Turkish TV Faces a Turbulent Season: Eight Series at High Risk of Cancellation as Ratings Continue to Decline
As the end of the year approaches, the Turkish television landscape is going through one of its most unstable periods. Four series have already said goodbye to the screens, and two more have officially announced their finale dates. With several productions failing to reach expected performance levels, industry experts predict that the number of cancellations will continue to rise.
According to the weekly ratings for 23 November, at least eight more series are currently at high risk of ending soon. Here is a detailed breakdown of the week’s most striking developments.
Uzakşehir Dominates with Record-Breaking Ratings
Uzakşehir continues its incredible success, surpassing 17% in Total and once again breaking its own season record. Even the recap episode reached an impressive 10%, outperforming many prime-time productions. With such dominance, the series is practically guaranteed not only for a third season but possibly even a fourth.
Cennetin Çocukları Maintains Strong Stability
Despite competing against a giant like Uzakşehir, Cennetin Çocukları is holding steady. The series remains close to the 5% range in both categories. As a TRT1 production, it does not face early cancellation risk, and its stable performance suggests a continued presence on the screen.
Tuesday Competition: Mehmet Fetihler Sultanı Leads the Night
Tuesday continues to be unpredictable, with fluctuating positions among five competing series. This week’s clear winner was Mehmet Fetihler Sultanı, leading both categories. Its strong performance and TRT1 backing make it a safe bet for the rest of the season.
Kıskanmak’s Sudden Rise and Fall
After a surprising increase earlier in November, with ratings surpassing 4% Total and 5% AB, Kıskanmak quickly lost momentum. Although this week saw a minor rise, the current numbers are still far from sufficient. If the decline continues, an early finale could be inevitable.
Kral Kaybederse Confirms Finale Date
One of the season’s most discussed dramas, Kral Kaybederse, has officially set its finale date. The series will conclude on 9 December with its 30th episode. Despite a strong first season, the second season’s ratings dropped significantly, making this ending expected.
Bahar Loses Momentum After a Strong First Season
Bahar now averages around 3% Total and 4% AB, far below expectations for a show that once held the title of the season’s most-watched drama. The main storyline appears to have been exhausted, and viewer interest has noticeably decreased. While no finale date has been set, the series is clearly in a risky zone.
Gözleri Karadeniz Faces Sharp Decline
Once a leader of Tuesday nights, Gözleri Karadeniz has dropped dramatically and currently ranks last in its slot. After cancellations of Aşk ve Gözyaşı and Aynadaki Yabancı, this series is now expected to be ATV’s next likely cancellation.
Eşref Rüya Leads Wednesday with a Comfortable Margin
On Wednesday nights, Eşref Rüya dominates by a wide margin, leading Sahipsizler by 3 rating points and maintaining a 4-point lead over Kuruluş Orhan. Its second season is performing even stronger than its first, supported by a powerful production team and well-structured storyline.
Kuruluş Orhan Drops Despite Strong Opening
Kuruluş Orhan began strongly with 4.95 Total but has entered a downward trend by its fourth episode. For a costly historical production, these numbers are dangerously low. Unlike TRT1-backed historical dramas, a private-channel project must deliver strong ratings to survive — making its current trajectory alarming.
Sakıncalı Moves to Wednesday and Opens with Moderate Ratings
Originally planned for Monday, Sakıncalı was moved to Wednesday to avoid direct competition with Uzakşehir. Its debut scored 3.06 Total, performing slightly better in the AB category. If viewer interest grows, the series may stabilize in the coming weeks.
Half Köklerin Çağrısı Holds Strong at 7%
On Thursday, Half Köklerin Çağrısı continues its stable performance around 7%, making it Now TV’s most-watched series. Its competitor VeliSa recovered slightly after dipping below 4% last week, but series in the 4–5% range remain consistently at risk.
A New Friday Phenomenon: Taşıyacak Bu Deniz
Friday witnessed one of the season’s biggest surprises.
Taşıyacak Bu Deniz skyrocketed to 14.77% Total and 13.68% AB, becoming a major rival to Uzakşehir. These two hits have disproven predictions that digital platforms would diminish traditional TV ratings.
Meanwhile, Kızılcık Şerbeti struggles to maintain around 6%, while Arka Sokaklar still performs well with 5.34%, ensuring its continued broadcast.
Saturday Shake-Up: Güller ve Günahlar Breaks Through
On Saturday, Güller ve Günahlar exceeded 8% Total, marking one of the most successful new dramas of the season.
Despite this, Gönüldağı still shows strength, rising to 6.56% this week.
Ben Leman, however, recorded the weakest performance of the day and is expected to be cancelled soon.
Bereketli Topraklar Ends at Episode 5
On Sunday night, Bereketli Topraklar delivered highly disappointing ratings. The series will end with its 5th episode, following multiple behind-the-scenes changes that failed to save the show.
Meanwhile, Teşkilat continues to dominate Sunday as the day’s top series, with an impressive 7.34 Total.
Sahtekarlar and Çarpıntı in Critical Zone
Sahtekarlar recovered slightly this week after falling below 4%, but uncertainty remains.
Çarpıntı dropped to 2.80%, making it one of the most likely shows to announce an early finale soon.
General Outlook: A Season of Heavy Risk
When observing the broader picture:
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Bereketli Topraklar → final confirmed
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Kral Kaybederse → final confirmed
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Ben Leman, Çarpıntı → likely cancellations
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Gözleri Karadeniz, Bahar, Kıskanmak → all in the danger zone
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Sahtekarlar, Kuruluş Orhan, VeliSa → unstable and at risk
As ratings continue to fluctuate, the list of series facing cancellation may expand further in the coming weeks.
