Due South
Encyclopedia
Due South is a Canadian
crime drama series with elements of comedy
. The series was created by Paul Haggis
, produced by Alliance Communications
, and stars Paul Gross
, David Marciano
, and latterly Callum Keith Rennie
. It ran for 67 episodes over four seasons, from 1994 to 1999.
Set in Chicago
, the show follows the adventures of Constable Benton Fraser
(Paul Gross), a Mountie of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP), who is attached to the Canadian consulate but works with Detective Raymond Vecchio
of the Chicago Police Department
to solve crimes, assisted by Fraser's companion Diefenbaker, a deaf white wolfdog
. From season three, Fraser works with a Detective Stanley Kowalski (Callum Rennie), who is placed in the department to impersonate Detective Vecchio, who goes on an undercover assignment.
The premise of such a working relationship is established in the pilot episode when Fraser is temporarily posted to Chicago to assist Vecchio in the investigation of the murder of Fraser's father, who was also of the RCMP. In the process of finding them, he also exposes an environmental corruption scandal involving some members of the RCMP, causing much embarrassment and loss of jobs in his native Northwest Territories
, which leaves him persona non grata
in Canada and within the RCMP and posted permanently to Chicago.
A police dramedy, it plays on the stereotypical differences between Canadian and American culture, and in particular, Fraser's extremely polite persona and exceptional tracking and detection abilities, contrasted with Detective Vecchio's more robust personality and methods.
on CTV
in Canada and CBS
in the United States
. After higher-than-anticipated ratings, Due South was turned into a continuing drama series in 1994. It was the first Canadian-made series to have a prime time slot on a major US network. However, CBS moved its time slot continuously and often preempted it with other programs, so maintaining an audience was a challenge.
After the 24-episode first season, CBS cancelled the series, but due to the show's success in Canada and the United Kingdom, the production company raised sufficient money for a second 18-episode season, which ran from 1995 to 1996. The show was once again shown on CBS in late 1995 (CBS ordered an additional five episodes but aired only four of them), but CBS did not renew the series.
After a one-year hiatus, CTV revived the series in 1997 with international investment (from the BBC
, ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, and TF1
), and it ran for two further seasons, until 1999. In the United States, seasons three and four were packaged together as a single 26-episode season for syndication
. The post-1997 episodes have been labelled a spin-off
from the original series.. Despite critical acclaim and a consistently warm reception by American audiences, Due South never became a huge hit in the United States; however, it was one of the most highly rated regular series ever aired on a Canadian network. The show remains popular in the United Kingdom, and became one of the few non-British shows to have a prime-time weeknight slot on BBC One
. In the UK, Due South aired on Tuesdays from 9 May 1995, earning critical acclaim with comparisons to Northern Exposure
and ratings of over eight million, until a switch in June to Fridays, being pulled from the schedule in July, and returned to Tuesdays in September. Season two aired Saturday nights from 27 July 1996 and fared similarly well, but was pulled from the schedules in October with five episodes of the season remaining. These were shown in January 1997. The BBC co-financed the third season but struggled to find a suitable slot on Saturday nights for it, and only five episodes of the series were shown in May and June 1998 with the remainder in daytime slots over Christmas 1998. The final season, broadcast from May to November 1999, was moved to BBC Two
and consistently performed well, with ratings of over two million viewers, regularly appearing in the top-ten weekly shows for the channel. Upon the end of the series in 1999, BBC Two immediately began to screen repeats, and the series was also rescreened on ITV3
in 2006. and from 18 October 2010, again on BBC Two
(RCMP) constable
named Benton Fraser
(Paul Gross
) who travels to Chicago to solve the murder of his father; this is how he meets his soon-to-be partner, Ray Vecchio
(David Marciano
), a tough, streetwise cop. Accompanied by his half-wolf Diefenbaker (who adopted Fraser after saving his life, and is deaf, but can read lips), the investigation leads Fraser to uncover a plot by a company building a dam that is slowly killing the environment. This leads to the dam being shut down and many people losing their jobs. He also implicates corrupt members of the RCMP in the affair. This along with the loss of so many peoples' jobs makes him persona non grata
in Canada, and he chooses to live in Chicago. This plot line is referred to repeatedly during the series, and from season three on he introduces himself to many by saying:
Benton Fraser is the archetypal Mountie: dogged, polite, and compulsively truthful; the themes of the series often featured his rigid moral code being tested by the cynical realities of Chicago life. Being overly polite, Fraser's probably best known short quotes were: "thank you kindly" when he found himself in trouble; an understated "oh dear"; and, when faced with contradictory circumstances from other characters, an all-knowing and eloquently stated "understood". A little more unusual is his encyclopedic knowledge of trivia (this is attributed to his grandparents having been librarians); a range of uncanny abilities, most notably his ability to sniff and lick refuse from the streets to gain clues about crimes, the way he can fall into a dumpster or other waste heap and emerge completely spotless and unwrinkled, and the way every woman he encounters falls madly in love with him, including his boss Margaret (Meg) Thatcher and Ray's sister Francesca; his total obliviousness to this and the fact that he rarely pursues any of the offers the ladies extend to him is part of his charm.
