Lilyhammer begins February 6th on Netflix

Netflix's movement to become a legitimate playing in the original programming arena takes another step forward this February when its original series Lilyhammer will hit the internet. We first learned of Lilyhammer back in October when Chief Content Officer Ted Serandos sat down at MIPCOM and announced that Netflix would be adding the Norway-produced TV show to its original programming line-up.

Today came the announcement that the show would be made available for viewing on its website to Watch Instantly members on February 6th in the USA, Canada, and Latin America. You can watch the first trailer for the show that stars Soprano's mainstay and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt below.

Lilyhammer follows New York mobster Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano as he enters the federal witness protection program after ratting on his boss. A sports fan, Frank wants to make his new life in Lillehammer, the Norwegian town that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics – or as he calls it "Lilyhammer." Frank has visions of a paradise of "clean air, fresh white snow and gorgeous broads" far away from the temptations of the Big Apple and from mob hit men. Reality, of course, turns out to be spectacularly different.

All eight first season episodes of Lilyhammer will be available on February 6 so Netflix members can enjoy the series by streaming over the Internet to connected TVs, tablets, game consoles, computers and mobile phones.

Said Sarandos in the press release, Lilyhammer is a well-observed, funny and occasionally brutal story of culture clash, focused on Stevie's inimitable portrayal of an East Coast mobster," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. "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."

The release of Lilyhammer will be followed later in the year by another Netflix original program, the David Fincher directed series called House of Cards that Stars Kevin Spacey. Netflix has committed to at least 26 episodes of the serialized drama which is based on a popular BBC miniseries. The internet streaming and DVD-by-mail company has also recently inked a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television to bring the short-lived, but critically acclaimed series Arrested Development back from the dead.

Things are certainly looking up for Netflix which recently weathered a series of self-inflicted blunders that cost the company more than half its stock value and saw membership decrease for the first time in many months. Netflix is expected to continue its losses as it fights through a tough expansion plan that brought the service to Latin American countries last year and will begin to tackle Europe later this year.