Television series
Diriliş Ertuğrul
A sprawling Turkish historical epic about Ertugrul Ghazi, a 13th-century warrior navigating tribal politics, religious faith, and military conquest across Anatolia. Operatic in scope, grounded in character, and steeped in Ottoman legend. It's *Game of Thrones* energy filtered through Islamic history—for viewers hungry for prestige adventure that takes its own mythology seriously.
If you liked this
The Last Kingdom2015
Saxon warrior Uhtred fights to reclaim his identity across a fractured medieval England. Same DNA: historical sweep, intimate family drama, a hero caught between worlds, and combat that means something.
But Slower than it looks in season one. Some American viewers find the accents thick and the early episodes weightier than payoff.

The Conquest of Siberia2019
A lean, ferocious film about the Conquest of Granada and its final sultan. Gorgeous cinematography, moral weight, the collision of empires. Feels like *Diriliş Ertuğrul* at full gallop.
But Spanish-language production with a darker, less romantic view of conflict. If you want rousing heroism, this is more ambiguous and brutal.

Vikings2013
Ragnar Lothbrok builds a dynasty across seasons of intricate plotting, family tragedy, and faith tested. Shares the obsession with legacy, the blend of myth and history, the weight of succession.
But It peaks early and loses focus after season four. Some find it indulgent once it abandons historical grounding entirely.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Diriliş Ertuğrul
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Ascent1977
Both ask what honor means when you're alone in the wilderness. Both understand that real victory is internal, that faith is the skeleton holding everything up.
Tarkovsky's philosophical masterpiece: two Soviet partisans in occupied Poland must choose between survival and principle. Not action, but moral weight—the weight of *why* a man fights. Shot in monochrome, glacial, hypnotic. Changes how you see heroism.
But Glacially slow. Wordless for long stretches. If you want excitement, this is the opposite—but it's unforgettable and haunts you.

More like this (7)
Barbarians Rising2016
Germanic tribes unite against Rome in the forest darkness. Gritty, clan-focused, full of the internal politics and betrayal that make *Diriliş Ertuğrul* tick. Strong ensemble cast.
But Darker and more nihilistic. No spiritual dimension or romantic heroism—it's all survival and suspicion. Only two seasons.

The Red Tent2014
Turkish historical series about Osman I (Ertugrul's son) and the founding of the Ottoman Empire. Direct sequel material; if you loved Ertugrul, this is where his vision leads.
But Assumes you know the whole Ertugrul saga. Starts slow while establishing new characters and dynamics.

Frontier2016
Jason Momoa in 18th-century fur-trade Canada—family obligation, enemies on all sides, alliance-building with Indigenous nations. Rough, tactical, male-centered like *Diriliş Ertuğrul* but set in a different world.
But Uneven writing and it wastes its premise somewhat. Can feel like expensive TV rather than prestige drama.

The Tudors2007
Henry VIII's rise and reign as intimate political thriller. Court intrigue, theological stakes, a man at war with destiny and his own nature. Less battlefield sweep, more psychological depth.
But Melodramatic and sometimes silly. Henry's narcissism is the point, which some find exhausting over multiple seasons.

Knightfall2017
A Templar knight rebuilds his order in crusade-era Jerusalem. Religious devotion meets military strategy; good production values and committed performances throughout.
But Canceled after two seasons on a cliffhanger. Finale frustration. Occasionally dips into soap opera territory.

A Prophet2009
Both trace the rise of a man from nothing through coalition-building, coded speech, and the mastery of fear. Both are about founding a dynasty in a place where none should exist.
French-Algerian inmate becomes a power broker inside a prison empire. Not a Western, not a historical epic—but it's the *architecture* of Ertugrul's world (clan loyalty, rising through cunning and force, earning respect in impossible space) compressed into two hours and set in concrete.
But Bleak, violent, no redemption. If you're attached to Ertugrul's spiritual dimension or heroic idealism, this will feel cynical and claustrophobic.

Samurai Champloo2004
Both are love letters to a lost era told through constant motion. Both follow men building something larger than themselves across disparate communities. Both value loyalty and skill over bloodline. Both make you miss a world that never existed.
Anachronistic anime: three outsiders move through Edo-era Japan on a quest, never quite at rest. Each episode is its own world—jazz soundtrack, diverse styles, genre-hopping. Gorgeous animation. If *Diriliş Ertuğrul* is history painted in oils, this is the same energy scrambled and recolored.
But Only 26 episodes and doesn't resolve the main narrative. If you need closure, you won't get it. Some find anime too stylized for serious storytelling.

People
Cast
Writing
- Mehmet BozdagCreator