‘Lovers Anonymous’ Netflix Series Review - Just Another Cookie-Cutter Romance

How do you define love? According to Vincent van Gogh, "Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence." Read Shakespeare, and you will discover that "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." But if you are not in the mood for poetry, go to Doctor Cem (Halit Ergenç), and he will probably say that love is nothing but a chemical reaction - keep your sentimental prose aside. Here is someone who measures romance with machines and cures it with medical pills. How fascinating! Created by Basar Basaran and directed by Umur Turagay, Lovers Anonymous (Original title: Adsiz Asiklar), though, isn't too interested in science. Sure, we get to see monitors displaying heart symbols and the outline of a human body, but apart from some casual remarks related to hormones and charts with lines in the shape of heart, Lovers Anonymous doesn't dig deep into the methods, the logistics applied by Cem and his colleagues to diagnose and treat the "love sick" patients. What a pity!

The scientific inventions could have rendered the show distinct from other cookie-cutter Netflix romantic comedies. Hell, make a sci-fi out of this story. Basaran, however, doesn't aim high. He tethers Lovers Anonymous to the realm of shallow delights. There is a shocking twist in Episode 1 that initially appears as a sign of unpredictability, but it slowly becomes clear that the twist merely pushes the story towards a path that's predetermined. Meaning: Don't expect any more shocks, more surprises. If Cem applies brain to matters of heart, that's because he has had bad luck with romantic relationships. Blame his mother and her manipulative skills, which she uses to put a young Cem into surgery. I will leave the details for you and just say that the mother is responsible for Cem's cynicism towards love and life. Things are so bad that he cannot utter a word in front of the crowd - don't rely on him for public speaking. Cem is scared of everything, be it women or the food he eats at restaurants or the hospital canteen.

Enter Hazal (Funda Eryigit), another doctor with views different from that of Cem the Cynic. She believes love can heal everything and that your perfect partner is waiting for you out there. Of course, there is a conflict between Cem and Hazal. Lovers Anonymous, though, gives both views somewhat equal importance. Hazal is proved right in one case involving a betrayal from a cheating boyfriend, while Cem's approach turns out to be suitable for a case involving a woman wanting to pursue an affair. As the series progresses, both sides learn things from and about each other and eventually get entangled in the web of romance. Can't two people simply exist as colleagues in a professional space? A fresh, creative mind would have kept Cem and Hazal on the level of friendly workplace competitiveness. Lovers Anonymous, however, is just interested in clichés. As it reaches close to the first season's finish line, it intensifies the feeling of tenderness between Cem and Hazal and bores us with the will-they-won't-they act. When someone from Cem's past makes an appearance, it feels as if the series is desperately attempting to make circumstances more complicated. The move is less logical and more driven by the desire to check certain boxes.

What's frustrating is that Lovers Anonymous chooses to end on a lame cliffhanger. There are other things that look stupid here. For starters, I wasn't convinced by Cem's affair with a teacher. He runs away from her class like a sweaty loser, and she still finds something attractive in him? The stench of male fantasy is quite apparent. A soon-to-be-groom gets attracted to a gym trainer, but it's revealed that this attraction is purely sexual. The man loves the woman who will become his bride; if he initially hesitates, that's because of familial pressure. When you think about it, it all somewhat makes sense, but when you watch this on the screen, you find the resolution - the groom's acceptance and confession - artificial. It looks like something the series does to just wrap up the episode, the thread. Cem, at one point, breaks a marriage by disclosing the truth about the husband, yet he comes across as a villain. Shouldn't a healthy relationship be devoid of lies? Cem's intentions might be wrong (he wants to reinforce his cynicism), but his actions are right. If Lovers Anonymous had been even a little bit audacious, it wouldn't have passed an easy judgment on Cem during this moment by coloring him with monstrous shades. It would have presented this scene through a neutral lens, allowing the viewer's mind to form a perception. Also, I hated the fact that the "man Cem" was shown giving autographs in a public place, whereas Hazal, as Cem, isn't given a moment like this to show off her fame.

Eryigit and Ergenç are sufficiently watchable. The former, with her big, innocent, inquisitive eyes, adds some charm to this bland material. Lovers Anonymous doesn't feel tedious because it's always busy - the noise passes the time. Nonetheless, when the show ends, you are left thinking that that time may have been better spent elsewhere.

Final Score- [4/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times