Netflix fans discover platform's 'most underrated' series that made Squid Game and Stranger Things possible

Netflix fans have only just clocked on to the platform's first ever original series - and reckon it's 'underrated'.

When you think of the platform's debut, self-made TV shows, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards might spring to mind.

But you'd be wrong - it's a three-season crime drama that launched Netflix's iconic run of original programming.

Led by The Sopranos' Steven Van Zandt, it saw the streamer collaborate with Norwegian TV broadcaster NRK.

Debuting in February 2012, the drama paved the way for mammoth shows including Stranger Things and Squid Game - both of which have gone on to be wildly popular.

The show follows Frank Tagliano, a former New York mobster who, after testifying against his mafia associates, enters the witness protection program.

Instead of choosing a typical American safe haven, he requests to be relocated to Europe.

The first ever original Netflix series ran for three seasons (Netflix)

Where exactly? Well, a small town called Lillehammer in Norway, which he fell in love with while watching the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Under the alias Giovanni 'Johnny' Henriksen, Frank tries to start a new life.

But old habits die hard and he begins to influence the locals using mob-like tactics, quickly finding himself at odds with both local criminals and law enforcement.

The series in question is called Lilyhammer - you can watch its trailer below:

In a recent Reddit thread, one user was asking once again for Netflix recommendations.

And while people dashed to recommend gripping new crime series Dept Q, others pointed them in the direction of Lilyhammer.

"One of the most underrated shows on there is Lilyhammer. Might have to turn the subtitles on since it’s one American in Norway," one person penned.

Another replied: "One of my favorite shows ever. So funny!"

Praise for the show continued over on Rotten Tomatoes, where one person summed it up as a 'dark unique comedy'.

"An amazing very underrated show!' a second agreed, as a third wrote: "This is a phenomenal show... saw all three seasons. Great writing, creative inventive story lines and characters. So sorry when it ended."

Subscribers are still only just discovering Lilyhammer (Netflix)

On its 10-year anniversary in 2022, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said: "Looking back, Lilyhammer was perhaps an unorthodox choice for our first show.

"But it worked because it was a deeply local story that we could share with the world.

"The jokes and references worked locally and the more universal themes of the shows traveled perfectly."

He continued: "Since then, we’ve seen so many great local stories resonate with people in other countries and from other cultures: shows and films set anywhere and told in any language. Lilyhammer was the forebearer of so many great shows to come - Dark Desire and Who Killed Sara? from Mexico, La Casa de Papel from Spain, The Rain and The Chestnut Man from Denmark, Dark and Barbarians from Germany, Lupin from France, Sacred Games from India, and of course, most recently, Squid Game from Korea, our biggest show ever. But the first always will be Lilyhammer."

All three seasons of Lilyhammer are streaming now on Netflix.