The Gift is a Turkish series which talks about the origin of humankind and presents interesting ideas with a twist of historical events. It’s no wonder that it has became such a massive hit, not only in its native Turkey but also worldwide. This series is a successful screen adaptation of Turkish novel called Dünyanın Uyanışı (The World’s Awakening) by Şengül Boybaş.
The story kicks-off in present day Istanbul where Atiye is getting ready for her upcoming nuptials with her long term boyfriend Ozan. This engagement comes on the close heels of her successful exhibition of paintings which was instantly sold out. These portraits prominently feature an ancient symbol which Atiye has been drawing since her childhood. Even she can’t explain the significance or the recurring theme of this mysterious symbol encompassing her picture portfolio.
Around the same time, she comes across a mysterious old woman claiming to be her maternal grandmother. Because Atiye is supposed to be the only one who is seeing this old lady, her family and mostly her fiancé gets worried. This suspicious appearance, her sudden fainting spells and strange behaviour leads to a psychologist who tries to calm down Atiye’s troubled mind.
As if this is not enough, the sensational discovery at Göbekli Tepe attracts Atiye’s attention as she immediately recognises the ancient symbol discovered in the latest digging project. It is the same one which she has been dreaming and drawing for all of her life. So how and why this is connected to her? To find out answers to all these questions, Atiye travels to the ancient dig site.
On the way there, she accidentally meets a girl with the star mark who directs her to the newly found cave. But the archeologist in charge of it- Erhan simply refuses her request to venture out on her own for seeking answers to all her questions.
All these incidents happen in a rapid succession and immediately grab attention of the viewers. Thus begins the first season of The Gift which has became an instant hit. There is no surprise in it that the detailed storyline having all elements of intrigue, mysterious characters, suspenseful plot line and strong female protagonists has led to this well deserved international fame. Added to all this are the magnificent ancient and prehistoric places in Turkey which add their own allure to this drama.
The first season ends on a cliffhanger and then the second season tries hard to go all out in solving the riddles. But instead of answering all the questions, it unnecessarily complicates the plot. We might get some answers in season two but some loose ends are kept in anticipation of season three.
Season three definitely tries to tie these loose ends. There are additional characters in season three with more complex storytelling and riddles within riddles. Viewers might loose attention or get bogged down with so much mystery and drama playing out on the screen. However, it is saved mainly due to the efforts put in by the leading actors like Beren Saat and Mehmet Günsür. These two protagonists are wonderfully supported by Melisa Şenolsun, Metin Akdülger and Tim Seyfi.
This series is a must watch for all the lovers of historical fictions, well played out suspense dramas, tragic love stories, family melodramas and stories featuring gutsy women characters. Yes, it is a complete package and makes a delightful viewing experience.