scifi – Curious Turk

TV Series Recommendations

Posted on November 22, 2018November 23, 2018 by Ece Gurler

When it comes to TV Shows/Series, everyone looks into different things. In my opinion, a good series must:

Be believeable: The actors and actresses need to act so well that we should forget that we are watching TV and we should be able to find ourselves in their world as if it was the reality: We need to feel what the characters are feeling. This happens only when: 1. The scenarists write a good script with realistic conversations and consistent story lines 2. When the actors and actresses do an amazing job. The audience is smart; whenever they see a mistake in decor, an inconsistency in storyline or a cheap quality in filming, they notice it right away. They immediately stop watching the show. Let’s not forget, the lost audience is gone forever. But, in my opinion, the reverse is also true: Once you get the audience hooked, they will be with you forever.
Include the element of surprise: The more the series get predictable, the less you want to watch them. A main character dies, or a war breaks, or an accident happens. Someone cheats, or becomes a murderer, or loses their mind. Someone decides to quit the team, or commits suicide. These type of surprises keep the series live.
Have a cliff hanger: It doesn’t necessarily have to happen at the end of all episodes but maybe 85%of them must finish with a cliff hanger. We are human beings, we like to be intrigued!
Be original: The writers of ‘Battlestar Galactica’ ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars’ might have influenced each other, and the creators of ‘the 100’ might seem like a fan of ‘Battlestar Galactica’. One can also claim that the creators of the ‘Stranger Things’ might have grown up watching ‘the Goonies’. So, it is OK to have some similar elements, as long as you also provide something unique and original. However, if the series is ‘too similar’ to another series, then they will lose their audience.

I have prepared my own list of the ‘Best TV Series of all times’ or maybe, in more modest words, some shows that shaped the years they were aired in. So, I highly recommend that these TV Series must be in your watch list.

Blogger’s Note: For the each Headline here I chose a font that I think suits the best to the series’ character.

What’s happening?

It’s the depiction of two powerful families – kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and honest men – playing a deadly game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and to sit atop the Iron Throne. The series is filmed in Northern Ireland and Malta.

Definitely watch if: You like surprises, history, scenic visual effects, medieval, fantasy, war, politics and drama.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like fantasy and if you can’t handle bloody and nude scenes.

What is best about this Series: I’m sure everyone would agree that this series has the best visual effects and the costumes so far. However, I think the ‘best thing’ about this series is the characters that grow with the Series. There are many characters in the show that anyone can relate to them so easily. For example, my favorite character is Tyrion Lannister, who is witty, fair, brave and smart. But underneath it all, he is very delicate and naive.

What could have been different: They changed the Mountain character 3 times- 3 different actors… As I said, we notice these things and that takes away ‘the real’ feeling to it. Just saying.

What is happening?

What’s left of humankind struggles for survival against the robot Cylons, who have killed millions. The Galactica, led by William Adama, protects a patched-together fleet of civilians – led by de facto president Laura Roslin – in search of a mythical planet called Earth.

Definitely watch if: You like surprises, space, visual effects, sci-fi, war, politics, romance and drama.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like sci-fi.

What is best about this Series: Definitely the wisely written script. Every episode is so exciting that you can’t stop after watching one episode: You just want to keep going! Definitely this show has a lot of cliff hangers. Besides, the series has the best music!

What could have been different: Baltar’s situation, in general his role in the whole series is a little confusing. At the end of the series, it would have been nice to connect some dots.

What is happening?

In this contemporary version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories, Dr. John Watson is a war vet just home from Afghanistan. He meets the brilliant but eccentric Holmes when the latter, who serves as a consultant to Scotland Yard, advertises for a flatmate. Almost as soon as Watson moves into the Baker Street flat, they are embroiled in mysteries, and Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, appears to have a hand in the crimes.

Definitely watch if: You like criminal-detective shows, Britain or British accents, action.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like fast-paced TV shows.

What is best about this Series: Definitely the beautiful mind of Sherlock Holmes. Watching him connecting the dots so quickly and wisely is absolutely fun and breathtaking.

