Ask Mantik Intikam Episode 10 Review "What the hell, Ozan Bey?"

Recap

*Sigh (cut to me pulling up "Go Ahead and Break My Heart Again, by Finneas )... why do I do this to myself? Why do I willingly sign up to have my heart broken by Ozan Bey week, after week, after week... while all y'all said "it was just a dream" I kept trying to tell you it wasn't. I even suspected the reasons behind Ozan's hasty decisions, but neyse, lets get to it. Ozan and Esra spend the entire episode flirting and fighting like adorable puppies until Ozan overhears an unfortunate snippet of conversation then goes and acts a fool. Cagla and Cinar both ramp up their efforts to win the affection of #EsZan to mixed results. The Erten family continues to suffer in love from the Korfaly family as Elif again puts Eko in the friend zone. Zumrut is still my Queen and Menekse and Yalcin get back together. 

Review Bullet Points

-Post rain kiss Ozan is rip raring to go, Esra understandably needs a little time to think about life. Remind me to tell you a hilarious story about how when my husband and I were dating, we broke up for three months, then unexpectedly got back together, and got engaged 4 days after that... I get it Ozan, I get it... and he wants to get it, too!

-Ozan has ZERO chill to his game. None. He's chasing her around the office (again) and showing up in the neighborhood (also again). What he ISN'T doing, but SHOULD be doing is taking his mom aside and telling her that she needs to get over her hatred of Esra*...I'll discuss this later.

-I can't tell if I like happy flirty Ozan or sad broody Ozan best. 

-Instead of addressing any of their previous issues, which they need to be doing BTW, Ozan is giving Esra the key to "their" house and getting upset with her for going to business meetings with Cinar, who happens to be her boss... and her friend. By not telling Esra that Cinar knows about their marriage, he is setting her up for bad situations.*

-Speaking of the twins from hell (lies, I still kinda like Cinar, corporate takeover and all). Cinar and Cagla do their best (individually, not collectively) to get in between Ozan and Esra.

-Cinar steals Ozan's parking spot in a move intended to show Ozan that he better park himself away from Esra. They argue, and it is stupid. Cinar should just tell Esra he knows Ozan is her ex... but instead he brags to Ozan about his honesty while going along being dishonest in his own life. Hypocrisy is my favorite.

-Cinar is still dangling job offers, but this time he has seemed to clue in to the fact that Esra shouldn't be his assistant, but the project manager. Again, this company is crazy.

-Cagla has a weird passive aggressive coffee date with Esra which is pleasurable to neither of them. I suspect we'll repeat this soon...

-Cagla's war for Ozan is all about make up and short skirts, elbow grabbing, and endlessly talking about eating fish together. I have a feeling she is not the brightest General.

-Back in the neighborhood Zumrut is upset about #EsZan, and upset that Elif might date a sculptor of all things... Zumrut, Queen... I am so with you on this Elif thing. Sculptors are the worst.

-They're really leaning into foreshadowing in this episode... even the hairdresser knows whatever she read in those coffee grounds will NOT end well. 

-Eko is understandably grossed out by his parents who got back together, but he faces greater emotional turmoil when Elif tells him that "no means no" AGAIN, but this time a sculptor is involved. There was a weird editing situation with the Eko/Timur scene that I think was a mistake? I wish I didn't like Eko, but I do, so I feel sad for him. Can none of the Erten children find happiness???

-Cagla railroads Ozan into a date, but he doesn't realize it is a date... and he leaves her hanging to eat dinner with Esra, like we knew he would.

-Esra continually attempts to confess, about the BIG SECRET MISCARRIAGE when Ozan brings up kids. Then about her motivations for going to the company, but each time Ozan cuts her off.*

-Cagla calls to find out where Ozan went, he ignores Esra's concerns to deal with his business partner but got more than he bargained for as Cagla tells him she's in love with him and then storms off.

-Ozan becomes the worst eavesdropper in the history of eavesdropping and listened to the completely wrong part of Esra and Zeyno's convo. What can a bad eavesdropper do but break up furniture and propose to someone who you don't love, but you know has feelings for you.*

-Cut to me weeping, roll credits.

Thoughts and Predictions

-Even though I knew it was going to happen, it still hurt.

-Why is Ilhan Sen the best crier in all of Turkish men crying? If you're familiar with his former work (and you absolutely should be) you know what I mean.