The show falls somewhere between a cop show and a comedy show. Although superficially following the police drama format, the comedy derives from outrageous plots, the self-deprecating Canadian and the American stereotype
s, and the occasional fantasy elements such as the regular visits paid to the Mountie by his father's ghost, whose advice varies between helpful and absurdly useless. When the latter, Benton is moved to ask "Are there any psychologists in the afterlife? People who can help you?" The scenes are played deadly seriously by the actors. The tone of the show and much of the comedy derived from Fraser's supernormal detective ability. For instance, in one episode, Fraser tracks down a suspect by smelling the breath of a rat to determine the brand of barbecued ribs it had been eating. Another recurring gag is Fraser standing guard motionlessly in front of the Canadian consulate, while a passerby attempts to make him move or speak.
Marciano, the original Ray, did not appear in the post-1997 episodes, save for the first and last episodes, but was replaced by Callum Keith Rennie
as Stanley Raymond Kowalski, a detective who was under orders to impersonate Vecchio while the real Vecchio was undercover. Marciano did return for the series finale, in which Vecchio ran off to Florida with Kowalski's ex-wife, Stella. In the last episode, Benton and his father's ghost finally solve Benton's mother's murder. This results in the ghost's departure. The series ends with Benton and Kowalski in search of the graves of the Franklin expedition. This missing expedition is immortalized in the Canadian folk song "Northwest Passage
", which Paul Gross sings in the episode.
|-
! Character
! Actor/Actress
! Episodes
|-
| Constable Benton Fraser
| Paul Gross
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Detective Raymond Vecchio
| David Marciano
| 1.00-2.18 main cast, 3.01, 3.25, 3.26 recurring
|-
| Diefenbaker
| Newman (pilot)
Lincoln (Seasons 1-2)
Draco (Season 3)
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Lieutenant Harding Welsh
| Beau Starr
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Elaine Besbriss
| Catherine Bruhier
| 1.00-3.03
|-
| Detective Jack Huey
| Tony Craig
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Detective Louis Gardino
| Daniel Kash
| 1.00-2.07 main cast, 2.18 recurring
|-
| Sgt. Bob Fraser
| Gordon Pinsent
| 1.00, 1.03, 1.10, 1.16, 1.17, 1.20-1.22, 2.01, 2.03, 2.04, 2.09, 2.14, 2.18 recurring, 3.01-3.26 main cast
|-
| Francesca Vecchio
| Ramona Milano
| 1.00, 1.04, 1.05, 1.17, 1.19, 1.20, 2.02, 2.10, 2.16, 2.18, 3.01, 3.03 recurring, 3.04-3.26 main cast
|-
| Inspector Meg Thatcher
| Camilla Scott
| 2.02, 2.03, 2.05, 2.06, 2.09, 2.10, 2.12-2.15, 2.17, 2.18 recurring, 3.01-3.26 main cast
|-
| Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski
| Callum Keith Rennie
| 3.01-3.26
|-
| Detective Thomas E. Dewey
| Tom Melissis
| 3.01-3.26
|-
! Character
! Actor/Actress
! Episodes
|-
| Dennis Argyle
| Domenic Cuzzocrea
| 1.01, 1.04, 2.08
|-
| Mackenzie King
| Madolyn Smith Osborne
(season 1) / Maria Bello
(season 2)
| 1.02, 2.08
|-
| Sgt. Buck Frobisher
| Leslie Nielsen
| 1.03, 2.14, 3.25, 3.26
|-
| F.B.I. Agent Ford
| Alex Carter
| 1.06, 1.19, 2.14, 2.17, 3.09
|-
| F.B.I. Agent Deeter
| Mark Melymick
| 1.06, 1.19, 2.14, 2.17, 3.09
|-
| Mr Vecchio
| David Calderisi
| 1.10, 1.20, 1.21, 2.01
|-
| Father Behan
| Shay Duffin
| 1.12, 1.17, 1.20, 1.21
|-
| Ian McDonald
| Rino Romano
| 1.14, 2.11
|-
| Frankie Zuko
| Jim Bracchitta
| 1.17, 2.07
|-
| D.A. Louise St. Laurent
| Lee Purcell
| 1.19, 1.20, 2.03-2.07
|-
| Constable Renfield Turnbull
| Dean McDermott
| 2.04, 2.14, 3.01, 3.06, 3.10-3.15, 3.20-3.26
|-
| Assistant State Attorney Stella Kowalski
| Anne Marie Loder
| 3.04, 3.07, 3.09, 3.21, 3.26
|-
| Dr Mort Gustafson
| Jan Rubes
| 3.05, 3.08, 3.09, 3.12, 3.13, 3.25
|-
| Damian Kowalski
| Dan MacDonald
| 3.15, 3.19
. He is part dog, part wolf
, originally from northern Canada
, who now lives in Chicago
with his owner, Fraser
. He is named after former Prime Minister of Canada
John George Diefenbaker
. He has several puppies or cubs, two of whom are named Sunshine and Buster, by a Husky
named Maggie.
