Series are a great form of entertainment – ones that many of us put to good use on a regular basis. Oftentimes, they send out a great message in their plot, and other times, they do not. In fact, many series reinforce various stereotypes, among them the “crazy ex-girlfriend” or a “crazy” antagonist that feeds on their villainous acts and strives to ruin the lives of the protagonists. Although these plotlines are thrilling to watch, especially with the suspense that comes with such plots, there is a larger issue unfolding. What these plotlines are doing is normalizing the “crazy antagonist” stereotype and normalizing the fact that anyone with mental health issues is crazy. More so, mental illnesses are often not recognized in these series and are even shown as unfixable.
A prime example that blatantly showcased this stereotype, and that this article will discuss, is the Turkish series Fazilet Hanim ve Kizlari (2015). This show is one of the many that normalizes someone with serious mental health issues showcasing abnormal violent behavior and being labelled as an outcast.
Fazilet Hanim ve Kizlari Brief Plot
Translated to ”Ms. Fazilet and her Daughters”, this series has a pretty typical yet problematic plotline. Fazilet has two daughters, and she has wanted to lead a rich life for a long time. Her obsession leads her to use the beauty of her younger daughter to try to get what she wants. However, her older daughter disapproves of this and keeps fighting with her mother because of the fact that she cares more about signing her daughter up for beauty pageants than making her go to school. Meanwhile, as a subplot, the older daughter has had a crush on a rich man for a long time – which is one of the protagonists – and they eventually get together.
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Stereotype
Throughout the Turkish series, we see glimpses of Nil, a girl that is head over heels for Sinan, the rich guy. Her behavior is rigidity when Hazan, the older daughter, is brought up. Her rage filled with jealousy and the fact that she would do anything to get to him clearly shows that she has some issues that she has not dealt with. The fact that she has grown unhealthily attached to Sinan – considering they have been family friends for so long – showcases that she has something unaddressed that has led her here. What has led to her unhealthy attachment? Her mother is not in the picture, and her father is around but not so much. Could her familial background be the source of her unhealthy attachment? We also understand that she has some anger and stress issues considering her out-of-control bursts of anger are shown various times throughout her appearance on the show. Additionally, at one point, she starts taking some pills to manage her stress.
However, all of her background is completely ignored in the show! Further, the fact that she clearly suffers from mental health issues is also overlooked. She is only portrayed as a crazy and obsessed freak that would do anything to get Sinan. She goes to extreme lengths to do so – she beats herself up and blames it on Hazan. She even goes as far as to set Hazan’s house on fire with Sinan in it. According to her, if Sinan does not want to be with her, then he cannot be with anyone else. As a result of all her actions, she is labelled as crazy and a borderline criminal for almost killing Hazan and Sinan.
There are many instances in the show that offer a peek into the life of Nil, but because she is not an important character, these instances are not touched on or expanded, and this reinforces the crazy stereotype. Her character is just one example of an antagonist that suffers multiple problems, but instead of the problems being addressed, she is the outcast, and no one wants to mess or deal with her. The character was perceived as crazy and violent – a dangerous individual. The way Nil is portrayed is very problematic, because it is showcasing mental health to be a one-man show – something odd and quirky and misunderstood.