BBC viewers have been loving the new crime drama, The Turkish Detective, which has been a word-of-mouth hit since making its debut earlier this month.
The series, which is based on Barbara Nadel's Inspector Ikmen's novels, stars Haluk Bilginer as Inspector Çetin Ikmen, who investigates crimes across Istanbul with the help of his crack team of detectives.
Viewers couldn't help but notice the abundance of cats featured in the series, which highlights the sheer amount of stray cats who freely roam the streets of Istanbul.
Stray cats have become an important part of the city's culture and are cared for collectively by the community. There's even a documentary dedicated to them by director Ceyda Torun in her 2017 film, Kedi (Turkish for 'cat').
© Paramount/BBCTaking to social media, one person penned: "I've been enjoying spotting all the cats in The Turkish Detective, there's usually one in every scene, like a feline Where's Wally," while another added: "I probably shouldn't be enjoying the cats in The Turkish Detective as much as I am."
A third viewer remarked: "In The Turkish Detective, even the police station is full of cats," while another commented: "The street cats are part of Turkey culture so much so they featured the Turkish Detective drama series."
Since the first episode premiered in July, fans have been praising the gripping show and have pleaded for its return.
One person penned: "Enjoyed #TheTurkishDetective. Entertaining telly with heart. More please @BBCOne!"
© BBC/ParamountA second fan commented: "Dear @paramountpicsph and @Miramax please make a second series of #TheTurkishDetective it was utterly brilliant, @BarbaraNadel book came to life and the entire cast especially @halukbilginer_ were fabulous, it was funny, poignant and made us cry at the end."
The drama, which is penned by Ben Schiffer, was acquired by the BBC from Paramount Global Content Distribution. The BBC has yet to comment on the show's future.
For those who have yet to catch up with the series, it's set in Istanbul and follows three detectives as they take on investigations entrenched in the city's rich culture.
© Paramount/BBCThe full synopsis reads: "Set in the multi-faceted city of Istanbul, The Turkish Detective follows the adventures of Inspector Çetin Ikmen (Bilginer), his partner Detective Mehmet Süleyman (Ethan Kai) and Detective Ayşe Farsakoğlu (Yasemin Kay Allen) going through ups and downs as they solve crimes, with each crime story being heavily rooted in the varied culture and history of Istanbul and set against the frenzied world of modern-day Turkey."
The Turkish Detective is available on BBC iPlayer.