What could have been different: The series is too short and their Christmas special was terrible.

What is happening?

The survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 were 1,000 miles off course when they crashed on a lush, mysterious island. Each person possesses a shocking secret, but they’ve got nothing on the island itself, which harbors a monstrous security system, a series of underground bunkers and a group of violent survivalists hidden in the shadows.

Definitely watch if: You like suspense, fantasy, action.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like mystery. You won’t get answers to your questions right away.

What is best about this Series: Definitely the mysterious nature of the island and the mysterious background of each character.

What could have been different: The ending, man… Why? It could have been so much better!!! Ugh…

What is happening?

When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief, and his friends must confront terrifying forces in order to get him back.

Definitely watch if: You like suspense, fantasy, period series (80s), sci-fi and action.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like movies involving kids. The main characters are kids.

What is best about this Series: The director gives the 80s feeling in a perfect way. Also, the friendship between the main characters is so fun to watch. But the best part of the movie is each character is a heroic one in themselves. Every character in this series is equally strong.

What could have been different: I really didn’t find it natural when the they kissed at the prom. I would definitely change that.

What is happening?

At fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, prickly genius Dr. Gregory House tackles health mysteries as would a medical Sherlock Holmes, all the while playing mind games with colleagues that include his best friend, oncologist James Wilson. House, an acerbic infectious disease specialist, solves medical puzzles with the help of a team of young diagnosticians. Flawless instincts and unconventional thinking help earn House great respect, despite his brutal honesty and antisocial tendencies.

Definitely watch if: You like mystery, real life drama, medical themes, comedy.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like series with annoying (even though smart) characters.

What is best about this Series: The Dr. House character: funny, agitated and annoying, but lonely and fragile. While he saves patients’ lives, his team saves his.

What could have been different: Like every other medical series, it gets repetitive and predictive.

What is happening?

Set in a storybook Connecticut town populated by an eclectic mix of dreamers, artists and everyday folk, this multigenerational drama about family and friendship centres around Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Rory. Lorelai owns the town’s bed-and-breakfast, the Dragonfly Inn, with best friend/chef Sookie, and contends with weekly dinners with eccentric, well-off parents Richard and Emily Gilmore (who always have something to say about their daughter’s life). After high school, Rory attends university but frequently returns to Stars Hollow to visit her mom.

Definitely watch if: You like heart warming comedy-drama, family theme, ‘small town’ theme and if you believe in power of coffee and/or books.

Don’t watch if: You don’t like series with no action.

What is best about this Series: The friendship between Lorelai (the mother) and Rory (the daughter). I lost my mother in 2004 to an illness. Maybe that’s why this series has a special place in my heart. Also, I have always wanted to be a mother like Lorelai.

What could have been different: I did not like how the series ended. I guess I had had higher epectations from that character who made a big confession (Trying hard not to give a spoiler here haha).

What is happening?

Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.

Definitely watch if: You like suspense, action and drama.

Don’t watch if: You can’t stomach gross-looking zombies.

What is best about this Series: The mystery of not knowing what is going to happen next. A lot of people ‘turn’ in this series. I mean… A LOT. Also, the acting talent of zombies will blow your mind! So realistic.

What could have been different: I haven’t finished the series yet. The final season is still airing. However, I will be very disappointed if they don’t tell us what the way is to get out of this hell and/or why this happened in the first place.

What is happening?

Mensa-fied best friends and roommates Leonard and Sheldon, physicists who work at the California Institute of Technology, may be able to tell everybody more than they want to know about quantum physics, but getting through most basic social situations, especially ones involving women, totally baffles them. How lucky, then, that babe-alicious waitress/aspiring actress Penny moves in next door. Frequently seen hanging out with Leonard and Sheldon are friends and fellow Caltech scientists Wolowitz and Koothrappali. Will worlds collide? Does Einstein theorize in the woods?

Definitely watch if: You like comedy, sarcasm, sit-coms and science.

Don’t watch if: You can’t stand annoying smart characters (Like in Sherlock and Dr. House, Sheldon is an annoying genius).

