

This show is a complete waste of time. It's like those Argentinian or Brazilian soap operas that make you feel like you're constipated. Or the characters are, for this matter.

The scenario is based on exaggerated dramas and meaningless misunderstandings. Something happens, someone gets bad news and boom, you have to look at that person's facial expression for the next 5 to 10 minutes. They never talk to each other and nobody ever finds out what is really going on, which is always something minor and very simple to get through.

All this goes on and on for about an hour and a half which is way too long for a prime time soap opera.

I only gave it a 4/10 because the elderly actors Metin Cekmez and Tomris Incer are amazing as the grandparents and some of the other actors (Halit Ergenc and Tardu Flordun for instance) have backgrounds in theater and are also good at their jobs.

A very dramatic drama

[swtsthng-259-856130 · 6/10 · 20 August 2021]

First let's just get it out of the way, that Berguzar and Halit are an awesome couple. Their chemistry is palpable. Unfortunately I don't think they were used anywhere near their potential in this series. The story goes from one extreme to the other so quickly and frequently... it gets hard to believe that they will forgive the other for the 1,001th time... but it keeps you watching nonetheless. It is definitely worth a view and it has a happy ending... and you get to see a tiny bit of the magic between those two.

How do you say "soap" in Turkish? Light spoilers to save you from this.

[nordtveit · 3/10 · 2 January 2017]

There is a certain element of lost-in-translation here.

This is a soap. It is not "soap-y" - it is a real soap opera with soap level acting, melodrama, soundtrack, production value and storyline.

The reason why I say "lost in translation" is that the Turkish definition of soap is very restrictive. The Turkish Wikipedia article on "soap operas" is two sentences long. Turkish people consider soaps to be Latin American shows that are mostly about love (the word for soap in Turkish is "pink series") that go on for years and years.

It doesn't need to go on for years. I watched one episode and realized it was a soap. In episode one there is a dramatic walk in the rain where a woman walks from her car to her father-in-law's mansion for 10 minutes (did I say rain?) without an umbrella so that she can ask her father-in-law to pay for her son's cancer treatment. He refuses and she stands there crying for 10 minutes, soaking wet, dripping hair/clothes, repeating "your grandson is dying" over and over while the violins are wailing full-blast. I'm serious about the violins.

If you enjoy soaps, this may be for you. But otherwise, don't be fooled. Don't expect the quality of Turkish cinema to find its way here. This is not like the industry in other countries where They are not two different formats, but two different industries. They are as far apart as exploitation films and Hollywood films in the US.

A cursed past can be turned into a blessed future!

[rahelhorvat · 7/10 · 5 March 2019]

The story is worth watching for the three things; the character of Onur Aksal, his love for Seherezade and the main lesson the series projects that redemption for sin is impossible without repentance and forgiveness. Sherezade, a young, fatherless widow gets a new husband and a repentant father in law, her cursed past is turned into a blessed future. The plot and action is interesting until episode 45, beyond there, the action stalls. The series should have stopped at episode 66, to avoid re-using old plots and themes. The final 10 episodes didn't do justice to either the couple or the audience, and I ponder if it was really a necessity to expose that sinful night the couple spent together when it was already long forgotten and the two of them married with children from their previous relationships. The series will nevertheless keep you watching till you reach the very end!

Very impressed! Best Turkish Drama Ever...

[saintsedona · 10/10 · 15 April 2011]

I have to admit that I was kind of prejudiced about this TV series as I don't like soap operas in general and that is why I haven't watched it when everybody was going crazy about 1001 NIGHTS in Turkey. How wrong I could be? When finally I watched the first episode 3 years later, I was instantly hooked,that was not soap opera at all, it was more of a drama, the story starts with a moral dilemma and turns into a modern fairy tale,but it is not your average mushy love story, there are many little stories around the main plot, all the characters are very realistic,you instantly root for Sehrazat, a single mum who does everything to support her little boy who is terminally ill and finally when she finds a donor, here comes the big decision...I won't give away anything, you just have to watch it :)

The storyline was very interesting, clean decent acting,I really liked the Sehrazat character, she stands up against all the difficulty of life alone, very principled, very tough lady, I would say it was a treat to see such a independent and proud character. Besides Berguzar Korel's brilliant performance as Sehrazat, I also liked Ceyda Duvenci and Tardu Flordun in the main cast, Tardu is definitely a rare gem, you love him in one episode and totally hate him the next, only a good actor could pull emotions so high, the elderly couple Evliyaogulları must be dream grandparents, they fit each other like gloves as Burhan Bey and Nadide Hanım,watching them really warmed up my heart.

My other favorite character is Mihriban, it was so nice hearing Azerbaijani Turkish, really liked her cute accent, and Halit Ergenc as ONUR really shines on the screen, I guess he is the perfect mixture of infamous jealousy and over-protectiveness of Turkish men and impossible romantic who never takes 'no' for answer.

Besides the great characterization and interesting storyline, you see the best of Istanbul in 1001 NIGHTS, beautiful Bosphorus with its boats and historic villas, seagulls and KizKulesi(Maiden Tower),that was quite refreshing for those of us who always watches either NYC or LA on screen, 1001 NIGHTS definitely brought the warmth of Istanbul to our homes. After watching 90 episodes of this powerful drama, when it finally finished I felt like I lost my best buddy, I will definitely miss 1001 NIGHTS, I hope one day the same cast does another TV series. 1001 NIGHTS was also full of important social messages, they raised the awareness for leukemia and importance of donating blood to save lives,encouraged people to stop domestic violence, showed some of the realities of the country poverty, land mafia, politics of power and that's why in my opinion a lot of people found 1001 NIGHTS so near and dear to their hearts.I also hope they had the DVD and the soundtrack of the series, because KIRAC has done a great job,the opening theme kind of stuck in my mind...

