2024’s first month on Netflix has been witness to some well-accepted films and series. We have had Detective Forst, The Brothers Sun, Society of the Snow, Fool Me Once, etc.
Now, a new Turkish show has premiered on the platform. Called Kübra, it is psychological, intimate, and suspenseful.
Eight episodes make up for a duration of almost six hours in the series based on the novel by Afsin Kum.
Is it any good? Here is my review.
Kübra Synopsis
Gokhan, a former soldier and a believer, starts receiving messages from someone named Kübra on a private messaging application.

When the texts turn into future tragedies, Gokhan believes that God is talking to him to prevent disasters and help the needy.
Is that the truth though?
Kübra is directed by Yagmur Taylan and Durul Taylan. It stars Cagatay Ulusoy (Gokhan), Aslihan Malbora (Merve), Ahsen Eroglu (Gulcan), Nazan Kesal (Dilek), Cihan Talay, Aytek Sayan, Meric Rakalar, and Ahmet Mumtaz Taylan, among others.
What Works for Kübra?
A man receives messages in advance for future tragedies or accidents and subsequently becomes the messenger of Allah or God.
He gathers a following with people staying by his side as and when needed.
They make him the modern messiah who can talk directly to God and find solutions for their future problems.
The concept is alluring enough to generate curiosity and Kübra doesn’t instantly throw too many excitingly superficial features to grab the viewers.

Instead, it keeps things realistic since the genesis is already far too supernatural in the first place. The show’s storyline is somewhat like a double-edged sword.
Some might like it while others will probably bash it for many reasons.
The tale is structured annoyingly, but the attempt to keep the depth alive via realistic means is what makes me put this point under the positive section.
Moreover, Kübra serves as the true reflection of human beings. Their insecurity, fear, and desperation to have a leader are well presented in the show.
How easy it is to fool people in the name of God plus the extent of technology are other things that Kübra communicates quite subtly.
How are the Performances?
Cagatay Ulusoy plays the main protagonist in the series. He has been pretty active in the past two years with successive seasons of The Tailor.
With a prophet-like outline, his character in Kübra is destined for polarizing reactions. However, one cannot deny the effortless portrayal by the brilliant actor.

He remains low on unnecessary extensions, rather finding comfort in an authentically charged demeanor.
The repressed emotions on his face alleviate the dangers of imposed acting in such roles.
Aslihan Malbora as Merve does an honest job in Kübra. Her compact presence has the meat required to support and sustain the narrative.
Malbora’s expressions do the job most of the time even though you might not be as impressed by her character sketch in the show.
Ahsen Eroglu portrays Gulcan and peaks on many occasions. Her disturbed countenance allows for depth to seep into the plot.
She aces inner fragility while dominating the outward depiction of turmoil. Beginning with a not-so-goodly significant place in the show, Eroglu grows to become a prominent part of the storyline.
The experienced Ahmet Mumtaz Taylan who plays a gritty cop in the series presents himself in the most acceptable manner.
He hones an emerging aura that outwits the diminishing returns Kübra sometimes expels.
What Doesn’t Work for Kübra?
The Turkish show played it safe when it had the chance to become an evergreen story of change.
Promoting practical and scientific thinking would have made it more arousing in the first place.
Unfortunately, the makers not only tread on comfortable lines but also fail to incorporate a tightly packed storyline.
It is scattered all over the place and doesn’t evoke any sort of resonance after the first episode.
For an exciting concept like this, a viewer goes into binge-watching a series expecting several stimulating, powerful, and encapsulating moments, which, sadly, are absent from Kübra.
The series lacks the necessary spark required to be on top of its game. Better mysteries, suspense, and sentimental acuity would have been beneficial for Kübra.

Moreover, I also felt the show would become stagnant in several places, trying desperately to move ahead, but failing to do so convincingly.
Another negative for Kübra is its bland screenplay. Sometimes, the concept and storyline are not enough.
You also have to present them in the best possible manner.
What happens here is the series deploys these two elements but doesn’t supply the necessary screen features in the form of characters, conflicts, background music, and tension.
Furthermore, the ending of Kübra is unsatisfying. It simply feels like the result of the stationary and uninteresting plot.
The fact that it leaves many unanswered questions also gives an idea about its intentions.
Stream or Skip?
I would recommend you consider skipping it for the reasons mentioned above.
Leave a Reply