Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Another Self, which takes viewers on an emotional journey of three lifelong friends who discover that healing their deepest wounds requires confronting generational trauma and embracing spiritual awakening.
Released on July 28, 2022, Another Self (originally titled “Zeytin Ağacı” meaning “Olive Tree” in Turkish) premiered on Netflix with its first season of 8 episodes, followed by a second season released on July 11, 2024. Each episode runs approximately 50 minutes, creating a deeply immersive viewing experience. Created by Nuran Evren Şit and produced by OGM Pictures, the series stars Tuba Büyüküstün, Seda Bakan, and Boncuk Yılmaz in emotionally powerful lead performances.
Another Self masterfully combines elements of spiritual drama, family secrets, friendship dynamics, and healing journey narratives to create a unique viewing experience. The series explores themes of generational trauma, alternative healing, friendship bonds, personal transformation, and the courage required to confront painful family histories. This Turkish drama stands apart by addressing spirituality and energy healing with genuine respect while maintaining compelling character-driven storytelling.
Three Friends, One Healing Journey to Ayvalik
The story begins when Sevgi faces a cancer relapse and decides to seek alternative healing in the coastal town of Ayvalik, bringing her two best friends Ada and Leyla along for support. Another Self transforms what starts as a medical journey into a profound spiritual awakening as the three women encounter a healer who helps them understand that their current struggles are connected to unresolved traumas from their families’ pasts.
As Another Self unfolds, the peaceful seaside setting becomes the backdrop for deep emotional excavation as each woman must confront generational patterns that have shaped their lives. The series beautifully uses the metaphor of the olive tree to represent how family roots can both nourish and constrain, requiring careful tending to produce healthy growth.
Ada: The Successful Career Woman’s Hidden Pain
Tuba Büyüküstün delivers a nuanced performance as Ada, a psychiatrist whose professional success masks deep personal wounds related to her family history. Throughout Another Self, Ada struggles to balance her scientific worldview with the spiritual healing process, creating internal conflict between logic and intuition.
Her character journey explores how childhood trauma can manifest in adult relationships and career choices. As Ada’s story unfolds, we witness her transformation from someone who intellectualizes emotions to someone who learns to feel and heal authentically, making her one of the most compelling character arcs in the series.
Sevgi and Leyla: Friendship Bonds Tested by Truth
Seda Bakan portrays Sevgi with raw vulnerability as the friend facing mortality who becomes the catalyst for everyone’s healing journey. Her battle with cancer serves as both literal and metaphorical representation of how unhealed trauma can manifest physically. Boncuk Yılmaz brings complexity to Leyla, whose seemingly stable life unravels as family secrets emerge.
The dynamic between all three friends creates the emotional core of Another Self. Their relationships are tested as healing requires complete honesty, forcing them to confront how they’ve been enabling each other’s avoidance of painful truths while also discovering the true strength of their bond.
The Awakening: When Past Lives Surface
The series reaches its most intense moments when the healing process reveals connections between the three friends that transcend their current lifetime. Another Self boldly incorporates past-life regression and energy healing concepts as the women discover they’ve been linked across multiple incarnations, each carrying forward unresolved issues.
These revelations create both healing opportunities and new complications as the friends must navigate relationships with family members who may have played different roles in previous lifetimes. The series handles these supernatural elements with respect and authenticity, making them feel organic rather than forced or sensational.
Success on Netflix
Another Self has resonated deeply with international audiences seeking authentic spiritual and healing content. The series has found success on Netflix by offering viewers something rare in mainstream television: genuine exploration of alternative healing modalities combined with compelling personal drama. With outstanding performances from Tuba Büyüküstün, Seda Bakan, and Boncuk Yılmaz, beautiful cinematography of the Turkish coastal setting, and sensitive handling of complex spiritual themes, Another Self has established itself as a meaningful addition to Netflix’s international drama catalog, earning renewal for a second season that continues exploring these characters’ healing journeys.
A Healing Journey Worth Taking
If you love spiritual dramas with deep friendship bonds and authentic healing themes, Another Self is the perfect series to binge on Netflix.
Why This Heartfelt Drama Deserves Your Attention
Positive Points:
- Exceptional performances by the three lead actresses who bring authentic emotion to complex healing journeys
- Respectful and genuine portrayal of alternative healing modalities without skepticism or mockery
- Beautiful cinematography of Turkish coastal landscapes that enhances the spiritual atmosphere
- Deep exploration of generational trauma and how family patterns repeat across generations
- Strong female friendships that feel authentic and supportive rather than competitive or toxic
Negative Points:
- Spiritual and past-life concepts may be challenging for viewers who prefer strictly realistic dramas
- Slow pacing focused on emotional processing may test patience of action-oriented viewers
- Some healing scenes may feel repetitive for viewers unfamiliar with energy work practices
- Cultural and spiritual references might require openness from international audiences
- Heavy emotional themes throughout may be overwhelming for casual viewing
Another Self offers a rare television experience that treats spiritual healing and female friendship with genuine depth and respect, making it essential viewing for anyone seeking meaningful drama about personal transformation.
Series Details
- Number of Episodes: Season 1: 8 episodes, Season 2: 8 episodes
- Platform: Netflix
- Release Year: 2022-2024
- Current IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Spiritual, Healing Journey
- Production Type: Turkish Drama (Dizi)
- Status: Completed (2 seasons)
- Main Protagonists: Tuba Büyüküstün (Ada), Seda Bakan (Sevgi), Boncuk Yılmaz (Leyla)
- Antagonist: Generational trauma and unhealed family patterns that affect all three women’s lives