Lilyhammer

So I know "Lilyhammer" isn't particularly new to Netflix, it came out about two months ago, but it was the first Netflix original series, and so I wanted a chance to watch it. "Lilyhammer" is a social turning point for people like me who only watch Netflix, because rather than watching only those shows that have already been used up by others, I'm part of the exclusive club that gets to watch this new show. "Lilyhammer" certainly isn't the show I'll judge Netflix on, for it's new original programming venture, saving those judgments until I can see more anticipated shows like "House of Cards" or the "Arrested Development" reboot. "Lilyhammer" is a 45 minute dramedy, that premiered it's first 8 episodes all at once. Currently there are no stated plans to shoot more.

The show is essentially a simple fish out of water story. A New York City mafia member, decides to testify against his new boss, and goes under the witness protection program to rural Lilyhammer, Norway.

The morning after he arrives, Frank Tagliano opens his door to see a severed sheep's head, he begins to think that he had been found, just as a woman runs down the street because she had dropped her dinner for that night--that's about where this show was at for 45 minutes. Steven Van Zandt from "The Sopranos" makes the comedy work by playing his role with dead seriousness, but at the same time because he never makes a knowing wink to the ridiculousness of the scenario, the show's struggled to settle into a tone. By the end, however, the earnestness Van Zandt plays his character with makes the show charming, and despite the fact that the show features two cultures completely foreign to me clashing, relatable.

The show is slickly produced and the Norwegian settings are gorgeous, but the thick accents and regular subtitles do become distracting. The pacing, was slow enough that I found myself regularly tuning out of the show. It should be noted that Netflix does take ample advantage of producing this show outside of the FCC's jurisdiction. If you're looking for a safe family centered network program, this isn't the show for you. The show had some high points, but it didn't have the atmosphere for a drama, the laughs for a comedy or the energy for a dramedy. I know Netflix has the freedom to try out different types of shows because they don't have the pressure of immediately appealing to a target audience. For this show, however, I'm not sure that it will appeal to much audience at all.

Conclusion: Off the Queue