Netflix expanded its original programming lineup Tuesday with Lilyhammer, a series that will air exclusively on the provider's Watch Instantly streaming platform starting next month.
The series stars Steven Van Zandt, of Sopranos and E Street Band fame, as a Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano, a New York mobster who enters witness protection in the Norwegian town of Lillehammer—or Lilyhammer, as Frank refers to it. He has visions of "clean air, fresh white snow and gorgeous broads," but that's not quite what he gets.
Netflix will post all eight episodes of the first season of Lilyhammer on Feb. 6 for U.S., Canadian, and Latin American customers.
"Lilyhammer is a well-observed, funny and occasionally brutal story of culture clash, focused on Stevie's inimitable portrayal of an East Coast mobster," Netflix chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said in a statement. "We're proud to introduce this terrific original series exclusively to our members. If you love the first episode, there is no need to wait until next week, or to set a DVR, to catch the next one."
"I am very careful with my choices and this project was so exciting to me because of the wonderful writing, the rich characters and the fascinating culture of Norway," said Van Zandt, who also serves as an executive producer. "Netflix is the perfect home for such a unique show."
Check out the show's trailer below.
Lilyhammer was developed by Rubicon TV AS, which has produced a number of Norwegian TV shows.
The announcement comes about a year after Netflix announced plans for House of Cards, another original series that is scheduled to kick off in late 2012. The show, which is based on a BBC mini-series from the 1990s, will star Kevin Spacey as a politician with his eye on the top job in U.S. politics. David Fincher, the Oscar-nominated director of "The Social Network," will direct the show's pilot, which was written by Beau Willimon. At least 26 episodes are planned.
In November, Netflix also said new episodes of the critically acclaimed but short-lived series Arrested Development will be distributed exclusively via the company's DVD delivery and streaming video services beginning in the first half of 2013.
Can Netflix's official foray into original programming help an image that was thoroughly damaged by the price hikes and short-lived name change during the second half of 2011? While Netflix abandoned plans to split its DVD and streaming services into two businesses—Netflix and Qwikster—the price hikes are still in effect, and the combined PR snafus resulted in a loss of 800,000 customers during the last quarter.