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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="414" caption="Ebru Özkan (above R) and Feride Çetin, stars of ‘Anneler ile Kızları’ (below) show many TV dimensions of being a woman in their recent series. (Source : Hürriyet)"][/caption]"The boom in Turkish TV series might have created a whole new economy, but they continue to rely on the cardboard female characters of the soap opera tradition, victims or vixens.Turkey’s growing economy and its newfound role as a political powerhouse in near regions might be up for dispute, but it sure is moving headstrong in becoming a global superpower in one area: the popularity of its TV series.The boom in TV series in Turkey the last couple of years has definitely gone out of control. It is almost impossible to find a TV channel not running a series when you sit down with the remote control, save for football. The productions are becoming bigger by the day with their cast ensemble, flashy costumes and set decorations, as well as safe scripts that border on soap opera-like.The popularity of nearly 100 TV series has crossed borders to the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus and some other Arab countries. Old and new favorites like “Yaprak Dökümü” (Fallen Leaves), “Bir Istanbul Masalı” (An Istanbul Tale), “Gümüş” (Silver) and “Kurtlar Vadisi” (Valley of the Wolves) have found their way into primetime TV in such countries like Iraq, Iran, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia and Kazakhstan.Turkish TV series have taken over for Brazilian soaps, portraying juxtaposed, glamorous lives in big mansions, as well as the feudal oppression of rural lives. They feature dangerous love stories and power games with all the classic archetypes of a soap opera.Most soap opera characters entail a non-portrayal of women’s journeys to empowerment and equality and instead support the good old stereotypes that deem women as either victims or vixens.[...]"Source : Hürriyet Daily News