It took me a while to get my head together and 3 hours so that I can write this review, because when it gets to Cukur I usually have so many things to say, but at the same time I become speechless, since this tv serie leaves you nothing but powerful emotions. "Icerde and Cukur"- the best that happened to me during this quarantine. After watching Icerde I couldn't watch anything else..No tv serie that I began and tried to watch after it had a zest to get me instantly hooked on. So because of the cast, especially because of Aras, I started to watch Cukur. My first experience was unsuccessful, I could hardly watch 4 episodes. It was somehow difficult to get into the story..too many characters and names, fire guns, all at a once.. it was too much information delivered not in the easiest way to the viewer, so my brain understood nothing but Yamac and Sena scenes. I couldn't continue to watch it, mainly because of that. After 2 weeks I saw some great key scenes videos from Cukur on instagram, and then I said to myself "There's going to happen something interesting, I have to watch it again, from the beginning". That's what i actually did, and from that moment on I've fallen into this pit forever! I heard many stories like mine, so please, if you read this- Do Not Give Up! My advice to you is to watch at least 6-10 episodes, then you'll want more and more. The first episodes are not understandable, whereas Gokhan Horzum (writer) have a special way of developing events and revealing each character to the viewers, step by step. This tv serie is like a puzzle, and if you watch it with maximum attention to every detail, you'll see that the writer gives you signs, in one form or another. A meaning was put in everything in Cukur, that's why I trully admire Gokhan for! Brilliant plot! The cast...oh, the cast... everyone has absolutely great performance, but my favourite is Aras Bulut Iynemli! Everytime I find an ocasion to mention him, I do it with my biggest pleasure, because he's the one of the best actors I've ever seen in my entire life! How can a man play this way? So natural, so true..it's impossible not no believe him. As a little i used to watch american movies all the time, but these masterpieces called Icerde and Cukur deserve Oscars for sure! Aras deserves as much international acclaim and success as american top actors. I can't explain that, but Aras' acting is even way better than top american's ones! They have a lack of expressivity, i don't know.. but none of them reached my heart the way Aras did. That's insane the way he even moves his eyebrows, have you noticed? He can make so many facial expressions: surprise, fear, sadness, anger, happiness and many more..oh, but I have no words to describe how mind-blowing it is when he shows his character's feelings of loosing a beloved one, the way he cries...His voice is as versatile as his facial. I don't know how, but he controls it so well and these two make an unbelievable duo. As for me, pronouncing the text is not enough, the intonation of the voice is the key to make the necessary atmosphere of the whole acting (beside gesticulation and movements of course) and Aras does it great! (resulting from this I recommend to watch Cukur ONLY with subtitles if it's possible, in order to hear the actors' voices). He always transforms into, he lives his characters, he feels them...How is it possible to get such a satisfaction, a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings when watching a movie/ Tv serie??? It was something unknown for me, until I discovered Aras! Turkey is so lucky to have him! He is a gem of cinematography! Yes, Aras is a gem indeed! He is a Legend, indeed!
Someone wrote here a review that Cukur is not a copy of Icerde. I totally agree, these two are too unique and beautiful, each in its own way, so you definitely have to watch Cukur if you love Icerde!!!
When talking about soundtracks I have to undoubtly mention the talented Toygar Isikli! His music plays such an important role when creating the necessary atmosphere. His music emphasizes characters' emotions acted by the cast..and suddenly sad moments become even more sad, happy ones even happier and so on.. all the Cukur music is Great, the songs too.
Oh, but the wall writings from Cukur are a different, an appart type of masterpiece. Some of them sounds especially beautiful to me..wisely, poetical and philosophical somehow.
And the last thing I have to mention is the wonderful balance between comedy, drama, action, crime and thriller, so that you never get bored of! Great jokes that make you laugh and relax even in the most tense moments or even some sad moments! That could only a genius think about!!!
I've watched all the episodes so far and I want to congratulate all the cast and team with the 100th anniversary episode and for such an amazing serie! As for me (I watched many Turkish tv series and of other countries too) these are INCOMPARABLE to any others seen so far! Icerde and Cukur are the LEGENDS of the Turkish tv! I highly recommend to watch Cukur! A rollercoaster of emotions is guaranteed!
P.S. It surely deserves a higher score, but don't mind, yet Cukur is not a tv serie for everyone! It has to be understood, it has to be felt and lived by each of us!!!
Looooot of love from Moldova