-Looks like they are trying to make curly haired Ozan happen... PLEASE NO... just remember the horror that was Erol's semi afro. Ozan's hair needs to be shellacked and sprayed down just like Necati Yilirim's hair (moment of silence).

Neco, Ah, Neco

Erol, you also died before your time

*REMEMBER ALL THOSE THINGS I WOULD DISCUSS LATER... well here they are, my list of grievances against Ozan Bey... Or rather the writers of this hot mess of an episode. And yes, I have read all your analysis, and all your reasons why you want to keep Ozan Bey lily white and innocent, but this time, that ain't it. 

    a) He's always been dismissive of Esra's feelings. Just as he rushed to Cagla so as not to be rude, he left Esra hanging, ignoring her concerns.

    b) Ozan's gifting her a phone is indicative of how her perceives Esra. He thinks she's practical. While Cagla gets jewelry, Esra gets a replacement for the phone he broke. He didn't even propose to her, or woo her initially. Ozan acts like Esra doesn't need gestures of love and affection. While he certainly loves her Ozan doesn't understand how Esra needs to be loved. 

    c) Esra has never been first place. His mom occupies that spot, and I'm not saying what with the abandonment issues and watching your mom hustle to get by you can't love her. I'm saying he allows and allowed his mother to occupy the chief place in his heart which cannot work when he's in a relationship with Esra.

    d) Ozan expects Esra to make all the correct choices while withholding critical information that pertains to her. Sure, I can see why he might not want to tell her about Cinar's feelings because that could be a betrayal against their friendship (though using his sister to hurt Esra later on, does not smack of honoring friendship). I can allow it. But Esra NEEDS TO KNOW that Cinar is aware that they were married. He's forcing her to continue a lie with her other employer. He's putting her in the middle of something that isn't her fault. 

    e) EMOTIONAL ABUSE, oh dear.... I talked about it AT LENGTH here, and I thought the writers had beaten that horse to death... not so. Instead of addressing an issue (his hurt and misunderstanding) he runs to Cagla, A WOMAN WHO HE KNOWS HAS FEELINGS FOR HIM, and proposes marriage. People will say, "Oh, he's hurt, he's not thinking... he doesn't care any more. He's going to marry for Logic instead of Love so nothing can hurt him again blah, blah blah". Ozan knows exactly what he is doing. He KNOWS that Esra is jealous of his relationship with Cagla. He is using Cagla to hurt Esra in a way that is pretty low. 

    f) What this all boils down to is a selfish lack of awareness. Ozan now knows that the divorce was painful for Esra but he has never bothered to ask "why?" He's never taken the time to try to understand her reasons. I can see being bitter when you're angry, but instead of rushing back together, a little, "hey, we should address the past" would go a long way to healing a relationship.

-To those who are expecting quick resolution, I hate to say it, you WILL be disappointed. This Cagla engagement storyline is where the writers are taking us... for a while. Esra will retaliate in true Esra fashion by taking Cinar's job offer. 

-We're going to get some back story on Cagla, which is honestly a good thing. In the kdrama she had a husband who died tragically and an artificial limb and she was mentally unstable. In AMI we saw a little breadcrumb of her wanting to take sleeping pills and Cinar telling her she didn't need them because she's come so far. To those who hate fragmans with Cagla, or scenes with Cagla, or hate the fact that the actress posts videos of herself on set (I mean, people, let Melisa have a life, what is wrong with you?!)... buckle up, we're going to be seeing MORE Cagla.

-Cagla will be awful to Esra, using Zumrut, manipulating Ozan, using the company. I am ready for evil Cagla. I kind of LIVE for Evil Cagla. Dressed to the nines, stomping around, giving off mean girl hate. YES!

-Cinar will be sweet with Esra, while being simultaneously underhanded with Ozan. He is going to LOVE the engagement for his own reasons and will stir up trouble. I think BEFORE Ozan realizes his mistake in getting engaged to Cagla, we'll see Cinar confess his feelings to Esra and try to start a relationship with her. Potentially leaving Esra unavailable whenever Ozan comes to his senses. I actually really want to see Ozan FIGHT for Esra at some point. I'm not talking about bickering in the parking lot. I'm talking about stepping up and being the man Esra has always needed.

-Musa and Zeyno will try to correct errors of the past but Ozan and Esra's collective pride will get in the way.

-Elif will discover the sculpture is a jerk. 

Happy Watching... if such a thing is possible in this hellscape we call Diziland.