Millions of viewers worldwide held their breath as they watched the first episode of "The Ottoman," a new Turkish TV drama, on Wednesday.
"The Ottoman"(Kuruluş Osman), which is the sequel to the globally-acclaimed Turkish TV series Resurrection: Ertuğrul, climbed Twitter's trending list both in Turkey and worldwide.
The thrilling debut has proved that this new show will unite viewers of all ages around the world on Wednesdays.
Turkish TV series fans flooded social media with comments, praising the cast and the show.
"Finally the series of our great conqueror of the Ottoman Empire, Kuruluş:Osman, has begun. Seeing a lot of spoilers online, can’t wait to be done with Diriliş:Ertuğrul", wrote one enthralled viewer on Twitter.
"The most successful start EVER" another fan said, as the hashtag gained momentum.
The historical drama is being filmed in the Riva neighborhood of the Beykoz district in Istanbul.
Taking place in 13th century Anatolia, Resurrection: Ertuğrul, tells the story of the period prior to the establishment of the Ottoman Empire around the life of Ertuğrul Gazi, the father of the empire's first leader.
The series illustrates the struggle of Ertuğrul and his warriors against a plethora of adversaries from the Knights Templar to Mongol invaders.
It sequel, The Ottoman, focuses on the foundation of the Ottoman Empire and the life of Osman Bey, who is the son of Ertuğrul Gazi.
Burak Özçivit plays the lead role of Osman Gazi, the titular character of the fearless warrior and the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey is one of the top five series-exporting countries in the world, enthralling audiences from Latin America to Central Asia.
Dozens of Turkish series are being followed by more than 500 million viewers in over 150 countries, according to Turkey's Culture Ministry.
