The opening music just sets the mood beautiful. You're drawn in by the opening scenes, as the plot moves from serious to humour back to serious.
There's a plot within the main plot, which keeps you wanting more. And there's details that draw you in and cause you to emphasise with some of the key characters. The pace is good, without rushing. Each scene leads you you onto the next one, without the sudden jumps some producers seem to love.
It is a multi-language production. I understand why it's not entirely shot in Turkish, as they need to appeal to an international audience. However the accusation that the lead actor, Haluk Bilginer, is not Turkish is bizare (he is Turkish) and the accusation must be due to some local politics I'm unaware of. This award winning actor spans a range of emotions across the series, and is a delight to watch.
Shout out to the music, which no one has yet mentioned. It helps tie in the mood and the scene.
Really hoping for a second series.