Diefenbaker met Fraser when the Mountie found him in an abandoned mine. Diefenbaker later pulled Fraser out of Prince Rupert Sound, saving the Mountie's life, but also bursting the wolf's eardrum
s - which resulted in, according to Fraser, Diefenbaker's deafness. Whether Diefenbaker is actually deaf, and not just suffering from selective hearing, is up to the viewer. Diefenbaker is apparently able to read lips, in both English
and Inuktitut
. Diefenbaker has stayed with Fraser ever since and has gone wherever the Mountie is posted.
Diefenbaker is extremely loyal to Fraser, if sometimes disobedient, and will attack someone if required to defend Fraser. He is usually quite laid back - for a wolf. Since moving to Chicago, (for which Fraser's friend Detective Ray Vecchio forged him a special "wolf permit"), Diefenbaker has developed a taste for junk food
, much to Fraser's despair.
The role of Diefenbaker was played in the pilot movie by a mixed breed named Newman, then in the rest of seasons 1 and 2 by a purebred Siberian Husky
named Lincoln. When the show was brought back for season 3, Lincoln was replaced by another purebred Siberian Husky
named Draco, whose sister, Cinder, did most of his stunts. A variety of stunt dogs were used throughout the series, and fake dogs have also been used in some scenes.
Diefenbaker received the first fan mail for the series. Draco appeared on the officially licensed merchandise t-shirt of Diefenbaker.
Naming this character after a famous Canadian particularly appeals to the Canadian audience of the series. Aniko Brodroghkozy asserts in an article in Hop on Pop:
bus can be seen in the background. In others, prominent city landmarks such as the CN Tower
and the Union Station
can be glimpsed. The U.S. Consulate in Toronto was used for exterior shots of the supposed Canadian Consulate in Chicago. In a move typical of the production, Chicago was used in one episode to represent Toronto.
A number of paperback novelizations by Tom McGregor were published, including Death in the Wilderness based on the pilot movie, An Invitation to Romance based on the episodes "An Invitation to Romance" and "Gift of the Wheelman", All the Queen's Horses based on "All the Queen's Horses" and "Red, White or Blue", and Vaulting North based on "North" and "Vault".
in 1996, but individual episodes had been released prior to this throughout 1995 on VHS with two episodes per tape. In 1998, the season three and the season four two-part finales were released. In November 2002, the Due South Giftset was released containing the pilot movie and episodes Mountie on the Bounty and Call of the Wild.
released all 4 seasons on DVD in Canada only. The pilot episode is included on the third season release as a bonus feature.
In the US, Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released the series on DVD in 2005. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together as Due South: Season 3. They also released a series set on 6 May 2008.
In Region 2, Network DVD
released the series on DVD in the UK. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together as Due South: The Complete Third Series.
In Region 4, Madman Entertainment
released the series on DVD in Australia. Seasons 3 and 4 were released as Due South: Season 3.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"|DVD Name
! rowspan="2"|Ep#
! colspan="4"|Release dates
|-
! Region 1 (Canada)
! Region 1 (US)
! Region 2
! Region 4
|-
| Due South: Season 1
| style="text-align:center;"|22
| 26 November 2002
| 23 November 2005
| 30 January 2006
| 16 August 2006
|-
| Due South: Season 2
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| 5 August 2003
| 30 August 2005
| 29 May 2006
| 29 September 2007
|-
| Due South: Season 3
| style="text-align:center;"|26
| 21 September 2004
| 11 November 2005
| 4 September 2006
| 30 June 2009
|-
| Due South: The Complete Series
| style="text-align:center;"|68
| N/A
| 6 May 2008
| 23 October 2006
| N/A
|}
of The Northern Pikes
(who recorded a version of the song with lyrics, played during the shows closing credits) working with Jack Lenz
and John McCarthy. Semko also scored the first two seasons of Due South. In November 1996, the first album was released, including an in-character soliloquy
by Paul Gross
on the subject of bravery, taken directly from the episode "An Eye for an Eye".
When the show returned for its third season, Semko returned to complete the second soundtrack. The second soundtrack album was released in June 1998. Both albums are filled largely with the vocals used in the series; most of the incidental music has not yet been released on CD.
