Winter 2012 TV: Netflix launches first original drama, Lilyhammer, on Feb. 6 starring Steven Van Zandt

Steven Van Zandt in a reindeer sweater? Yeah, I guess I’m there.

With thanks to my horror-novelist-fellow-Winnipegger-by-way-of-NYC friend Susie Moloney (have you read The Thirteen? And why not?), here is this bit of news from Netflix:

Netflix is launching a new original series next month called Lilyhammer, which will kick off the company’s foray into original programming for 2012. The series will star The Sopranos actor and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt in a “fish out of water” story that takes place in Norway.

The story follows New York mobster Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano as he enters the federal witness protection program. He moves to Lillehammer – the Norwegian town that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. He calls it “Lilyhammer,” however, which is how the show gets its name.

The series will include eight episodes in its first season, beginning February 6th in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. All episodes will be available for streaming on connected TVs, tablets, game consoles, computers and mobile phones – but not on DVDs by mail.

We reported in March 2011 that Netflix would be soon bankrolling original content. The company successfully outbid HBO and AMC for the rights to House Of Cards, an adaptation of the successful 1990 British miniseries. The show stars Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey, and is being produced David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network). Netflix confirmed that show will arrive in the U.S. and Canada by “late 2012.”

In November, the company announced it would resurrect critics’ and fan fave Arrested Development, with episodes starting in 2013.

Netflix had previously said that Lilyhammer would arrive in early 2012 and that at least two seasons have been planned.

Enjoy.

Winter 2012 TV debut dates: No promises, but thanks to a public shaming, I appear to be back

Note: Updates to add Walking Dead and Lilyhammer dates, plus estimated return dates for Mad Men and True Blood.

“You’re the worst [fallen Mennonite expletive deleted] TV blogger ever.”

Fortunately, this harsh statement came from a dear friend. He has a point (and was emboldened by a pint or two, thus doubly accounting for the fallen Mennonite classification). I’ve been a little absent from this TV blog, but I have my reasons. Maybe I’ll tell you about it some time. Like when the show Awake premieres (on NBC, date TBA), at which time I will also get around to blogging about the tooclosetothetruth A Gifted Man. But until then, let’s just keep it  moving shall we?

Here are the return dates for what I deem to be the most important new and returning series, keeping in  mind all times are ET and all bcast details are from a Montreal POV. If you wanna know a date and you don’t see it here, well then send me a jaysus email, for pity sake (with thanks to Chris from Shaw Media for adding Global bcast details for Touch Jan. 25 and March 19*). Likewise, if you spot an error, pat yourself on the back, leave a saucy comment on the Twitter and then drop me another jaysus email. We good? K. Here goes:

January 2012

Jan. 3

Work It debuts on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 4

Bomb Girls debuts on Global at 8 p.m. ET

I Get That a Lot debuts on CBS at 8 p.m. ET

Mobbed debuts on Fox at 9 p.m. ET

Jan. 7

The Crimson Petal and the White debuts on HBO Canada at 9 p.m. ET

Jan. 8

The Firm on NBC and on Global at 9 p.m. ET (moving to regular timeslot Jan. 12)

Jan. 9

Shameless returns to The Movie Network at 9 p.m. ET

House of Lies debuts on The Movie Network at 10 p.m. ET

Californication returns to The Movie Network at 10:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 10

Arctic Air debuts on CBC at 9 p.m. ET

Jan. 11

Are You There, Chelsea? debuts on NBC at 8:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 12

30 Rock has its season debut on NBC at 8 p.m. ET

Rob debuts on CBS at 8:30 p.m. ET

The Finder debuts on Fox at 9 p.m. ET

Jan. 13

Fringe returns midseason to Fox at 9 p.m. ET

Real Time with Bill Maher returns to HBO Canada at 10  p.m. ET

Jan. 15

Less Than Kind returns to HBO Canada at 8 p.m. ET

Undercover Boss returns on CBS at 8 p.m.  ET

Napoleon Dynamite debuts on Fox at 8:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 16

Alcatraz debuts on Fox at 8 p.m ET

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (preview only) on NBC and on CBC at 9:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 18

American Idol returns on Fox at 8 p.m. ET

Jan. 25

Touch previews only on Fox and on Global at 9 p.m. ET *

Jan. 29

Spartacus:  Vengeance debuts on The Movie Network at 10 p.m. ET

Luck premieres on HBO Canada at 9 p.m. ET

Jan. 31

Smash premieres on NBC at 10 p.m. ET and on Feb. 6 on CTV

February 2012

Feb. 3

Who Do You Think You Are? returns for second season on NBC at 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 5

The Voice returns after the Super Bowl on NBC and on CTV

Feb. 6

Smash gets its Canadian broadcast premiere on CTV

Lilyhammer debuts online on Netflix.ca starting

Feb. 7

The River premieres on ABC at 9 p.m. ET

Feb. 12

Celebrity Apprentice has its season debut on NBC at 9 p.m. ET

The Walking Dead continues from it’s Season 2 winter break on AMC and iTunes

March 2012

March 4

GCB debuts on ABC and CTV at 10 p.m. ET

March 6

Breaking In returns on Fox at 8 p.m. ET

March 13

Fashion Star debuts on NBC at 9 p.m. ET

March 15

Missing debuts on ABC at 8 p.m. ET

March 19

Touch debuts on Fox and Global at 9 p.m. ET *

March tba

Mad Men returns to AMC and iTunes

June 2012

True Blood returns to HBO Canada, specific date tba

Other shows with debut dates tba:

Bent on NBC

Best Friends Forever on NBC

Charlie Sheen’s Anger Management on CTV

Don’t Trust the [bad word] in Apt. 23 on ABC

Scandal on ABC

dduguay@montrealgazette.com

@tweetinthebox