Poyraz Karayel

Poyraz Karayel follows a disgraced former police officer who has lost custody of his son and is trying to rebuild his life. To get closer to his child and to clear his name he accepts an undercover assignment inside Istanbul's most dangerous mafia network. The series tracks his shifting loyalties as he forms an unexpected bond with Aysegul, a woman whose own life is tangled with crime and secrets. Tension comes from balancing his undercover role with his personal code, while the city's criminal underworld introduces betrayals, alliances, and moral compromises. The plot moves through investigations, tense confrontations, and personal reckonings without revealing major twists or how the story concludes.

Released in 2015, Poyraz Karayel was created by Ethem Özışık and directed by Osman Taşçı. The show stars İlker Kaleli as Poyraz, with Burçin Terzioğlu as Aysegul and a strong supporting cast including Ece Özdikici, Cem Cücenoğlu, and Celil Nalçakan.

The series has a solid audience score, registering about 7.9/10 from available votes, and many viewers praised the lead performances and the show's gritty tone. Critics often noted the blend of crime drama and personal melodrama, and responses highlighted the chemistry between the leads and the pacing across episodes.

Poyraz Karayel centers on themes of loyalty, identity, and the cost of secrecy, and it keeps moral ambiguity at the forefront. It balances action sequences with quieter family moments, asking whether one can protect loved ones while living a double life.

While there are no widely cited international awards listed here, the show developed a dedicated fan base and generated conversation in Turkish media about police corruption, family ties, and the ethics of undercover work.