Gruelling work no fairy tale on Turkey's famed soap operas Featuring heart-throb heroes, emancipated heroines and picturesque scenery, Turkish television drama series have taken the world by storm, gaining faithful audiences in dozens of countries across Europe, the Middle East and even the Americas. But life on the sets of the dramas -- with episodes that can last up to three hours in series of up to 50 parts -- is not all glitz and glamour.