The final scene of the series was set to Stan Rogers
' "Northwest Passage
", a classic Canadian folk
song that has been referred to as an unofficial Canadian anthem.
nominations, winning 15, including Best Dramatic TV series three years running (1995–1997). Paul Gross won Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role two years running (1995–1996) and creator Paul Haggis won Best Writing in a Dramatic Series the same two years.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Winner
! Award
|-
| rowspan="2"|Paul Gross
| Gemini, Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (1996)
|-
| rowspan="2"|Gordon Pinsent
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Earle Grey Award (1997)
|-
| Brent Carver
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role Dramatic Series (1998)
|-
| Wendy Crewson
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role Dramatic Series (1998)
|-
| rowspan="10"|Production Awards
| Gemini, Best Dramatic TV Series - (Paul Haggis, Kathy Slevin, Jeff King) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best TV Movie - (Paul Haggis, Jean Desormeaux, Jeff King) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series (Kathy Slevin and Paul Haggis for The Pilot) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Dramatic Series - (Paul Haggis, Jeff King, Kathy Slevin, George Bloomfield) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series - (Paul Haggis and David Shore for Hawk and a Handsaw) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Direction in a Dramatic or Series - (Jerry Ciccoritti for Gift of the Wheelman) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Sound - (Brian Avery, Allen Ormerod, Keith Elliot, Michael Werth, Jann Delpuech for Victoria's Secret) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Dramatic Series - (Jeff King and Bob Wertheimer) (1997)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series - (Paul Gross, Robert B. Carney, John Krizanc for Mountie on the Bounty - Part 2) (1998)
|-
| Gemini, Best Visual Effects - (Jon Campfens, Barb Benoit, John Cox, Mark Savela for Call of the Wild, Part 2) (1999)
|}
(1998), Paul Gross
(1999), Gordon Pinsent
(1998), Tom Melissis (1997, 1998, 1999), Tony Craig
(1997), Catherine Bruhier (1998, 1999) and Jay Semko
(1998, 1999). Draco (Diefenbaker) and his trainer, Gail Parker, were guests in both 1998 and 1999
After a nine-year hiatus, the convention was revived in 2008, with guest panels from David Marciano
, Jay Semko
, Tom Melissis, Catherine Bruhier, and Gail Parker with Cinder, Draco's sister and stunt-double. Another convention was held in August 2010, with Paul Gross
, Jay Semko
, Tom Melissis, Camilla Scott
, Tony Craig, Catherine Bruhier, and Ramona Milano.
RCW 139: From a Million Miles is planned for 17-19 August 2012 in Toronto.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
crime drama series with elements of comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
. The series was created by Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:...
, produced by Alliance Communications
Alliance Communications
Alliance Communications was a former Canadian-based movie distribution company. Based in Toronto, Ontario the company was formed in 1984 by Stephen Roth, Denis Heroux, John Kemeny, Robert Lantos and Jay Firestone. It acquired a Montreal-based Francophone production company, Vivafilm, in 1990. In...
, and stars Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
, David Marciano
David Marciano
David Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
, and latterly Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie is a British-born Canadian television and film actor. He started his career in Canadian film and television projects, where his portrayal of Stanley Raymond Kowalski in the TV series Due South was his first international success...
. It ran for 67 episodes over four seasons, from 1994 to 1999.
Set in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, the show follows the adventures of Constable Benton Fraser
Benton Fraser
Constable Benton Fraser is a fictional character in the television series Due South. He is a constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who works in the American city of Chicago, Illinois as Deputy Liaison Officer. He lives in a dangerous neighbourhood at the fictional address of apartment 3J...
(Paul Gross), a Mountie of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP), who is attached to the Canadian consulate but works with Detective Raymond Vecchio
Raymond Vecchio
Detective First Grade Raymond "Ray" Vecchio is a fictional character in the television series Due South. He is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, serving with the 27th Precinct. The character is portrayed by actor David Marciano.-Character:...
of the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
to solve crimes, assisted by Fraser's companion Diefenbaker, a deaf white wolfdog
Wolfdog
A wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
. From season three, Fraser works with a Detective Stanley Kowalski (Callum Rennie), who is placed in the department to impersonate Detective Vecchio, who goes on an undercover assignment.
The premise of such a working relationship is established in the pilot episode when Fraser is temporarily posted to Chicago to assist Vecchio in the investigation of the murder of Fraser's father, who was also of the RCMP. In the process of finding them, he also exposes an environmental corruption scandal involving some members of the RCMP, causing much embarrassment and loss of jobs in his native Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, which leaves him persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
in Canada and within the RCMP and posted permanently to Chicago.
A police dramedy, it plays on the stereotypical differences between Canadian and American culture, and in particular, Fraser's extremely polite persona and exceptional tracking and detection abilities, contrasted with Detective Vecchio's more robust personality and methods.
History
Due South originally debuted as a television movieTelevision movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
in Canada and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After higher-than-anticipated ratings, Due South was turned into a continuing drama series in 1994. It was the first Canadian-made series to have a prime time slot on a major US network. However, CBS moved its time slot continuously and often preempted it with other programs, so maintaining an audience was a challenge.
After the 24-episode first season, CBS cancelled the series, but due to the show's success in Canada and the United Kingdom, the production company raised sufficient money for a second 18-episode season, which ran from 1995 to 1996. The show was once again shown on CBS in late 1995 (CBS ordered an additional five episodes but aired only four of them), but CBS did not renew the series.