PS. Sheldon is my favorite character 🙂

What is best about this Series: The length of the each episode is a perfect dose for a good laugh. And the best part about it for me is that they are all (almost all) scientists!! <insert heart here>

What could have been different: As in any sit-com, there are ups and downs in terms of quality of the jokes. Some episodes are hilarious whereas some of them are just… meh.

What is happening?

The animated series is not for children. In fact, its goal seems to be to offend as many as possible as it presents the adventures of Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman. The show has taken on Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, politicians of every stripe and self-important celebrities. Oh, and Kenny is killed in many episodes.

Definitely watch if: You like comedy, sarcasm and current political issues.

Don’t watch if: You are not following current events or if you can’t handle bad language. Some people find this show really offensive.

What is best about this Series: The humor and the creativity. Have you ever played Cards Against Humanity? Sometimes I think the creators of that game and the South Park series could be the same.

What could have been different: Some episodes have inside jokes, with references to American culture and history that I don’t understand. But that is my fault, not theirs.

Special Thanks to…

Friends

For their heart-warming and funny friendship and romance. They were the first of their kind. Definitely opened up Hollywood doors for Jennifer Aniston (Yay!).

Criminal Minds

FBI profiling at its best, I really enjoyed this true crime series very much! (Of course, Dr. Reid was my favorite)

CSI NY

Nope, not just ‘CSI’ or ‘CSI Miami’, my all time favorite Crime Scene Investigation series was CSI NY with its awesome cast!

Dexter

This show definitely has become a phenomenon. This show’s popularity made a lot of people worried since Dexter Morgan is a serial killer. I’m a big fa, as well: I have watched the whole show twice already 😀

Hope you enjoyed this list and I hope you try some of them during the holiday!

Hoscakalin!

Ece

Movie Recommendations

Posted on November 18, 2018November 19, 2018 by Ece Gurler

I’m very well aware of the fact that everyone has different tastes in movies and TV shows as they do in music and art in general. We have different ideas, cultures, traditions and interests that separate us. But, there are certain movies and TV shows out there that you wish people would know about them and put in their bucket list (Or Netflix Queue).

This is a blog with a list of my favorite movies of all times. Of course, I don’t expect everyone to agree with me on this list. However, if you are looking for some movies to watch these days and you haven’t seen any or some of these, maybe you can pick one to watch today!

PS. This is only about movies and my next blog will be only about TV Shows.

The Man from Earth (2007)

One of the best movies I have ever seen. You will either hate it or love it. It begins really slow but after about 20 mins, it picks up and sucks you in the story. The setting of the story is a house in 2007.

This History professor, John Oldman, hosts this farewell gathering at his place to which he invites his friends from the faculty. There is a biology, anthropology, psychology and art professor (who is quite conservative) present in this party. After John claims that he is actually 10,000 years old, they all start questioning him, trying to find some logical answers. Especially the part about religion is absolutely mind blowing. If you are interested in science and history like me, you will love this movie!

2. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Brad Pitt at his best. Quantin Tarantino is at his best. The storyline is simple, but story telling is simply fantastic: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same (IMDB)

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There are really funny moments, but also there are many scary moments that will shock you and shake you up. It has the suspense, it has the history, it has the humor. Like every other Tarantino movie, it is bloody, as well. But, let’s be honest, it is hard to cover the World War II period in your movie and not include any blood.

3. 3 Idiots (2009)

If you have time (because the movie is almost 3 hour-long) and you want to put yourself in a very happy mood, watch this movie! Being a Bollywood movie and all, with lots of catchy songs and dancing, and sometimes with overkill with the dramatic acting, in overall it is one of the best movies I have ever watched. Especially considering the messages given throughout the movie, such as the problems in educational system and the importance of friendship.

Two friends are searching for their long lost companion, Rancho. They revisit their college days and recall the memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently, even as the rest of the world called them “idiots”. On their journey to find him, they learn a huge secret about him.

4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

This film is considered as one of the best movies of all times, and trust me, there is a reason for that. Both Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are at their bests. This movie touches very important issues such as wrong imprisonment, toughness of the prison life and the importance of keeping hope. These two inmates’ friendship will warm up your hearts.

