Binnaz Saktanber: Thank You, Next has created great excitement since the first day the trailers were released. What kind of a story should the audience expect?
Ece Yörenç: A fun story awaits them. A joyful drama in which everyone will find something from their own relationship. 

It’s been a long time since we watched an Ece Yörenç series. What motivated you to write this story?
EY: I had just finished writing a miniseries that I had been working on meticulously for a long time — which had not yet been produced. You know how runners tie weights to their feet to practice and run faster when they take them off? I felt a lot lighter after that job and I wanted to write something that would make everyone happy. I wrote it based on a story I wrote years ago that was waiting on the sidelines. 

Are there any elements that make a story specific to “Ece Yörenç”? If so, what are those? 
EY: I don’t know what is specific to an “Ece Yörenç work.” I have always tried to tell different stories. And I think this one was also a different story. Again, there are strong women in it. The characters are not black or white. They are colorful characters who can also make mistakes. 

Can every story be considered universal in nature? Or are there cultural codes that would not be understood in another country, no matter how much they are watched? While creating the story of Thank You, Next, did you make any changes considering the geographies in which it would be watched?
EY: To me, every story is universal. The impact of the story on the viewer, listener, and reader creates a sense of community. It unites everyone in its own universe. While writing Thank You, Next, I did not make any changes considering the geographies in which it will be watched. I think there are no cultural codes in the series that would be “lost in translation” in other countries.

Thank You, Next takes a close look at today’s relationships and why they do not work. Why do you think modern love is so difficult? Is it impossible for two people to get together and be happy?
EY: I think it is difficult to live together. I think the relationship codes in our D.N.A. are incorrect. Two people coming together and trying to become “one” — I think that’s the problem. I think it’s boring to have another copy of yourself. Moreover, in such fast-flowing times, in a world where everything is focused on consumption and an unlimited sense of satisfaction, more effort and intelligence is required to maintain a relationship.

We now have a whole new vocabulary to use when talking about relationships. You named each episode after one of these terms: situationship, love bombing, ghosting. Do you think stereotyping the emotions we experience reduces the possibility of experiencing something real or does it help us understand what we are experiencing?
EY: When we didn’t know the term “ghosting,” we were being “ghosted,” but now we are putting a label on it to announce that we are uncomfortable with the situation, to underline it and say, “Hey, you have been exposed.” Or to say, “You are not alone. Everything that happened is real.” 

If you were to add a new term to the modern love vocabulary, what would it be?
EY: What I find really strange and laugh a lot about is how after the marriage ceremony, the women — usually — holds the marriage certificate up in the air as if it is a victory. I laugh so hard when I see how they move it from left to right for a few seconds as if they are lifting a barbell. I think we can call this “barbelling.” The moment when the woman convinces the man to marry and shares this victory with everyone. 

Thank You, Next says something about the effects of the digital world on relationships. A message sent to the wrong group, not using the right emoji, or a post on Instagram can change the course of relationships. You can’t exactly break up with someone without removing them from your shared Netflix or Spotify account. Is digital literacy a necessity to have the right relationship?
EY: I really liked the term “digital literacy,” I think it is essential to not fall behind in the game. It is possible to quickly find out who the other person is, what they eat or drink, what they like, where they travel. But of course, this is the tip of the iceberg. Still, the digital world is now a component of modern relationships, it is the diary of relationships. Many of us live our relationships the “digital way.” “I texted them, I got blue-ticked, still no reply” is a topic of discussion. “I posted a photo, and they still have not liked it” is a cause for sadness. “That woman — or man — comments on every single photo you post” is a serious matter. If you have a shared playlist, it means your relationship is going somewhere. So, it is mandatory to know or learn these things. 

You worked with Serenay Sarıkaya, Meriç Aral, and Metin Akdülger in Ebb and Tide (Medcezir) when they were still at the beginning of their careers. The young actors of those times became the stars of today. How did it feel reuniting with the actors who have been greatly influenced by your contributions to their careers?
EY: It made me very happy that they loved this project as much as I do. In Medcezir we told a story about the relationships of people in their 20s, now we are telling a story about the relationship pains of people in their 30s. It was a great opportunity and pleasure to work with them. 

Serenay Sarıkaya is one of Turkey’s most popular stars. Did you have her in mind when creating the character, Leyla?
EY: Yes, I created the character Leyla with Serenay in mind. The second I started writing, I reached out to her immediately. I made sure she was available for the project. One by one, the same thing happened with other characters. I called them in the process of writing, and we talked about it. 

Hakan Kurtaş, Boran Kuzum, Ahmet Rıfat Şungar, Esra Ruşan, Efe Tunçer, and Bade İşçil . . . How did the rest of the cast come together?
EY: I called many of my actor friends while writing the script, and I met some of them later in the process. In fact, these were actors that I admired from afar and whose talents made me want to write. With Bertan Başaran as director, we built a great team. Everyone who watched it said they would like to be friends with this team. How lucky am I that I am friends with all of them.

Leyla goes back and forth between Ömer, whom she has been with for many years, the charismatic but narcissistic Cem Murathan, and the entertaining chef Şeyyaz. Which of these three would you like the audience to cheer for?
EY: I would like the audience to cheer separately for each character. But “Thank You, Next . . . ”

Leyla has a comment: “A long relationship equals a protracted death.” Is it inevitable for romantic relationships that start with great excitement to turn into a roommate relationship after a point? What do we need to keep the relationship fresh and exciting?

EY: Intelligence . . . I think intelligence is a very sexy thing. It is important to decipher each other’s codes correctly and leave ample space for the other person. It is important not to let the person whose colors you have fallen in love with fade day by day. It’s important to reflect on the relationship like this. Intelligence is important.

I know you’re a fan of Friends. In the series, there seems to be a reference to Sex and the City. Which series do you watch after a breakup to get your mind off it?

EY: Both Friends and Sex and The City are works that I love and admire. Salute to them. I have a list of movies to watch after a breakup! I must have watched La La Land like 15 times. It’s probably the movie I’ve watched the most. I also watch animation. 

Just like Leyla learned her love language from what she saw from her parents, you are the creator of many of the characters that shape our view of love and relationships. If you were to take advice about love and relationships from one of the characters you created, what would it be? 

EY: You gave me a great idea. In my first free time, I will find a sentence from all of them and write a scene. But now, let me just quote Leyla. “Every new person who comes into your life teaches you the meaning of one more word. Love, trust, rivalry, success, love, pleasure, longing, loneliness, disappointment. My favorite word was ‘friend.’ The last word I learned was betrayal.”