After a one-year hiatus, CTV revived the series in 1997 with international investment (from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, and TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
), and it ran for two further seasons, until 1999. In the United States, seasons three and four were packaged together as a single 26-episode season for syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
. The post-1997 episodes have been labelled a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
from the original series.. Despite critical acclaim and a consistently warm reception by American audiences, Due South never became a huge hit in the United States; however, it was one of the most highly rated regular series ever aired on a Canadian network. The show remains popular in the United Kingdom, and became one of the few non-British shows to have a prime-time weeknight slot on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. In the UK, Due South aired on Tuesdays from 9 May 1995, earning critical acclaim with comparisons to Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a total of 110 episodes.-Overview:The series was given a pair of consecutive Peabody Awards: in 1991–92 for the show's "depict[ion] in a comedic and often poetic way, [of] the cultural clash between a...
and ratings of over eight million, until a switch in June to Fridays, being pulled from the schedule in July, and returned to Tuesdays in September. Season two aired Saturday nights from 27 July 1996 and fared similarly well, but was pulled from the schedules in October with five episodes of the season remaining. These were shown in January 1997. The BBC co-financed the third season but struggled to find a suitable slot on Saturday nights for it, and only five episodes of the series were shown in May and June 1998 with the remainder in daytime slots over Christmas 1998. The final season, broadcast from May to November 1999, was moved to BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
and consistently performed well, with ratings of over two million viewers, regularly appearing in the top-ten weekly shows for the channel. Upon the end of the series in 1999, BBC Two immediately began to screen repeats, and the series was also rescreened on ITV3
ITV3
ITV3 is an entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom that is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. The channel was launched on 1 November 2004. ITV3 is the second largest UK multi-channel, second only to ITV2.-History:...
in 2006. and from 18 October 2010, again on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
Story overview
The premise of the series centres on an Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
named Benton Fraser
Benton Fraser
Constable Benton Fraser is a fictional character in the television series Due South. He is a constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who works in the American city of Chicago, Illinois as Deputy Liaison Officer. He lives in a dangerous neighbourhood at the fictional address of apartment 3J...
(Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
) who travels to Chicago to solve the murder of his father; this is how he meets his soon-to-be partner, Ray Vecchio
Raymond Vecchio
Detective First Grade Raymond "Ray" Vecchio is a fictional character in the television series Due South. He is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, serving with the 27th Precinct. The character is portrayed by actor David Marciano.-Character:...
(David Marciano
David Marciano
David Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
), a tough, streetwise cop. Accompanied by his half-wolf Diefenbaker (who adopted Fraser after saving his life, and is deaf, but can read lips), the investigation leads Fraser to uncover a plot by a company building a dam that is slowly killing the environment. This leads to the dam being shut down and many people losing their jobs. He also implicates corrupt members of the RCMP in the affair. This along with the loss of so many peoples' jobs makes him persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
in Canada, and he chooses to live in Chicago. This plot line is referred to repeatedly during the series, and from season three on he introduces himself to many by saying:
I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father and, for reasons which don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison to the Canadian consulate.
Benton Fraser is the archetypal Mountie: dogged, polite, and compulsively truthful; the themes of the series often featured his rigid moral code being tested by the cynical realities of Chicago life. Being overly polite, Fraser's probably best known short quotes were: "thank you kindly" when he found himself in trouble; an understated "oh dear"; and, when faced with contradictory circumstances from other characters, an all-knowing and eloquently stated "understood". A little more unusual is his encyclopedic knowledge of trivia (this is attributed to his grandparents having been librarians); a range of uncanny abilities, most notably his ability to sniff and lick refuse from the streets to gain clues about crimes, the way he can fall into a dumpster or other waste heap and emerge completely spotless and unwrinkled, and the way every woman he encounters falls madly in love with him, including his boss Margaret (Meg) Thatcher and Ray's sister Francesca; his total obliviousness to this and the fact that he rarely pursues any of the offers the ladies extend to him is part of his charm.
The show falls somewhere between a cop show and a comedy show. Although superficially following the police drama format, the comedy derives from outrageous plots, the self-deprecating Canadian and the American stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s, and the occasional fantasy elements such as the regular visits paid to the Mountie by his father's ghost, whose advice varies between helpful and absurdly useless. When the latter, Benton is moved to ask "Are there any psychologists in the afterlife? People who can help you?" The scenes are played deadly seriously by the actors. The tone of the show and much of the comedy derived from Fraser's supernormal detective ability. For instance, in one episode, Fraser tracks down a suspect by smelling the breath of a rat to determine the brand of barbecued ribs it had been eating. Another recurring gag is Fraser standing guard motionlessly in front of the Canadian consulate, while a passerby attempts to make him move or speak.
