Netflix celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Lilyhammer, its first original series

Variety

On Feb. 6, 2012, the Steven Van Zandt-led crime drama about a former New York-based gangster named Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano trying to start a new life in isolated Lillehammer, Norway premiered on Netflix. Lilyhammer paved the way for House of Cards, which premiered one year later during Super Bowl weekend 2013. As Variety notes, the announcement for House of Cards led to a meeting between Van Zandt and Netflix's Ted Sarandos that resulted in the streaming service picking up distribution rights to Lilyhammer, which had already completed filming. To mark the anniversary, Sarandos penned an essay on Netflix's website and filmed a video with Van Zandt.