Series begins with the Sinan Ateş murder: The 'police chief' detail in the new season of Behzat Ç.

The new season of the series "Çekiç ve Gül: Bir Behzat Ç. Hikayesi" (Hammer and Rose: A Behzat Ç. Story) has met its audience after a long wait. Behzat Ç., played by Erdal Beşikçioğlu, covers the assassination of Sinan Ateş, one of the most discussed murders of the recent past, this season. T24 columnist Tolga Şardan analyzed the series in his column.

Şardan stated, "I watched the first episode of the series on the recommendation of a friend. The production team used excerpts from the 'Büyüteç' (Magnifying Glass) columns I wrote following the Ateş murder," adding, "However, as someone who followed the process closely, it caught my attention that the police chief was portrayed as having no role in the events throughout the 52-minute episode."

The author noted that the "police chief" character in the script evokes the former Ankara Police Chief Servet Yılmaz, who was in office at the time of the assassination. Şardan asked, "There must be a reason why Servet Yılmaz, who was close to former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and held an important position in relations with the MHP, is portrayed this way in the series. Or should the logistical support he provided to the production team during his tenure be considered an 'example of loyalty'?"

Emphasizing that the Behzat Ç. team has taken on a very risky file, Şardan added, "I hope we don't encounter a script that ends with Behzat Ç. being dismissed from the profession. Perhaps we will watch the police chief, who is shown as a 'close friend of Ateş,' being rewarded with an overseas assignment with a 'lucrative salary,' just like in real life, who knows!"

The following lines were also included in Şardan's column today:

"The phenomenal series Behzat Ç. began its new season with a very ambitious topic. The producer, director, and screenwriters courageously placed the murder of former Ülkü Ocakları President Sinan Ateş on December 30, 2022, at the center of the series. The first episode, which has just been released, received positive reactions from the audience. In the series, Chief Superintendent Behzat Ç. and his team were tasked with solving the murder.

The production team's decision to open the political murder to discussion within the context of the Police, Judiciary, AKP, MHP, and the Nationalist (Ülkücü) community was appreciated. It was also noted that Erdal Beşikçioğlu met with the Ateş family to support them.

It was observed that criticisms of the system were intense in the first episode. Şardan found it positive that the series included real details, such as MHP MP Olcay Kılavuz telling the police 'you go, let your boss come' while Tolgahan Demirbaş was in custody, and the fact that the detention report was missing from the file.

However, criticizing the 'whitewashing' of the police chief in office during the murder, Şardan said, 'It is remarkable that the chief is portrayed as having no influence on the process in the 52-minute episode. As someone who followed the process closely, this did not escape my notice.'

Emphasizing that the 'police chief' in the script evokes the real-life former Ankara Police Chief Servet Yılmaz, the author asked, 'Büyüteç readers will remember Yılmaz's approaches during the murder process well. There must be a meaning to Yılmaz, who was Soylu's right-hand man and had high-level relations with the MHP, being depicted this way in the series. Or should the logistical support he provided to the production team during his tenure be seen as an example of loyalty?'

Scenes in the series featuring the lines, 'Whatever the cost, this incident will be solved. I gave instructions to the Organized Crime Chief. You know me, I am a man of tradition. No one can shoot the nationalists of this country in the middle of the street. I will not allow this. If there is such a thing, I will crush their heads,' were met with a smile by Şardan.

In real life, it was criticized that the series did not address the questioning of the meetings the Ankara Police Chief held with MHP politicians after the murder.

Şardan said he is curious whether details such as MHP's Olcay Kılavuz visiting Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu four days before the murder, or the discussion of Devlet Bahçeli's note regarding Ateş being a 'FETÖ member,' will be addressed in future episodes.

Stating that the Behzat Ç. team has touched upon a very risky issue, the author expressed that he remains hopeful: 'I hope we don't see a scene in the series where Behzat Ç. is dismissed from the profession. Perhaps we will encounter new whitewashing showing the police chief being rewarded as he was in real life.'