Marciano, the original Ray, did not appear in the post-1997 episodes, save for the first and last episodes, but was replaced by Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie is a British-born Canadian television and film actor. He started his career in Canadian film and television projects, where his portrayal of Stanley Raymond Kowalski in the TV series Due South was his first international success...
as Stanley Raymond Kowalski, a detective who was under orders to impersonate Vecchio while the real Vecchio was undercover. Marciano did return for the series finale, in which Vecchio ran off to Florida with Kowalski's ex-wife, Stella. In the last episode, Benton and his father's ghost finally solve Benton's mother's murder. This results in the ghost's departure. The series ends with Benton and Kowalski in search of the graves of the Franklin expedition. This missing expedition is immortalized in the Canadian folk song "Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage (song)
"Northwest Passage" is one of the best-known songs by Canadian musician Stan Rogers. An a cappella song, it features Rogers alone singing the verses, with several guest vocalists harmonizing with him in the chorus...
", which Paul Gross sings in the episode.
Main characters
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Character
! Actor/Actress
! Episodes
|-
| Constable Benton Fraser
| Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Detective Raymond Vecchio
| David Marciano
David Marciano
David Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
| 1.00-2.18 main cast, 3.01, 3.25, 3.26 recurring
|-
| Diefenbaker
| Newman (pilot)
Lincoln (Seasons 1-2)
Draco (Season 3)
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Lieutenant Harding Welsh
| Beau Starr
Beau Starr
Beau Starr is an American actor who has starred in movies and on television. He is known for his film role as Sheriff Ben Meeker in the 1988 hit horror movie Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers; he reprised his role in the 1989 sequel Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.Starr was born...
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Elaine Besbriss
| Catherine Bruhier
| 1.00-3.03
|-
| Detective Jack Huey
| Tony Craig
| 1.00-3.26
|-
| Detective Louis Gardino
| Daniel Kash
Daniel Kash
Daniel Joshua Kash is a Canadian actor and director.He was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Canadian opera singer Maureen Forrester and violinist/conductor Eugene Kash. He is also the brother of actress Linda Kash. He studied at the Drama Center in London, England and has appeared in dozens...
| 1.00-2.07 main cast, 2.18 recurring
|-
| Sgt. Bob Fraser
Robert Fraser (Due South)
Sergeant Robert J. Fraser, often called Bob Fraser and referred to as Fraser Sr to distinguish from his son, is a fictional character in the television series Due South portrayed by Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent.-Character:...
| Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Edward Pinsent, CC, FRSC is a Canadian television, theatre and film actor.-Early life:Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Flossie ; originally from Clifton, Newfoundland, and Stephen Arthur Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler;...
| 1.00, 1.03, 1.10, 1.16, 1.17, 1.20-1.22, 2.01, 2.03, 2.04, 2.09, 2.14, 2.18 recurring, 3.01-3.26 main cast
|-
| Francesca Vecchio
| Ramona Milano
Ramona Milano
Ramona Milano is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Francesca Vecchio in Due South and more recently Audra Torres in Degrassi: The Next Generation...
| 1.00, 1.04, 1.05, 1.17, 1.19, 1.20, 2.02, 2.10, 2.16, 2.18, 3.01, 3.03 recurring, 3.04-3.26 main cast
|-
| Inspector Meg Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher (Due South)
Inspector Margaret Thatcher is a fictional character in the television series Due South. She is an inspector of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who works in the American city of Chicago, Illinois. The character is portrayed by Canadian actress Camilla Scott.-Character:Thatcher shares her name...
| Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott is a Canadian actress and television host.-Biography:Scott's first job was a cashier at the Canadian grocery chain Dominion when she was age 15...
| 2.02, 2.03, 2.05, 2.06, 2.09, 2.10, 2.12-2.15, 2.17, 2.18 recurring, 3.01-3.26 main cast
|-
| Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski
| Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie is a British-born Canadian television and film actor. He started his career in Canadian film and television projects, where his portrayal of Stanley Raymond Kowalski in the TV series Due South was his first international success...
| 3.01-3.26
|-
| Detective Thomas E. Dewey
| Tom Melissis
| 3.01-3.26
Recurring characters
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Character
! Actor/Actress
! Episodes
|-
| Dennis Argyle
| Domenic Cuzzocrea
| 1.01, 1.04, 2.08
|-
| Mackenzie King
| Madolyn Smith Osborne
Madolyn Smith Osborne
Madolyn Smith Osborne is an American actress.Madolyn Smith Osborne may be best-known for her roles in the TV miniseries If Tomorrow Comes and the feature film Funny Farm, which co-starred Chevy Chase. In 1984, she appeared in 2010, with Roy Scheider...
(season 1) / Maria Bello
Maria Bello
Maria Elena Bello is an American actress and singer known for her appearances in the movies Coyote Ugly, The Jane Austen Book Club, Permanent Midnight, Thank You for Smoking, A History of Violence, Payback, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. For television she is known for her role as Dr...
(season 2)
| 1.02, 2.08
|-
| Sgt. Buck Frobisher
| Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
| 1.03, 2.14, 3.25, 3.26
|-
| F.B.I. Agent Ford
| Alex Carter
| 1.06, 1.19, 2.14, 2.17, 3.09
|-
| F.B.I. Agent Deeter
| Mark Melymick
| 1.06, 1.19, 2.14, 2.17, 3.09
|-
| Mr Vecchio
| David Calderisi
| 1.10, 1.20, 1.21, 2.01
|-
| Father Behan
| Shay Duffin
Shay Duffin
Shay Duffin was an Irish-born American character actor of the stage and screen. Was in the 1993 film Leprechaun. He also had a role in the 1997 film Titanic....
| 1.12, 1.17, 1.20, 1.21
|-
| Ian McDonald
| Rino Romano
Rino Romano
Rino Romano is a Canadian voice actor who has portrayed Batman in the animated series The Batman, Spider-Man in Spider-Man Unlimited, and Tuxedo Mask in the English dub of the anime Sailor Moon...
| 1.14, 2.11
|-
| Frankie Zuko
| Jim Bracchitta
| 1.17, 2.07
|-
| D.A. Louise St. Laurent
| Lee Purcell
Lee Purcell
Lee Purcell is an American actress and writer-producer who has starred in films including Mr. Majestyk, Big Wednesday, Stir Crazy, and Valley Girl. She has also appeared in numerous television and stage productions.-Early life:Purcell was born at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North...
| 1.19, 1.20, 2.03-2.07
|-
| Constable Renfield Turnbull
| Dean McDermott
Dean McDermott
Dean McDermott is a Canadian-American actor best known in the United States for having married Victoria Davey "Tori" Spelling, with whom he appeared in the observational documentary shows Tori & Dean: Inn Love and Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, and for having acted out the role of Constable...
| 2.04, 2.14, 3.01, 3.06, 3.10-3.15, 3.20-3.26
|-
| Assistant State Attorney Stella Kowalski
| Anne Marie Loder
Anne Marie Loder
Anne Marie Loder is a Canadian actress from St John's, Newfoundland, Canada. She is married to actor and director Peter DeLuise...
| 3.04, 3.07, 3.09, 3.21, 3.26
|-
| Dr Mort Gustafson
| Jan Rubes
Jan Rubes
Jan Ladislav Rubeš CM was a Czech-Canadian bass opera singer and actor.-Life and career:Rubeš was born in Volyně, Czechoslovakia, the son of Ružena and Jan Rubeš. Not too long after World War II, he graduated from the Prague Conservatoire and joined the Prague Opera House as a bass singer...
| 3.05, 3.08, 3.09, 3.12, 3.13, 3.25
|-
| Damian Kowalski
| Dan MacDonald
| 3.15, 3.19
Notable guest appearances
A number of high-profile actors have made a guest appearance in episodes:Season 1
- Richard MollRichard MollCharles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
, Teri PoloTeri PoloTheresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers...
and Al WaxmanAl WaxmanAlbert Samuel Waxman, CM, O.Ont was a Canadian actor and director of over 1000 productions on radio, television, film, and stage...
in episode 1.04 "They Eat Horses, Don't They?" - Holly ColeHolly ColeHolly Cole is a Canadian jazz singer, particularly popular in Canada and Japan for both her versatile and distinctive voice, along with her adventurous repertoire, which spans such divergent genres as show tunes, rock, and country music.-Holly Cole Trio:In 1983, Cole travelled to Toronto to seek a...
as herself, Lisa JakubLisa JakubLisa Jakub is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.-Early life and career:...
as Christina Nichols, and Ron LeaRon LeaRon Lea is a Canadian actor.Lea was born in Montreal and attended Concordia University before moving on to take acting training at the National Theatre School. His career took off after appearing in various local theatre productions. Lea can be seen in many movies on television, but may be most...
as her father the Canadian Ambassador, in episodes 1.07 and 1.08 "Chicago Holiday parts 1 and 2" - Natalie RadfordNatalie RadfordNatalie Radford is a Canadian actress. She has acted in various television shows and movies, including Darcy's Wild Life and Jewel.- Television :* Murdoch Mysteries - Daisy Hanson...
and Mark RuffaloMark RuffaloMark Alan Ruffalo is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He starred in films such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac, Shutter Island, Just Like Heaven, You Can Count on Me and The Kids Are All Right for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best...
as Louise and Vinnie Webber, in episode 1.09 "A Cop, a Mountie, and a Baby" - Tom McCamusTom McCamusTom McCamus is an award-winning Canadian film and theatre actor who is most widely known for his work on the science-fiction television show Mutant X....
as bank robber Jimmy Donnelly, Ryan PhillippeRyan PhillippeMatthew Ryan Phillippe , better known as Ryan Phillippe, is an American actor. After appearing on the soap opera One Life to Live, he came to fame in the late 1990s starring in a string of films, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions, and 54...
as Del Porter, and James Purcell as his father, getaway driver William Porter, in episode 1.10 "Gift of the Wheelmen" - Michael RileyMichael RileyMichael Riley is a Canadian actor and graduate of the National Theatre School in Montreal, Canada in 1984. Riley's first appearance was in the film No Man's Land...
