Something is stirring in the Turkish television sector. Over the last two years, a new crop of well-produced, innovative TV series has been appearing on laptops, tablets and telephones across Turkey. Digital streaming services are now transforming the future of Turkish TV.

At the beginning of 2017, residents of Turkey’s major cities began noticing advertisements for something called "Masum" ("Innocent"), with the faces of famed actors Haluk Bilginer, Nur Surer and Ali Atay staring out at passersby from posters on bus stops and street intersections. “Masum," it turned out, was a new series being streamed on a service called BluTV.

The first episode of "Masum" was available online for free. However, to watch the other episodes of this innovative series, directed by Turkish cineaste Seren Yuce, one had to sign up for a digital membership at a cost of 9.90 Turkish liras ($1.85) per month. Drawn in by the gripping plot — a family saga where nothing is as it seems — and compelling public ads, “Masum” enticed thousands of Turks to become BluTV subscribers.

At the end of 2018, Turkish TV reached another milestone. On Dec. 14, Netflix launched the first production by a full Turkish cast and crew: “Hakan: Muhafiz,” known internationally as "The Protector." After the success of other Netflix productions — “Ingobernable” (Mexico), “Dark” (Germany) and “Sacred Games” (India) — Netflix had decided to try its hand at the Turkish market.