Loved it

[littlesparrow-163-500757 · 8/10 · 14 March 2017]

Just recently viewed this on Netflix, I loved it and I love Turkish series. I am disappointed though that we only got season 1 with English subs, waiting and hope to get season 2 and 3 on netflix. I think Turkish soaps are really aimed at women. I loved keyitt and sura, which was on netflix also. I could watch these all the time. so much better than American and English soaps.

Love, love, loved this tella novella!

[carolinearcand · 10/10 · 14 March 2017]

1001 Nights is a wonderful TV show! Oh yes, there was the everyday living and loving, but more than anything it was wonderful to watch a show that show people of character working through their everyday lives with respect. There is so little of that in North America on TV, in entertainment, on FB. A show that I could watch with my fourteen year old daughter and help her understand decisions people make in life and how it affects them. We cancelled TV six years ago. I do not mind reading sub-titles.

Best i ever seen

[mimiionescu · 10/10 · 16 August 2008]

Binbir gece makes you addicted, if you watch 1 episode, you can be sure you will watch them all. Great actors, very expressive, great music, great directing,great scenario, the subject and the characters very realistic. Berguzar Korel and Halit Ergenc are the perfect pair. Has record audience in Turkey and in Romania, because is different from everything you ever seen. I recommended to everyone. The only problem is that the information about it, almost it doesn't exist in English, and Turkish language is quite difficult. The story is about Sehrazat, an architect, single mom, that has a sick child. She will do anything to save her sun, including spend a night with her boss, to get the needed money for her sun operation...

A wonderful piece of art recommended to anyone regardless of nationality or religion.

[amilia696 · 10/10 · 4 July 2010]

Firstly,a quick remark to the first critic of the film.To the user called "deadenedsoul" - I am beyond any expectation the average USA consumer who is fond of reality shows and meaningless all-round movies to appreciate anything from the Turkish cinema culture and heritage or the professional acting or the ideas that lie in the plot of the film but this comment leaves me speechless as it is absolutely not related to 1001 nights.1001 nights is a classy novel which is told by the master of story-telling ... and acted wonderfully by talented and young Turkish professional actors.The fables and strings of though in the series are subtle and meaningful.The story is beautiful in essence and is breathtakingly presented.A wonderful piece of art recommended to anyone regardless of nationality or religion.

Absolutely loved it

[oboist-37576 · 10/10 · 20 November 2017]

There is a lot to love about this- even for guys. I have only seen the first series- as that is all I can see on Netfix at the moment - I hope that they do put the rest of it on. Generally I love Turkish series, I did not think I would, but they are gripping, human and there are strong moral themes running through them, without them being preachy about it or moralistic. They have a beauty, sweep and realism about them that is so lacking in the Hollywood machine. I am pleased Netflix gives me the opportunity to see these and the leads are excellent.

A quite good a soap opera

[iuli_best · 10/10 · 25 June 2008]

The thing is... i've seen at first just an episode to understand why everybody thinks it's such a good s.o.. After that i just started watching episode with episode and getting mad when missing one of them.

The story is very good...nice emotional problems and normal financial and social issues.The characters are well enough chosen and their acting is very good.

The bad things are : kind of strange personality of characters and if you don't understand turkey ,

you really need subtitles.

If you just feel the need to see a soap opera , this is a very interesting and reality-type of soap opera. Top of it's genre.

Turkish Drama

[jainb2004 · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

I agree with the person who posted the other comment. If I knew that Turk tv shows were called soap operas I wouldn't have watched just because in my world, a soap opera was a long drawn out adult themed story line that goes on endlessly (like Yemin with a continuous open narrative).

The first show I watched was Behzat C, and its story arc was so complex and intricate that I knew that the screenwriters were writing to an audience who could hold a mystery in their thoughts for many episodes and that it had resolution and wasn't open ended. Then someone from Turkiye called it a dizi, and said they didn't watch soap operas. I was shocked..how could this be a soap opera.

I have come to accept that the word has a different meaning. I looked it up. It said: "Turkish television series (Turkish: Türk dizileri)". I now believe that the dizi is simply a tv series unlike a movie, and has "soap" elements of sentimentality and emotion, and melodrama because a story has to have peaks and conflict and resolution but of course a good tv series will have that. It is true some people don't watch tv shows period. That is what they meant when the Turk friend said that to me, using what they thought was a universally understood concept of what a soap opera was. It threw me.

Also, I was told that the US story arc has less complexity than other countries. I talked to a Malaysian screenwriter teacher. She said the US writing style is in the 101 class, and the Turk style is in a more complex writing class.

Simply said, the word dizi does not have the same connotation as our English soap opera. ("The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers". ~wiki description) 1001 Nights was a great show, call it a dizi or a tv show, it was well worth the time to watch it. And the music...wow!

Watched it mainly for the amazing chemistry between Halit and Berguzer

[spingirl-123 · 8/10 · 19 March 2022]

And no wonder - they apparently actually fell in love during the filming. Plot is razor thin and stretched to unbelievable lengths. But you keep watching because of the fiery chemistry between the leads. Grandparents were great, kids were awesome (especially Kaan). Bennu and Kerem were awesome too. Some of the story extensions were totally unnecessary - Burak, what ever happened to Mihirban, Ahu etc. But I guess they had to fill in 80 episodes. Good escapist soap in these troubled times.