The Protector

About the series

Hakan: Muhafız (The Protector) is the first Turkish Netflix original series, a fantasy action drama starring Çağatay Ulusoy as Hakan Demir. Created by Binnur Karaevli and adapted from Nilüfer İpek Gökdel’s novel Karakalem ve Bir Delikanlının Tuhaf Hikayesi, it ran for four seasons and 32 episodes from 14 December 2018 to 9 July 2020.

Plot

After his adoptive father Neşet is killed, Hakan, a young shopkeeper in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, discovers that he is connected to a secret, ancient order tasked with protecting the city from the Immortals, a group that has secretly ruled for centuries. As the last Protector, he must accept his destiny, master the powers of a magical shirt and talisman, and save Istanbul from destruction.

Main cast

• Çağatay Ulusoy as Hakan Demir
• Ayça Ayşin Turan as Leyla Sancak
• Hazar Ergüçlü as Zeynep Erdem
• Okan Yalabık as Faysal Erdem
• Engin Öztürk, Taner Ölmez and Funda Eryiğit in later seasons

Why it matters

The Protector put Turkish fantasy on the global map: it showed Istanbul’s historic landmarks to a worldwide audience and opened the door for many more Turkish Netflix originals.

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