BERLIN -- A new sitcom on Haim Saban's Sat 1 will underscore the heated debate in Germany -- and across Europe -- on Turkish immigration and the prospects of Turkey's membership in the European Union.
While German lawmakers are grappling with divisive immigration issues, Sat 1's upcoming "Der Koenig von Kreuzberg" (The King of Kreuzberg) hopes to offer laughs by examining the cultural conflicts and zany idiosyncrasies of the Turkish-German experience.
Set in the trendy Berlin district of Kreuzberg, which became home to thousands of guest workers in the 1960s and '70s and now has the city's most multicultural population, the skein focuses on 27-year-old Attilla Mellek (Fahri Oguen Yardim), the manager of a family-owned kebab joint, his rocky relationship with German girlfriend Nina (Diana Staehly) and their ethnically mixed group of friends.
Sat 1 promises a funny and slightly politically incorrect take on German-Turkish schisms, including the male dominance of Turkish society versus the steely and emancipated confidence of Teutonic women, as well as balancing some Turks' love of the alcoholic beverage raki with the strict guidelines of their tee-totaling religion Islam.
The web hopes to improve cultural understanding by deconstructing popular cliches about Teutons and Turks.
While the show will highlight the humor of life among Germans and Turks in Berlin, Sat 1 execs say the show, which will air sometime next year, will offer an honest portrait of the multicultural city rarely seen on German TV.
The network may have a hit on its hands: With 2.3 million Turkish citizens living here, Germany not only has the biggest Turkish population outside Turkey, but also boasts 70% of all Turkish people living in the European Union.
Contact Ed Meza at
ed.meza@mannaa.de