Lilyhammer, the Netflix series about a New York mobster hiding out in Norway, returns to your screens for a second season on December 13.
Starring Steven Van Zandt as Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano, the show had the distinction of being Netflix’s first foray into original programming, a venture that has proven wildly successful as the company has added more original material to its streaming content. As it did with season one, Netflix will be making all eight episodes of Lilyhammer available at once so that viewers may choose to watch them one at a time or binge to their hearts’ content.
Van Zandt, one of those people who needs a multitude of descriptors, is perhaps best known to his fans as a long-time member of the E Street Band, and as Silvio Dante, the character he portrayed in the hit HBO series The Sopranos. In Lilyhammer, he portrays a gangster who testifies against the mob and then requests that the witness protection program relocate him to Norway.
What ensues is a fish-out-of-water story as Frank attempts to adapt to the Norwegian culture and climate. In short order, he acquires a girlfriend with a young son, becomes the owner of a hot-spot nightclub, and returns rather quickly to the only way he knows how to make a living. Some surprising plot developments at the end of season one will have fans tuning in this weekend to see how Frank deals.
While Lilyhammer isn’t by any means the best of what Netflix has offered thus far by way of original programming (and critics can’t help but notice that the character of Frank hasn’t fallen very far from Silvio’s tree), it’s consistently funny and the supporting cast (largely Norwegian) is good.
Some parts of the country are expecting a winter storm this weekend. A bowl of popcorn and a few episodes of Lilyhammer sounds like a pretty good way to ride it out.
In case you need any encouragement, enjoy the official season two trailer and a clip from the season two premiere right here:
