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Another Perspective
Lilyhammer: A Stranger in a Nice Land
Steven Van Zandt in Netflix’s jaw-dropper of a new series.
Imagine a television comedy about an American who moves to an exotic foreign country. He utterly refuses to assimilate, flouts the local laws, beats up people who offend him (including, in a scene that shocked even me, a Muslim who simply refused to shake a woman’s hand), acts in pretty much every way as the stereotypical Ugly American, and yet comes out as a sort of a hero?
And imagine that this series was produced, not by some jingoistic American company, but by people from that very foreign land?
And what if most of their countrymen loved it?
That’s the peculiar phenomenon we contemplate in Netflix’s maiden exclusive series, Lilyhammer, which set viewing records on Norwegian state television, and whose full first season of eight episodes is now available to subscribers.
The improbable premise is that Frankie Tagliano (Steven Van Zandt), a New York mobster, agrees to testify against his bosses on the condition that he be relocated to “Lilyhammer” Norway, a town that caught his fancy when he watched the 1994 Winter Olympics. Upon arrival in Lillehammer, he tries to bribe a government official to get a license to start a bar. Failing that, he just blackmails the man.
Frankie (now known as Giavonni “Johnny” Henriksen) applies the same direct-action strategy to all the challenges he encounters in his new country. When a sheep, owned by the son of a single mother “Johnny” has taken a liking to, is killed by a wolf, and all are informed in no uncertain terms by the lensman (constable) that wolves are a protected species, Johnny shames a couple male acquaintances into joining him in a nocturnal hunt. Much slapstick in the snow ensues, but eventually Johnny gets his wolf, with the revolver he had the foresight to smuggle in from America.
Van Zandt’s Johnny, walking the snowy rural streets in a city overcoat, slouched like a Nixon impersonator, blends in with the environment about as well as a hammer in a vase of lilies, and that’s much of what’s funny about this series. The humor tends to be as dark (and as broad) as Johnny himself, and the stories and the jokes are often predictable — except that, now and then, Sopranos-style violence breaks out. Eventually the mob learns where Johnny is, and two assassins are sent to take care of him. The season ends with one of those “wacky,” “Let’s use the local color” chase scenes so familiar from low-budget movies, in which we are expected to believe that an amusement park has been left open — but entirely empty of people — on the most important national holiday.
But it’s the meaning of it all that I can’t stop wondering about.
It would be a mistake to see Lilyhammer as a protest against Norwegian government and society. There’s a lot of discontent these days with the recently centralized Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV), generally seen as arrogant and impersonal, and that bureaucracy comes in for some fierce lampooning here. But American viewers should not understand that to mean that Norwegians (much as they love Lillyhammer, according to all the ratings) are unhappy with Social Democracy generally and eager for a more libertarian society. Willingness to laugh at one’s own culture, it should go without saying, is not a sign of insecurity. Of all the Europeans, Norwegians are probably the most content just now, having had the good sense (and good fortune) both to stay out of the European Union, and to be located on top of an ocean of crude oil.
Nevertheless, one has to wonder about the subtext. Wherever Johnny goes, he is dumbfounded by the naïve assumption every Norwegian seems to share, that all problems are simply caused by misunderstandings, and that if you’re nice enough to people, they’ll be nice as well. Johnny (who we must never forget is essentially a scumbag) is at least wiser than his neighbors in this — he knows that some problems transcend good manners.
There’s also the question of masculinity. Johnny is ugly and crude, but he’s unmistakably a man, and not the least ashamed of it. Wherever he goes in Norway he seems to encounter (with the exception of some bikers and criminals) emasculated males. One acquaintance, a stay at home father, confesses to him, weeping, that he went so far as to get a vasectomy, but his wife still keeps popping out babies (!). Johnny’s girlfriend’s son, clearly hungry for a male role model, adores Johnny, who confidently instructs him on how to deal with bullies (it involves a mitten full of rocks), and how to overcome his shyness with girls (“Think of them as food”). I suspect it’s not accidental that the lensman, the local police authority, in Lillehammer is a middle-aged woman.
It’s all farce, to be sure, in a cable comedy sort of way, but isn’t there a message here?
Lilyhammer is far from a masterpiece, and certainly does not rate as wholesome entertainment (lots of profanity, some nudity, and violence). But future generations, studying the program as a cultural artifact, will have to wonder, “Were they really trying to say what they seem to be saying?”
About the Author
Lars Walker is a librarian and Norwegian translator, and the author of several published fantasy novels, the latest of which is an e-book called Troll Valley, available for Kindle or Nook.
Kitty | 2.21.12 @ 6:16AM
I miss the Sopranos. I hope they show Lilyhammer here.
albert constantine jr| 2.21.12 @ 1:01PM
Try A&E for the PG13 version reruns (Tony saying "Forget You" quite a bit).
Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 5:43PM
You must watch TBS's cleaned up version of Fargo for a demonstration on how to creatively clean up movie dialog. Brand new words are used to replace the F-word, like "fruggen" ....
Where else would you see a reaction to being shot in the face by calling the offender an "imbecile" , as in "you just shot me in the face you imbecile" . A natural response. Heh Heh.
Seek| 2.21.12 @ 3:22PM
Hey, small world. Steve Van Zandt was part of "The Sopranos" cast -- as club owner "Silvio Dante."
Kenny| 2.21.12 @ 7:03AM
Thanks for the heads up.
Joe Pesquaniak| 2.21.12 @ 7:57AM
The creators of Lilyhammer probably were trying to show how crude and ugly an American from organised crime could be. Instead, Lilyhammer has been embraced by a chickified populace longing to see an example of masculinity, however exaggerated it may be.
Garm| 2.27.12 @ 7:56AM
I suspect the fact that Johnny is such a scumbag is for the sake of balance. A show about a perfect American male coming over to Norway and sorting things out would not go over well. And would look a mite strange seeing as America is definitly the country most in need of sorting out of the two. But as long as Johnny is a scumbag, it is ok to show exaggregated flaws in the Norwegians as well.
Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 10:36AM
As much as I like The Sopranos, Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band, and Silvio, this project appears to be a little on the lame side and not worth purchasing to watch.
Maybe when it's on free cable and boredom sets in...perhaps.
Anthony| 2.21.12 @ 10:50AM
Perhaps "Johnny" is the newest incarnation of the great American ideal, the rugged individual.
Instead of the lone cowboy, the Mafia image is used to demonstrate how Johnny Waynea (as my Grandfather would have called him) saunters and blusters through a world that has been emasculated and politically corrected into impotence.
The world, despite what the the efite left has told us about ourselves, has always admired America's can do attitude.
Yes, Johnny is portrayed as banal, uncouth and unrefined, just as the European elites have always snickered, but in the end, he's the guy the gals want when the shit hits the fan.
On another level, perhaps the world is, as Mark Styne laments about the death of America, pining for the re-emergence of a strong and fearless America, chewing tobacco and all.
For as Mark Styne predicts,without America, the rest of the world is in for a bumpy ride.
Moe Blotz| 2.21.12 @ 3:53PM
That would be Mark Steyn, eh?
Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 4:37PM
The e's silent so why include it? That's what my public school teacher taught me.
Anthony| 2.21.12 @ 5:27PM
I can't believe I spelled his name wrong!!!Duh!!!!
THKrupp| 2.21.12 @ 10:58AM
Ive seen the entire season on Netflix. I think this is the only place in the states it is available on. Its a very good show. I like dark humor. Its quite entertaining
Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 4:40PM
Seems to me it' just a cheap imitation of the Silvio character in The Sopranos.
THKrupp| 2.22.12 @ 3:00AM
It is for the most part although that does not take away from the entertainment value.
