There is an inherent connection between growing up and moving to a bigger city. When one’s ambitions and dreams cannot be contained in their small town, moving out is the obvious, and often the only answer. There’s a difference between someone who is new to the city versus someone who’s been living there over a couple of decades. The latter admires the zeal of the newcomer, who’s ready to take on challenges and climb the ladder. The one who’s been living in the bustling city for decades is often envious of the newcomer’s innocence. After all, they too had once moved to a new place, hoping to become a version of themselves they’d always envisioned, but their dreams never came true.

Netflix’s Turkish series, Istanbul Encyclopedia, is a poignant exploration of Istanbul through the eyes of a newcomer as well as someone...