Netflix is celebrating its birthday like no other, as the platform celebrates ten years of existence in France this year. For ten years now, the streaming platform has shaken up the audiovisual landscape and revolutionized the consumption of series and films in France.
Over the course of ten years, we’ve lost count of the gems the platform has produced that have captivated the French public, from Stranger Things to Squid Game and Lupine, not to mention the early successes of Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. A large number of Internet users also think that the political series, which was hosted by Robin Wright, was the first exclusive series by Netflix.
Netflix’s first series is… Norwegian!
This is still a mistake, as the first original series on the platform is an American-Norwegian thriller called Lilyhammer. The three-season series has since faded into oblivion, despite being headlined by Steven Van Zandt – the unforgettable Silvio Dante from The Sopranos and the iconic musician in Bruce Springsteen’s legendary E Street Band.
Uploaded January 25, 2012 to Netflix, Lilyhammer follows the story of a former New York mob boss who is integrated into the witness protection program after his former associates are thrown out at trial. Frank Tagliano changes name to Giovanni Henriksen; At his request, he was transferred to the Norwegian city of Lillehammer, the host city of the 1994 Winter Games.
Conceived as a comedy that switches the codes of the mafia movie, Lillihammer was a huge success in Norway, attracting 20% of the local audience! In France, the series was not discovered on Netflix – which was only released here in 2014 – but on Canal+ from October 2013, then in reruns on Arte and Action.
The Curse of the Three Seasons
Reluctant to play a gangster again after The Sopranos, Steven Van Zandt was finally persuaded by two screenwriters, Ann Bjornstad and Ailif Skodwin. Having fun with this clash of cultures, the latter did not hesitate to film the series in Norway between two Bruce Springsteen tours.
And even though the series isn’t part of the pantheon of Netflix’s best productions, it’s a shame that it still slipped into collective oblivion. Fun fact: The series also broke the – despite itself – curse of the series being lifted after three seasons, which has since made its way into many Netflix original productions!
The American-Norwegian series Lilyhammer can be watched in its entirety on Netflix.
Discover the list of series currently available on the platform!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
