Television series
Ezel
Ezel is a Turkish crime thriller about a man betrayed by his inner circle who reinvents himself to orchestrate an elaborate revenge. It's methodical, emotionally charged, and built on the addictive pleasure of watching a brilliant plan unfold across 90-minute episodes. For anyone who loved the patient cruelty of *Breaking Bad* or the dark intrigue of *Game of Thrones*, this hits the same nerve.
If you liked this
Breaking Bad2008
Both follow a wronged man building an empire of revenge through cunning and discipline. The slow transformation from victim to architect of someone else's downfall is mesmerizing, and the moral weight of each decision compounds brilliantly.
But American networks gave it five seasons to breathe; Ezel's pacing is denser and less forgiving if you need quieter character moments between schemes.
Bodyguard2018
A taut, paranoid thriller where you're never quite sure who deserves your trust. Like Ezel, it understands that the best revenge stories are built on misdirection and the vulnerability of those closest to power.
But It's only six episodes, so it moves at a sprint. If you prefer building dread over time, the compressed intensity might feel relentless.
Peaky Blinders2013
Family, betrayal, and a man clawing his way up through intelligence rather than brute force. The atmosphere is intoxicating, the violence feels earned, and the question of whether revenge ever actually satisfies haunts every episode.
But The British accent work and period detail demand your full attention. It's not a show you can half-watch or skip around in.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Ezel
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
A Prophet2009
Both follow a man's transformation from victim to architect of his own world, building power through understanding human nature rather than physical dominance. Both are about the moment innocence becomes ruthlessness.
A French-language film about a young man entering prison with nothing and building an empire through manipulation and alliance. It has Ezel's DNA exactly—watching someone reinvent themselves, earn respect through cunning, and become something unrecognizable.
But It's 2.5 hours in prison for much of it, sometimes slow, and the violence is sudden rather than choreographed. Subtitles and confinement will test your patience.
More like this (7)
Dexter2006
A man with a secret identity methodically pursuing targets while maintaining a false life. The psychological cat-and-mouse is hypnotic, and the early seasons nail that tension between exposition and escalation that makes Ezel so gripping.
But It goes on too long and loses the plot in later seasons. Start with the first four and consider stopping there, which is frustrating in itself.
The Count of Monte Cristo2002
The ur-text of revenge fiction, and this adaptation captures the joy of an elaborate plan coming together. It has Ezel's DNA—betrayal, imprisonment, escape, and the long game of making your enemies destroy themselves.
But It's rooted in 19th-century romanticism. If you want modern cynicism and urban grit, this will feel too swashbuckling.
MINDHUNTER2017
Both are about men who see several moves ahead, who win through intelligence and psychological understanding. The obsession with understanding your enemy is just as consuming here as watching Ezel rebuild his life in the shadows.
But It's a slow procedural about profiling, not action. There's no revenge plot, just the methodical study of how brilliant people think.
Arrow2012
Billionaire returns from supposed death with a mission and a list. The structure is pure pulp—masks, secrets, an inner circle slowly learning the truth—and it understands the cathartic satisfaction of watching someone execute a perfect plan.
But It embraces comic-book logic and some pretty dire dialogue. The tone is far lighter than Ezel's moral weight, which can feel silly by comparison.
Prisoners2013
A man pushed beyond society's rules who begins taking justice into his own hands. It's a masterclass in how far you'll follow someone into darkness, and it asks the question Ezel never quite stops circling: what does revenge actually cost?
But It's brutal and suffocating in a way that some find punishing rather than thrilling. There's no catharsis—only damage.
Dark2017
A German series with Ezel's density of plotting and its willingness to let you feel lost and betrayed alongside the characters. The mysteries compound, the timeline fractals, and every episode recontextualizes what you thought you knew.
But It's deliberately opaque and demands note-taking. If you want answers handed to you clearly, you'll find this maddening by the third season.
The Night Circus
Both explore the dark side of perfectionism and preparation—what happens when you train someone to achieve one goal with absolute discipline, and they succeed.
A visually intoxicating film about two people trained since childhood for one purpose, circling each other in a game where the rules are hidden and the stakes are absolute. Like Ezel, it's about watching a plan unfold with perfect patience and discipline, and questioning whether the goal was ever worth the cost.
But It's theatrical and dreamlike rather than gritty. If you want urban crime and betrayal, you'll find this too ornate and metaphorical by half.
