Underground

Haydar Ali avenges his family's murder and ends up in prison, where he falls into the orbit of Turkey's most dangerous crime cartel. Recruited by intelligence to dismantle it from within, he must earn the trust of its ruthless boss — a man who becomes his closest ally. Three years later, freedom brings the deadliest complication yet: the woman he never stopped loving is now that same man's wife.

Underground (2026-present) is a Turkish crime drama series created by Berna Aruz for FOX, MBC Shahid and NOW. Deniz Can Aktaş plays Haydar Ali, a man who sets out to avenge his family's murder and ends up in prison, where he falls into the orbit of Turkey's most dangerous crime cartel. Uraz Kaygılaroğlu plays Bozkurt, the cartel boss whose trust Haydar must win, and Devrim Özkan plays Ceylan, the woman Haydar never stopped loving. Recruited by intelligence to dismantle the organization from within, Haydar must act as a loyal lieutenant while his allegiances keep shifting, so each episode is built from prison yard maneuvering, tense negotiations and hidden reports. The series is a two-season serialized saga whose engine is the gap between what Haydar feels and what he must pretend. Its tone is brooding and intense, with bursts of violence and a steady undercurrent of romantic longing. Fans of Breaking Bad, Gomorrah and Donnie Brasco will find resonance in its portrait of a fractured underworld and a man losing himself inside it. Set in contemporary Turkey, it plays out across prison cells, criminal strongholds and the streets of Istanbul-style cities.

• Breaking Badcrime cartel infiltration, undercover loyalty, prison-born alliances, serialized crime saga tone
• Gomorrahprison-based criminal power structures and serialized mob intrigue
• Donnie Brascoundercover infiltration of a criminal organization with a central bond between protagonist and boss

Created by

Berna Aruz

Release Date

2026-01-28

Episode runtime

145 min

Rating

7.1 / 10 (12)

What is Underground about?

A man seeking revenge for his family's murder is sent into prison and must win the trust of a dangerous cartel boss while secretly working for intelligence.

What is Underground like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Underground as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Underground violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in Underground as brutal.

Which shows are like Underground?

Shows with a similar feel include Breaking Bad, Gomorrah, and Donnie Brasco.

How long is Underground?

Underground: 2 seasons, 20 episodes.

Is Underground still running?

Yes, Underground is still running.