RJ| 2.21.12 @ 11:32AM
I haven't seen the show, but the town of Lillyhammer is charming and I always feel at home when I am in Norway. The people are wonderful. No doubt it is a socialist society, but it is somewhat offset by being able to see where the money goes. The roads and tunnels are in good condition. Also, the people generally have been outdoorsmen (especially when you get away from the big cities) which creates a more self-reliant personality. I am concerned about Norway's future. The illegitimacy rate is very high and the last time I was there, I saw young people shooting up in a central park and hundreds of discarded syringes. It was heart-breaking to witness.
Andreas| 2.22.12 @ 12:33AM
RJ, Norway will also hit a tipping point very soon of more Mohammeds being born and named in hospitals than Jan's or Stig's or Sven's.
Despite all that ocean drilled oil and oil money flowing and sloshing about the national treasury, the payouts to the newly arrived "citizens" from Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Bosnia, and Turkey will sink the Norvege ship.
RJ| 2.22.12 @ 2:03AM
The oil bounty has not helped the Middle Eastern countries as it mostly has promoted corruption and waste. I am afraid that it might not be a blessing for Norway either. I fear for Norway's future, but I will always remember it as a beautiful land with wonderful people.
PolishKnight| 2.22.12 @ 10:39AM
All this talk of Norway and socialist utopias with uncertain futures reminds me of the B sci-fi movie from the 60's: Zardoz. (Heck, anything titled Zardoz is probably a B movie!) with Sean Connery.
At first, I found it bad but now after a few decades, it grew on me. A future society welcoming barbarians in to kill off it's bored, weak citizens and even itself.
joan| 2.21.12 @ 11:46AM
Love this show! Love the irreverence, and the anti-political correctness!
Kurt Miller| 2.21.12 @ 1:26PM
A very well done little series, worth a look. I watched all eight episodes and was struck by how it moved from simplicity and clarity to complexity and increasing confusion. Johnny's actions started out seemingly with good intent, nobody gets hurt, it's just a little muscle, etc. But at the end you can see a great vortex forming around him and all the people in his orbit. Clouds are gathering, there is a dead body, broken hearts and people moving deeper and deeper into criminal behavior, one small step at a time. Fascinating and I can't wait for the next batch of episodes!
colleen| 2.21.12 @ 1:49PM
Crazy, I just started watching this last night, it's available on Netflix instant watch. I was surprised at how un-P.C. it was, it's a gem.
Sugartown Super| 2.21.12 @ 1:50PM
The irony of all this gets to me; Norway [a wonderful country that it has been my pleasure to visit often on business] is a guilt-free socialist state if you will. Sitting on that "ocean of oil" has allowed the Norwegians to create a womb-to-tomb SD country essentially without all those pesky "run-out-of-other-people's-money" class warfare issues. Now imagine [it's easy if you tr-y-y-y-y!] that the US government discovered a proportionally-sized ocean of oil under all that OMB land in Nevada [no private property owners nor already protected land there!] that could create a similar cash stream for the Good ol' USA. Does anyone believe that we would do anything other than ignore it?
Anthony| 2.21.12 @ 3:19PM
An interesting observation SS. However the Norwegian utopia would have to shell out a few of those womb to tomb Krones for defense if America fails.
And you're right, if we did have those reserves, and I believe we do, we would sit on them, as we are doing now.
Remember what the PM of Canada said when Obozo cut off Keystone. Even he was pissed at Obozo and the pristine radical enviornmental left that controls our government.
Garm| 2.27.12 @ 7:44AM
Norway, with 5 million people has one of the top 30 military budgets in the world. The UK, Germany and France together easily outspends Russia and Chinas total. Because the USAs military spending is so stratospheric, it is easy to lose perspective.
Occam's Tool| 2.21.12 @ 3:01PM
Nope. Under Obama we would ignore it.
However, Americans have been better than You're a Peon(s) for a long time. From Norway doth the Quislings come.