5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

This Steven Spielberg directed movie is Tom Hanks’ one of the best movies in terms of his acting performance. The traumatic experience and drama of warfare are very well explained in this movie. Based on a true story, this movie is an emotional roller coaster.

Spielberg directed Saving Private Ryan as a tribute to his father, Arnold Spielberg, who served in the U.S. Army and Signal Corps, and fought in Burma during World War II as a radio operator in a B-25 squad. Arnold also helped a young Steven to direct his first movies as a teenager, both of which involved plots that took place during World War II.

6. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

This movie is based on the true story of famous mathematician, John Nash. At the top of his career, he struggles with the unexpected and his companion will be his greatest support. From the beginning of the movie, you understand that Nash is different, and this movie really succeeds in putting you in John Nash’s beautiful mind. Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly were awesome picks for this movie, if you ask me.

From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle, he eventually triumphed over his tragedy, and finally – late in life – received the Nobel Prize (source: IMDB).

7. Ice Age (2002 – 2016)

When I first watched Ice Age, it was dubbed in Turkish. I don’t know if it made a difference or not, but I laughed SO hard! I usually watch comedies with a constant smile or grin, but I seldom laugh hard. I remember laughing a lot watching Ice Age, especially Sid and Scrat would crack me up. Considering I’m a geologist, maybe I also had special love for this series. It definitely gives important messages about the environment, history, animals and friendship, as well.

PS. If you are interested in Pixar movies and Ice Age is not to your taste, please try ‘UP’ or ‘INSIDE OUT’. you will definitely love one of them!

Here is a funny scene from Ice Age with Turkish dubbing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhZhEsXJY5M

8. The Hangover (2009)

If you want to have a good laugh today, watch this movie! As a foreigner, I don’t get American inside jokes or cultural clues very much in comedies, or I don’t find them funny to be honest, no offense. This is why I couldn’t enjoy the movies like ‘The Big Lebowski’ or ‘American Pie’ etc. But this movie will give you a good laugh, no matter where you are from!

9. The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003)

Hmm… Where to start?… This trilogy will blow your mind away… Especially the first (The Fellowship of the Ring) and the third one (The Return of the King). The second one was also cool, especially the battle scenes. If you enjoy fantasy films, this will be on top of your list.

Full of special effects, This movie not only does give a visual feast but also it gives many important messages to the audience: Such as greed is not good, team work is important, real friendhips are invaluable, and you need to make sacrifices for your loved ones.

PS. While everyone’s favorite duo was Arwen and Aragorn, mine was Frodo and Sam 🙂

10. Star Wars (1977 – 2017)

I can see you roll your eyes and hear you saying “Of course, you had to…”. Well, sorry guys if you don’t enjoy sci-fi, but you are really missing out. This series is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! The technology they used back in 1977 will blow your mind.

It has breathtaking special effects, yes. But also the storyline, the continuous fight between the good and the evil (The force and the dark side) will take you into the story so quickly. Different creatures from all around the galaxy will make the movie seem magical. Yoda’s wisdom, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s moral, Anakin Skywalker’s passion, R2-D2 and C3PO’s loyalty, Padme’s purity will make you want to even watch more. All these emotions and characters are all well blended in this Sci-fi action drama.

My all time winner: Back to the Future (1985, 1989, 1990)

Back to the Future trilogy has a special place in my heart. If you were born in the 80s, this movie must be special for you, too. It was the first of its kind, after ‘E.T’, with a quite different storyline. Michael J. Fox (Marty), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown) travel in time. By doing this, they realize it is not OK to change the past, hence it affects the future. But how about if you change the future? What happens then? You will figure it out!

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Special thanks to: Titanic (1997), Kill Bill (2003, 2004) and Alien (1992)

It would be cruel not to mention these movies here. Yet again, they were the masterpiece, one of their kinds when they first hit the theatres! A Big applause! James Cameron’s ‘Titanic’, David Fincher’s ‘Alien’ and Quantin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ (series). Such masterpieces!