So, I'd heard for a while about this series, which is the first Netflix original programming series (yep, they're also bringing back Arrested Development). It is a "classic" fish out of water tale, but with a unique twist. The always cool Steven Van Zandt plays Big Apple mobster Frank Tagliano. After Tagliano testifies against the new boss, the Feds place him in witness protection. A-ha, but here's the twist. Our man Frank says he doesn't want to relocate within the States, as it's "not safe around here these days." He asks to be sent to far away and picturesque Lillehammer, Norway, admitting he fell in love with the place after the 94 Olympic games.
All 8 episodes of the series are available for instant streaming on Netflix. I won't give away many plot lines, but so far (after watching the first 3 episodes), I'm really enjoying it. Van Zandt essentially plays the exact same character, Silvio "Sil" Dante, as he did on The Sopranos, right down to the pompadour hairstyle. This isn't a bad thing, at least for me, as Sil was one of my favorite characters on that show.
I was fearful going in that the series would stray into predictable territory and story lines, where Frank "gets things done his way" in every episode. The pacing is pretty quick essentially, but then, we've only 8 episodes to get things covered here, so I forgave that early on. Once he's quickly settled into his new digs in the gorgeous mountain community, the action starts to pick up right away.
The series isn't perfect, of course, but every time I feel like they're almost stepping into predictability, the sheer strangeness of the setting and premise assure me, the viewer, that nothing should be taken for granted. Often, first seasons are a time for not much more than establishing plots and characters, and essentially setting things up. Further seasons, if a show is lucky enough to have them, can dig in a little deeper for some real character buildup.
Tagliano does indeed feel like an outsider to the rather docile Scandinavians, but in his usual affable way, he makes new acquaintances quickly, giving ample room to some of the great supporting cast, which includes Trond Fausa Aurvag, Marian Saastad Ottesen, Sven Nordin, Kyrre Hellum, and Anne Krigsvoll.
The series, created and written by Anne Bjornstad and Eilif Skodvin, premiered in January 2012 and drew a record 998,000 viewers (one fifth of Norway's population). The series has been commissioned for a second season, but no production schedule has been announced yet.
Overall, the series is much more than your classic "mobster show" and sheds some light on another nation and their culture, and is definitely One to Watch.
- Johnny Decibel
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