Ron| 2.21.12 @ 4:12PM
Late into this, but if we are talking role models being the antithesis of metrosexual, man-boy-children on TV, then I would suggest "Justified" on FX...Tuesdays nights.
The series is based on Elmore Leonard's book "Fire In The Hole" and has a great cast...it can be a little condescending to the idea of the "hillbillies" (of which there are many) but there are some solid lessons to be had.
albert constantine jr| 2.21.12 @ 5:15PM
I concur with your selection of Raylan Givens and "Justified". A quibble around the margins: "Fire in the Hole" was a short story by Leonard, "Pronto" and "Riding the Rap" introduced Raylan somehwat earlier.
THKrupp| 2.22.12 @ 3:03AM
Justified is probably one of the best shows on television right now
FeFe| 2.21.12 @ 8:38PM
Reminiscent of the Berlin Airlift, no? Transplanted individuals (maybe you had to be there, but) with the American pioneer spirit infused with the Cowboy Code of justice (whereas mobsters are but a moral variant) absorbs all the oxygen in the room, and the stiffened backbone of liberty DNA proves more forgiving (and now still more consciousness diverse than generations of multiculturalism).
trw| 2.22.12 @ 12:28AM
Somebody here needs to help with these questions and issues regarding the last time I viewed a TV show centered on Norway, specifically Oslo.
I believe that NBC aired it. Fall of 2010? (September 2010?)
It was not a show about Norway. It was a show about a group of former U.S. military combining with periphery Washington, D.C. international terrorist specialists, teaming to hunt down and confront (shed light on) existing terrorists WITHIN safe havens. Places like Oslo, Norway, Spain, etc.
I believe only three episodes aired, then NBC pulled the plug. They even took remnants of it off their TV web site(s).
It had just what you readers seem to seek: A real lack of PC thinking/behavior, action-oriented, no nonsense males, competent without being overly macho, goal-driven, purpose-driven.
Who can shed light here on what happened? IT WAS THE BEST TV I HAVE SEEN IN DECADES!
It was real. Real life. The Mullah they went after in Oslo, Norway was really hiding out there as a known terrorist with the full sanction, blessing of the Norwegian government (and the Mullah with a Norwegian taxpayer funded apartment, utilities paid, groceries, etc.) And ongoing classes from the Mullah to Oslo apartment "visitors."
Was this swiftly torpedoed because it told the truth? Because it exposed that a team of 15 men could do within 90 days what our U.S. government (and NATO allies like Norway) cannot or will not?
Who knows about this? Where is the agitation to get it back? Why couldn't the makers of this series sell this to Fox TV and keep it going after NBC dumped them?
You people seem to want quality TV viewing. Well, you had it in this show. They seemed to have a long list of these "sleeper" islam terrorists for future episode hunts. What's holding you back? Let's get the information on this TV show (killed after only 3 episodes) and get new production of episodes in the works.
Bob Grant| 2.22.12 @ 3:54PM
I'd love to help you out but am not sure what exactly I'm getting agitated about. I've never seen it, never heard of it, it supposedly only lasted 3 episodes...and...we don't know the name of the show.
It seems like a show I'd enjoy, under the right conditions.
I can't see myself kicking down the doors of NBC with such vague demands.
This seems like a tactic straight out of ...Occupy Wallstreet's...playbook.
Sorry, I'd kick down the doors and demand Apple's Way to return before this mystery show.
Garm| 2.27.12 @ 7:51AM
Was it "Team America"? It sounds a bit like the intro sequence.
I suspect assassinating legal residents of allied countries did not go down too well as the premise of a show. I know the mullah of which you speak and the entire point of the affair is that civilized countries are run by laws and not the whims of its rulers. As long as the mullah obeys Norwegain law, he is also protected by it.
I think the moment such a show aired on an international channel, the "Incitement to violence" and "hate speech" charges would start coming in.