How to watch 'So Long, Marianne' online — stream the 2024 Leonard Cohen drama series from anywhere
Just as a chance encounter would bring them together, another would drive them apart
Watch "So Long, Marianne" for a dramatization of the story of the life-altering affair that inspired many of Leonard Cohen's best-loved songs, most memorably "So Long, Marianne".
Here's how to watch "So Long, Marianne" from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
"So Long, Marianne" premieres in Canada on Friday, September 27. There are 8 episodes in total.
• Watch FREE — NRK (Norway)
• Canada — Crave
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN risk-free
The eight-part limited series picks up in Hydra in 1960, where a lonesome Cohen (Alex Wolff) first met Marianne Ihlen (Thea Sofie Loch Næss), then in a turbulent relationship with novelist Axel Jensen (Jonas Strand Gravli), which had borne an infant son. Just as a chance encounter would bring them together, another, eight years later in New York City's Chelsea Hotel, would effectively prove their undoing.
Fresh out of college and with his heart set on becoming a novelist or songwriter, in 1960 Cohen bought a house in Hydra on a whim, where Jensen and Ihlen had settled to avoid paying taxes in Norway. Sensing their own unhappiness reflected in the other, they were drawn together, and with Ihlen as his muse and a concoction of drugs as a creative aid the Montrealer penned his debut album, "Songs of Leonard Cohen".
It was this album that would put Cohen on the map, but in order to claim the fame, money and everything else that comes with them, he would have to return to the mainland. As Cohen would later confess, "I sacrificed my love on the altars of fame." Read on and we'll show you how to watch "So Long, Marianne" online from anywhere.
Watch 'So Long, Marianne' for FREE
Viewers in Norway can watch "So Long, Marianne" for free on the NRK streaming service, where several episodes are already available on demand, following the series premiere on Saturday, September 21.
And for interested parties in the U.K., the series will stream for free on the ITVX platform in the near future.
Norwegians abroad can stream "So Long, Marianne" from anywhere in the world with a VPN. You will need to use your Norwegian BankID to register to watch NRK TV online.
Full details on how to use a VPN just below...
Watch 'So Long, Marianne' from anywhere
How to watch 'So Long, Marianne' from anywhere in the world
If "So Long, Marianne" isn't streaming where you currently are, that doesn't mean you have to miss the show while you're away from home. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you are.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN you can get right now is NordVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds.
You can try it risk-free for 30 days if you take advantage of NordVPN's no-quibble money-back guarantee.
There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 6,000 servers across 111 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from Norway and want to view NRK as usual, you'd select a Norway-based server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to NRK and watch "So Long, Marianne" as if you were back home.
'So Long, Marianne' streams by country
How to watch 'So Long, Marianne' in Canada
Canadians can watch "So Long, Marianne" on the Crave streaming service. The series premieres on Friday, September 27.
Crave subscriptions start at $9.99/month for its Basic plan (720p video, includes ads) all the way up to $22/month for Premium (ad-free, 4K, downloadable shows).
Those on vacation away from Canada will need one of the best VPNs to log in back home to use Crave, as it will be geo-blocked otherwise.
Can I watch 'So Long, Marianne' in the U.S.?
There's no confirmed broadcast slot for "So Long, Marianne" in the U.S. yet, but if you're if you're a Canadian currently below the border you can still catch the show by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'So Long, Marianne' in the U.K.?
There's no confirmed broadcast slot for "So Long, Marianne" in the U.K. yet, but free-to-air ITV has picked up the rights to the series.
For the timebeing, Canadians can tune in by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'So Long, Marianne' in Australia?
As with the U.S., there are currently no plans to air "So Long, Marianne" in Australia, but if you're Down Under from Canada or Norway, you can catch the show by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
'So Long, Marianne' episode schedule
- Episode 1: Hydra – Marianne and Axel go to the Greek island of Hydra, but their relationship is about to unravel. Leonard leaves Montreal to seek his fortune on the same island.
- Episode 2: In love – Marianne is pregnant with Axel's child and travels to Norway to say goodbye to her dying father. Leonard is in love.
- Episode 3: First kiss – Axel leaves Marianne and his son to go on a sailing trip with his mistress. Marianne finds comfort in Leonard.
- Episode 4: Oslo – Marianne has to go to Norway, and Leonard comes along. The road trip through Europe brings them closer together, but in Oslo Leonard quickly becomes restless.
- Episode 5: The Cohen family – Marianne is reunited with Leonard in Montreal, but struggles to adapt to the city. Leonard becomes evasive when she delivers big news.
- Episode 6: Back on Hydra – Leonard collapses after an intense period of writing. To save his career, he must go to Montreal to promote the book, with or without Marianne.
- Episode 7: The Chelsea Hotel – Leonard goes to New York and experiences a fateful meeting at the Chelsea Hotel. Marianne feels abandoned at Hydra and seeks solace elsewhere.
- Episode 8: So long, Leonard – Leonard secures a record deal, but the substance abuse continues. Marianne goes to New York to help him.
'So Long, Marianne' trailer
'So Long, Marianne' cast
- Alex Wolff as Leonard Cohen
- Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Marianne
- Anna Torv as Charmian Clift
- Noah Taylor as George Johnston
- Peter Stormare as Irving Layton
- Simon Lööf as Göran Thunström
- Jonas Strand Gravli as Axel Jensen
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Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.