Series synopsis
Red Roses, also known as Kızıl Goncalar is a Turkish drama television series that premiered on FOX on December 18, 2023. It ended on April 28, 2025. It was created by Necati Şahin. It stars Özgü Namal, Özcan Deniz, Erkan Avcı and Mert Turak.
“Kızıl Goncalar” tells the poignant story of Meryem, married off at 14 in an Islamic sect, and now battling bravely to prevent her daughter Zeynep from suffering the same fate as the bride of the sheikh’s grandson. Guided by her sister-in-law, a former sect member, they realize they must flee to save Zeynep from the sect’s powerful clutches. Fearfully hiding her plans from her cruel husband, Meryem must first earn money as a carer in the home of secular psychiatrist Levent, who agrees to help he ...
Premise
“Kızıl Goncalar” tells the poignant story of Meryem, married off at 14 in an Islamic sect, and now battling bravely to prevent her daughter Zeynep from suffering the same fate as the bride of the sheikh’s grandson. Guided by her sister-in-law, a former sect member, they realize they must flee to save Zeynep from the sect’s powerful clutches. Fearfully hiding her plans from her cruel husband, Meryem must first earn money as a carer in the home of secular psychiatrist Levent, who agrees to help her. Despite their clashing religious and progressive beliefs, Meryem and Levent are drawn together emotionally, but the turmoil in their lives deepens as the identity of his daughter is revealed.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Özgü Namal as Meryem Tezel
- Özcan Deniz as Levent Alkanlı
- Erkan Avcı as Sadi Hüdayi Güneş
- Mert Turak as Naim Tezel
- Mert Yazıcıoğlu as Cüneyd Güneş
- Hazal Türesan as Beste Özdemir Alkanlı
- Selen Öztürk as Hasna Güneş
- Şerif Erol as Suavi Alkanlı
Supporting cast
- Duygu Sarışın as Hande Alkanlı
- Sitare Akbaş as Birgül Tezel
- Tuğrul Tülek as Seçkin Özarslan
- Yakup Turğut as Arif
- Mina Demirtaş as Zeynep Tezel
- Esma Yılmaz as Mira Alkanlı
- Zehra Kelleci as Feyza Güneş
- Tuana Gizem Uzunlar as Deniz
- Mısra Tüfek as Esra
- Asiye Dinçsoy as Müyesser Yıldız
- Can Kızıltuğ as Can
- Selen Kurtaran as Kevser
Guest cast
- Hamdi Alkan
- Serap Bilgin
- Gürhan Elmalıoğlu as İdris
- Kadriye Çetinkaya
- Vural Ceylan
- Zeki Eker
- Meryem Mina Göktaş
- Elif Ataman
- Cemre Melis Çınar as Nadire
- Ömer Uluocak as İrfan Hürer
- Batuhan Gelener
- Aydan Akboğa
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 46 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 19 | December 18, 2023 | May 20, 2024 |
| Season 2 | 27 | September 30, 2024 | April 28, 2025 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Meryem, Naim and their daughter Zeynep, who live in the apartment of the sect called "Mortals", migrate to Istanbul after the earthquake in their hometown. Meryem, who dreams of sending her daughter to school, is unaware of the plans of the sect and Naim for her daughter. Levent, a secular Ataturkist psychiatrist, crosses paths with Cüneyd, the favorite grandson of the sheikh of the sect, as a result of a forensic case. Levent, who knows the Mortals from his years of compulsory service, struggles with the conservative perspective of the sect in order to help Cüneyd, while grappling with the turmoil of his personal life. The secret that Levent and Meryem unknowingly bring from the past has the power to change everyone's lives. |
December 18, 2023 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Levent and Meryem's meeting causes two opposing worlds to collide, and the two girls, who do not know that they are sisters, experience a new push and pull with every encounter. The tension between Meryem and İdris Efendi in the börek shop causes developments that Sadi Hüdayi and Hasna never expected and creates a bomb effect inside the tekke. Levent begins to realize the secrets of Cüneyd's past that caused his traumas. Mira adds a new one to her mistakes when her mother suddenly disappears. Levent, who learns that Zeynep will be married off at a young age, will put Meryem on an irreversible path. |
December 25, 2023 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Levent's attempt to save Zeynep is thwarted from a place he never expected. Meryem, who dreams of her daughter's education, learns about Naim and the sect's plan for her daughter Zeynep. While Naim is calculating his rise within the sect, Meryem is trying to save her daughter. Cüneyd's tense moods make his uncle Sadi Hüdayi worry. He intends to realize the plan they have thought for his future and the future of the order as soon as possible. His wife Hasna and daughter Feyza have other plans. As Mira's anger towards her father grows, she gets herself into even bigger trouble. |
January 22, 2024 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 20 Meryem and Levent fight for survival while Cüneyd spirals into madness. As Zeynep and Mira face family crisis, Vahid's arrival brings strict rules and fear. Levent writes against reactionaries while seeking evidence to save Meryem. |
September 30, 2024 |
| 2 |
Episode 21 While Meryem loses consciousness after being stabbed, the Alkanlı family is shaken by the suspicious death of Beste. The evidence that could save Meryem has disappeared, and Levent has hardened his stance because of Vahid, whom he holds responsible for Beste’s death. He has become an intolerant man who openly fights against Vahid and the darkness he represents. |
October 7, 2024 |
| 3 |
Episode 22 Meryem awakens from a deep coma as Mira learns the truth. Overwhelmed by the weight of what she’s discovered, Mira seeks solace from the one person who doesn’t know her well. Meanwhile, Zeynep learns that Mira has been hiding Cüneyd's whereabouts from her, leaving her devastated by the betrayal. Cüneyd, struggling to make sense of fragmented memories, is slowly drawn closer to both Lokman and Cüneyd himself as Vahid continues his search for the elusive book. |
October 14, 2024 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | FOX |
|---|---|
| First aired | December 18, 2023 |
| Last aired | April 28, 2025 |
| Runtime | 120 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Monday at 20:00:00 |