Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Babil, which gripped audiences worldwide with its dark exploration of how far a desperate father will go to save his child, blurring the lines between right and wrong.
Babil (known internationally as “The Choice” or “Babylon”) premiered on January 17, 2020, and ran for a single intense season ending on November 20, 2020. The series consists of 20 episodes with an average runtime of 120 minutes each, produced by Ay Yapım for Star TV. The series stars powerhouse actors Halit Ergenç and Aslı Enver, alongside Nur Fettahoğlu and Birce Akalay. The series became available on various streaming platforms including Netflix, bringing this psychological thriller to international audiences.
This gripping dizi explores the dark territories of moral ambiguity, corruption, and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. Set in modern Istanbul, Babil presents a sophisticated psychological thriller that doesn’t shy away from examining how good people can be forced into impossible situations that challenge their fundamental beliefs and values.
What makes this series particularly compelling is its exploration of the domino effect of desperate choices, showing how one seemingly justified decision can lead to a spiral of increasingly darker actions that threaten to consume everyone involved.
When Desperation Meets Moral Compromise: The Central Plot
Babil follows İrfan Tuna Saygun, an idealistic economics professor at a state university whose life is completely shattered when he is wrongfully dismissed from his position. The situation becomes even more desperate when his 7-year-old son Deniz falls seriously ill, requiring expensive treatment that İrfan cannot afford. As all legitimate avenues for help close one by one, İrfan finds himself drawn into a dark world he never imagined entering.
The series begins with İrfan seeking help from his childhood friend Egemen, but soon discovers shocking truths that force him to question everything he believed about the people closest to him. Babil masterfully explores how financial desperation can push even the most principled person toward morally questionable decisions, creating a psychological study of a man’s gradual descent into a world of corruption and violence.
The story doesn’t present İrfan’s choices as simply right or wrong but examines the complex circumstances that drive ordinary people to extraordinary and dangerous measures when their loved ones are at stake.
İrfan’s Transformation: From Idealist to Survivor
Halit Ergenç delivers a tour de force performance as İrfan, showcasing his versatility in a role completely different from his famous portrayal of Sultan Suleiman. His character evolution throughout Babil is masterfully crafted, showing the gradual erosion of a man’s moral principles as he becomes increasingly desperate to save his son’s life.
İrfan’s journey represents the modern tragedy of educated, principled individuals who find themselves betrayed by the very systems they believed would protect them. Babil uses his character to explore themes of economic inequality, corruption in academia, and the vulnerability of middle-class families in crisis. His relationship with his son Deniz serves as the emotional anchor that justifies increasingly questionable actions.
The performance captures both İrfan’s intellectual nature and his growing ruthlessness, creating a character that viewers simultaneously fear and empathize with as he navigates increasingly dangerous territory to protect his family.
Ayşe’s Mystery: The Enigmatic Ally
Aslı Enver brings complexity and intrigue to the role of Ayşe Karaali, a character whose true identity and motivations remain shrouded in mystery for much of the series. Her character serves as both potential salvation and possible danger for İrfan, representing the blurred lines between ally and enemy in Babil‘s morally ambiguous world.
Ayşe’s relationship with İrfan develops as they become entangled in increasingly complex schemes involving powerful and dangerous people. Babil uses her character to explore themes of identity, deception, and the possibility of redemption even in the darkest circumstances. Her own hidden agenda adds layers of psychological complexity to the narrative.
The chemistry between Ayşe and İrfan creates tension that goes beyond romance, representing the dangerous allure of finding understanding with someone who operates in the same morally gray territory.
The Web Tightens: Confronting Dangerous Truths
The pivotal moments in Babil occur when İrfan discovers that his childhood friend Egemen is actually the biological father of his son Deniz, and that his former love İlay is now involved with dangerous criminal elements. These revelations serve as the catalyst that pushes İrfan deeper into a world of corruption and violence, as personal betrayals compound his already desperate situation.
The series doesn’t shy away from showing how personal relationships become weapons when survival is at stake. Babil masterfully builds tension as İrfan realizes that the people he trusted most have been living double lives, forcing him to question every relationship and every assumption about his past.
These shocking discoveries create some of the series’ most intense psychological moments, as viewers witness how betrayal and desperation can transform even the most gentle person into someone capable of dangerous actions.
A World of Hidden Agendas
Babil‘s strength lies in its complex ensemble cast where every character harbors secrets and operates with hidden motivations. Egemen’s character adds psychological complexity as İrfan’s childhood friend who becomes both an unexpected ally and a source of devastating betrayal. The revelation of his relationship to Deniz adds emotional weight to every interaction.
İlay’s character, played by Birce Akalay, represents the collision between İrfan’s idealistic past and his harsh present reality. Her involvement with dangerous criminals forces İrfan to confront how much the people he once knew have changed. Babil also features various criminals, corrupt officials, and desperate individuals who create a realistic portrayal of Istanbul’s underworld.
These supporting characters create a web of interconnected relationships where trust becomes the most valuable and dangerous commodity, preventing the series from becoming too focused on individual redemption stories.
Success on Star TV and Psychological Complexity
Babil became a critical success for Star TV during its 2020 run, praised for its sophisticated writing, outstanding performances, and willingness to tackle difficult moral questions without providing easy answers. The series resonated with Turkish audiences who appreciated its realistic portrayal of economic struggles and systemic corruption affecting ordinary families.
The show’s psychological depth and moral complexity set it apart from typical crime dramas, earning recognition for its nuanced exploration of how good people can be pushed toward dark choices. Babil‘s success demonstrated Turkish television’s capacity for sophisticated psychological storytelling that rivals international productions.
The series’ exploration of universal themes like parental love, moral compromise, and survival has made it compelling to international audiences on streaming platforms, proving that quality psychological thrillers transcend cultural boundaries.
A Gripping Psychological Journey
If you love intense psychological thrillers with moral complexity and outstanding performances, Babil is the perfect series to binge on Netflix. This Turkish dizi offers everything viewers crave: sophisticated writing, psychological depth, moral ambiguity, and performances that will leave you questioning the nature of right and wrong.
Why This Series Demands Your Attention
Babil stands apart from typical crime dramas by offering a sophisticated exploration of how ordinary people can be pushed beyond their moral boundaries when faced with impossible choices. The series combines exceptional performances with intelligent writing that refuses to provide simple answers, making it essential viewing for anyone who appreciates complex psychological storytelling that challenges viewers to examine their own moral assumptions.
Series Details
Number of Episodes: 1 season, 20 episodes (2020)
Platform: Netflix, Star TV (original broadcaster)
Release/End Year: 2020
Current IMDb Rating: 7.1
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Drama
Production Type: Turkish Dizi
Status: Completed series
Main Protagonists: Halit Ergenç (İrfan), Aslı Enver (Ayşe)
Main Antagonist: Systemic corruption and moral compromise