Netflix released its first Netflix original series, Lilyhammer, in 2012.
Lilyhammer, a Norwegian-American crime comedy starring Steven Van Zandt, premiered on Netflix on February 6, 2012. It is often described as Netflix’s first original series, although Netflix had already distributed licensed content and had co-produced or acquired other projects during its transition toward original programming.
Netflix began in 1997 as a DVD-by-mail rental business founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. It introduced subscription streaming in 2007 and gradually shifted from a rental service into a global entertainment company. House of Cards followed in 2013 and helped establish Netflix’s high-profile original-content strategy. The company’s international subscriber base and recurring subscription revenue have made it one of the most valuable media companies by market capitalization.