Disney Launches Turkish Version of 'Private Practice'
Local-language adaptations of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives" are ratings hits in Turkey.
The Walt Disney Company's Turkish operation is launching a local-language version of ABC medical melodrama Private Practice, which will feature an all Turkish cast and move the action from Los Angeles to Istanbul.
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The series, to be called Merhaba Hayat (literally, Hello Life), will premiere Oct. 2 on Turkish network Fox. Disney Turkey will co-produce the series with local group Medyapim Televizyon with the format and storylines based on the original U.S. version. An initial 23-episode first season has been ordered. This will be the first local version of Private Practice outside the United States.
Disney has had major success adapting similar femme-focused series Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives for the Turkish market. While the local versions bear some resemblance to the U.S. originals - often using the similar plot lines, music and character arcs, they also borrow heavily from the established tradition of Turkish soap operas and feature local small screen stars.
While dubbed versions of U.S original series typically struggle in Turkey, local language versions of Disney series such as Doktorlar (Grey's Anatomy) and Umutsuz Ev Kadinlari (Desperate Housewives) have been ratings hits.
The Turkish version of Private Practice will star local actress Vahide Gordum as Addison Montgomery (called Deniz in the Turkish version), the role played by Kate Walsh in the U.S. original. Merhaba Hayat also features Yasemin Sannino as Naomi (called Zuhal), Yetkin Dikinciler as Sam (called Sinan), Baris Kilic as Pete (called Burak), Keremcem Duruk as Cooper (called Omer), Ozan Osmanpasaoglu as Dell (called Mert) and Seda Guven as Violet (called Su).
“Having successfully adapted Grey’s Anatomy, Medyapim is honoured to be able to present Private Practice, a spinoff of Grey’s Anatomy, to our Turkish audience," said Medyapim producer Fatih Aksoy. "Merhaba Hayat will be a uniquely Turkish take on the emotional drama and strong characterisation of Private Practice.”
Sinan Ceylan, Country Manager for Disney in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus said the local version of the series will allow "our great shows and characters to connect even more closely with Turkish audiences by telling locally relevant and entertaining stories," adding that Disney was "committed to the Turkish market."
Disney has also produced Turkish versions of The Golden Girls, According to Jim and Hope & Faith. The studios has also had success with local-language adaptations of Desperate Housewives in Latin America; Brothers & Sisters and Grey's Anatomy in Columbia and The Golden Girls in territories including Russia, Israel, Greece and Spain.
