Thank You Next Review: Serenay Sarıkaya is an Engaging Watch in This Relationship Drama

– No Spoilers –

Lawyer Layla Taylan gets pulled into different directions by her ex-fiance Omer and handsome chef Feyyaz. Things, however, get more complicated when the “divorce case of the year” lands on her lap and she has to represent third wife Tuba Tepelioglu from her rich and handsome husband, “serial relationship killer” Cem Murathan.

With 8 episodes to go over Layla’s life and her rather horrid decisions, Thank You Next is a surprisingly sombre watch that handles the ups and downs of relationships and, even without knowing, how the people closest to us can harbour so many secrets that can eventually destroy said relationship. There’s a very serious undertone in the series that makes you take note and even when people are drinking their night away, you know that there’s something up with all of these people that’s won’t just go away with a tequila shot.

Our protagonist, Layla, is a mess. Her fiance Omer and her have broken up after he cheated on her but the two of them are still in a push-and-pull relationship. Helping her cope are her friends, who are understanding and supportive of all of her decisions, and an enigmatic chef who, although a little flighty, is rather sweet. Unfortunately, Cem Murathan’s entry complicated things and there’s a magnetic pull between the two that neither can ignore.

However, this series doesn’t just feel like a rom-com. Throughout its runtime, there’s an edge that makes it distinctly different than other shows of the genre. It’s serious and heavy on the heart and the issues feel real. Of course, Layla makes some of the worst decisions and the alcohol doesn’t help, but even with these problems, there’s a reliability to it that makes you keep watching.

First and foremost, we jump back and forth between timelines to give us a look at what is about to happen to Layla and then join the dots. It’s not a new way of showcasing information and building tension for a series and in Netflix’s newest release, it does what it is supposed to. You are left confused at the start and end of every episode and thus wait with bated breath to understand how we get to that point in Layla’s life. The different people in her life have something or the other that they have lied about and although some are expected, it still makes an impact in the grand scheme of things.

Personally, the driving force behind the series is the chemistry between Serenay Sarıkaya and Hakan Kurtaş. Sarıkaya in general is excellent and portrays her multi-faceted character excellently. She’s not just one type of person and it is honestly difficult to put her in a box. Layla’s character makes sense in the situations that she is in and her reactions feel genuine. Kudos to Sarıkaya for an excellent job; I could feel all the feelings that Layla was feeling thanks to the actor’s performance.

Thus, the chemistry between this mysterious handsome man and our heroine seems like a given. I am glad that they didn’t delve too deep into Cem’s character too much in the first season. It really gives his character some edge over the other men on the show and makes us want to figure him out. Kurtaş and Sarıkaya are both fantastic, along with Metin Akdülger, who plays Omer.

Coming to the storyline – as mentioned previously, this doesn’t feel like a rom-com for the most part. In fact, I found it to be quite a serious watch. In spite of the light tone in most of the episodes, Layla’s turmoil is anything but funny and the series makes it a point to bring forth in nuanced ways. Thus, although we end on a cliffhanger, I, for once, look forward to seeing her story further because the series does a great job of dissecting her life and feelings.

That being said, I felt like Thank You Next is somewhat of a slow watch, so patience is necessary. There are long moments when we delve into things that might be annoying to some, but there is substance there that ties into the story at hand. Furthermore, the moments of introspection are truly commendable and are surprisingly emotional sometimes. Although I would have liked to see some sequences snipped, I don’t think it makes a huge dent in the watching experience overall.

Thank You Next Review: Final Thoughts

This romantic-comedy series has some moments of goofy fun but, for me, this is a somewhat serious series about a woman’s journey through the different phases of dating and relationships of all kinds. The way Layla handles the curve balls that life throws her way makes for an entertaining and engrossing watch and I couldn’t keep my eyes off Serenay Sarıkaya for a second. Plus every moment that features her and Hakan Kurtaş is brimming with tension and anticipation and it is almost impossible not to feel the crackling chemistry.

Albeit a little slow and laggy at times, the series is paced well enough and has enough substance to keep viewers engaged.

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