Netflix’s 2025 Turkish romantic drama Old Money is centered around the conflict between old money and the new players in town. From the title of the show, one would expect opulence and an explicit display of a life of luxury, and well, there are a few parties, fashionable outfits, yacht chats, and fancy mansions, but on a budget. Don’t expect the Bridgerton extravagance or the larger-than-life parties in shows like Gossip Girl or even Elite. Since the show’s target audience does not include the young adult crowd, the mood is more mellow, and the focus is on mature relationships.
The eight-episode series revolves around Osman and Nihal. Osman had built his company from scratch with his brothers after a devastating tragedy that completely changed the trajectory of their lives. They came from nothing and were now one of the fastest-growing companies in Istanbul. Most considered Osman to be a heartless monster for his aggressive business moves. His brothers, Mahir and Arda, trusted his vision, and they supported his every decision. Nihal came from generational wealth. She had grown up in privilege, but unfortunately her father made some terrible business decisions and was in a lot of debt. Nihal had learned the trade of her family well—building yachts. She had lived abroad and finally decided to visit home when her father informed her that he planned on selling the mansion that had been in their family for generations. Nihal was attached to the place, especially because she had memories with her late mother there. But she wasn’t inclined to find out the reason behind her father’s decision and had made up her mind to part with the mansion. But after she arrived home, her childhood friend, Engin, showed up and convinced her to take a stand against these new players who were openly challenging them and indirectly mocking them.
Nihal was intrigued when she heard about the Bulut family, who’d taken Istanbul by storm. She thought it would be amusing to surprise the family with a new proposal, especially after she figured out that they had offered her father a deal to build a yacht, knowing very well that he was in debt and he would fail to deliver. According to their condition, the Beydemir family would have to hand over their mansion if they didn’t make the delivery on time. Nihal decided to take up the challenge. Even though her father was in debt, she strongly believed that she would manage to come up with a plan to make things work. Osman was mesmerized when he saw Nihal for the first time. There was something about her that immediately captivated him, and he struggled to stay focused on the business deal. Nihal too felt an instant attraction towards him, and although she’d heard how cold-hearted he was, she sensed a chemistry between them. Old Money is essentially about whether Nihal and Osman will end up together, considering their vastly different backgrounds and approaches towards life.
The Gilded Age and The White Lotus, among other similar series, have explored the conflict between old money and new capitalists (something that has been extensively covered already in literature), and they’ve done so quite brilliantly. When it comes to Old Money, the conflict is more verbal than visually indicative. This very interesting contradiction is not explored to its full potential; instead, it’s something that the characters talk about time and again but don’t really delve into. The limitations, the frustration, the envy, the disgust, and the looking-down-upon should’ve been more on-the-face, instead of the little chatters that feel emotionally flat. The tragedy that the Bulut family overcame is extremely significant to the story, and it adds a needed layer to the characters and explains why they are the way they are. Mahir and Osman’s characters are rooted in the tragedy. Most of the decisions that they made as adults were in one way or another connected to their childhood trauma.
Old Money is highly predictable. Apart from a few details, you will pretty much get the gist of the show just by watching the first episode. The romantic angle is as clichéd as it can get. A woman who came from generational wealth falling for a new-age capitalist is not exciting enough to keep the audience hooked for eight episodes. Although Nihal’s character steers away from the stereotypical depiction, and that’s a relief. She came from wealth, but she wasn’t arrogant, and she also had her share of experience living in the streets and working menial jobs during her time abroad. But then again, you need a Blair Waldorf or a Chuck Bass (Engin is a close resemblance, but he lacks the charisma to be truly iconic) for entertainment’s sake, and the lack of such extreme characters makes the show quite boring. The arguments/fights between the lead pair are so forced that it’s hard to really root for them. A lot is said, but very little is expressed, and there comes a point when you don’t even know why they are arguing, and you’re all the more clueless when they get back together. Pretty much every subplot is extremely obvious, and even in the final episode nothing amusing really happens. There are really just two outcomes in a typical romantic cliché story, so you make your guess and hope for the best.
Visually, Old Money is like any typical Netflix show. The only exception is perhaps there are a lot of speedboat rides and elaborate sets to give us a glimpse of the luxurious life that the characters indulged in. The plot as well as the characters was interesting, but they remained unexplored. The tragedy and the contradiction could’ve been better utilized, and maybe then the show would have stood a chance. Old Money is at best an average second-screen watch. You don’t really have to focus on the story to figure out what happens in the end. It’s almost as if the audience’s attention isn’t even expected, which is why a lot of what happens feels unnecessarily repetitive. The overall performance of the cast is just about alright, not really noteworthy. There are way more intriguing shows and films about old money vs. new money and, of course, plenty on the enemies-to-lovers trope. So, unless you are searching for a second-screen watch option, I don’t really see the point of giving Old Money a watch. The show leaves room for a second season, and I really hope we get to see something interesting apart from the same old, same old.