as Walter Sparks, in episode 1.12 "A Hawk and a Handsaw" - Nicholas CampbellNicholas CampbellNicholas Campbell , sometimes credited as Nick Campbell, is a Canadian actor and filmmaker, who has won three Gemini Awards for acting. The movies Naked Lunch, Prozac Nation and the TV series Da Vinci's Inquest are some examples of his acting work.-Early life:Campbell was born in Toronto, Ontario,...
as Nigel Ellis, and Jane KrakowskiJane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
as Katherine Burns, in episode 1.18 "An Invitation to Romance" - Melina KanakaredesMelina KanakaredesMelina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides is an American actress. She is widely known for two starring roles on U.S. prime-time television drama series; playing Detective Stella Bonasera in CSI: NY and portraying Dr...
as Fraser's love interest Victoria Metcalf, in episodes 1.20 and 1.21 "Victoria's Secret parts 1 and 2" and episode 1.22 "Letting Go" - Jennifer DaleJennifer DaleJennifer Dale, née Ciurluini , is a Canadian television, dancer, and actress.- Early life :She is the sister of Canadian actress Cynthia Dale...
as Dr. Carter and Laurie HoldenLaurie HoldenHeather Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and human rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The...
as physiotherapist Jill Kennedy in episode 1.22 "Letting Go" (Holden received a 1996 Gemini Awards nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series)
Season 2
- Steve SmithSteve Smith (comedian)Steven "Steve" Smith, Jr., is a Canadian actor, writer and comedian.Smith was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Before turning to comedy, he studied engineering at the University of Waterloo and then worked a variety of jobs...
as Hamish Carter, in episode 2.01 "North" - Carrie-Anne MossCarrie-Anne Moss-External links:...
as Irene Zuko and Aaron AshmoreAaron AshmoreAaron Robert Ashmore is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in Smallville and as Steve Jinks in Warehouse 13. He is the twin brother of actor Shawn Ashmore.-Career:...
in a cameo, in episode 2.07 "Juliet is Bleeding" - Maria BelloMaria BelloMaria Elena Bello is an American actress and singer known for her appearances in the movies Coyote Ugly, The Jane Austen Book Club, Permanent Midnight, Thank You for Smoking, A History of Violence, Payback, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. For television she is known for her role as Dr...
as Mackenzie King, and Karl PrunerKarl PrunerKarl Pruner is a Canadian actor whose most notable work is in portraying Canadian Prime Minister John Turner in the 2002 mini-series Trudeau. He did not play Turner in the sequel Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making but did portray Frank Scott. Amongst his other work, he did voice acting as Beta Ray...
as John Taylor, in episode 2.08 "One Good Man, aka Thank You Kindly, Mr. Capra" - Ken ForeeKen ForeeKentotis Alvin "Ken" Foree is an American actor probably most famous as the hero Peter in Dawn of the Dead and Kenan & Kel as Roger, Kenan's dad.- Early life and career :Foree was born in Indianapolis, Indiana...
as thief Macon Lacroix, and Maria Rangel as detective Anita Cortez, in episode 2.09 "The Edge" - Amanda TappingAmanda TappingAmanda Tapping is an English-born Canadian actress, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis...
as agent Audrey McKenna, in episode 2.11 "Starman" - Milton BerleMilton BerleMilton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
as ribs joint owner Shelley Litvak, and Lisa Engelman as dancer Ida Banks, in episode 2.15 "Body Language" - Colm FeoreColm FeoreColm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
as arsonist Charles Carver, in episode 2.16 "The Duel" - Kenneth WelshKenneth WelshKenneth Welsh, CM is a Canadian film and television actor . He is known to Twin Peaks fans as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle, and has more recently played the father of Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator.In 1984 he was nominated for a Genie Award as Best Actor for his...
as train hijacker Randal K. Bolt, in episodes 2.14 "Red, White, or Blue" and 2.17 "All the Queen's Horses"; and as Cyrus Bolt, in episode 3.26 "Call of the Wild part 2"
Season 3
- Jackie BurroughsJackie BurroughsJacqueline "Jackie" Burroughs was an English-born Canadian actress.-Life and career:Born in Lancashire, England, Burroughs acted in live theatre at Ontario's Stratford Festival...
as Gladys Caunce, in episode 3.02 "Eclipse" - Ron CanadaRon CanadaRon Canada is an American actor. He began as a television newscaster during the 1970s in the Baltimore-Washington area mainly on WBAL-TV Channel 11 in Baltimore, until the early 1980s when he became an actor. He was a tour guide at NBC studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza...
as boxing trainer Franco Devlin, in episode 3.05 "Mountie and Soul" - Wendy CrewsonWendy Crewson-Life and career:Crewson was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the daughter of June Doreen and Robert Binnie Crewson. She attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she won the prestigious Lorne Greene Award for outstanding work in the theater. She then studied at the Webber Douglas Academy...
as bounty hunter Janet Morse, in episode 3.06 "Bounty Hunter" - Anthony J. MifsudAnthony J. MifsudAnthony J. Mifsud is a Maltese-born Canadian actor, singer and songwriter. He performs professionally under the moniker Mif.Mif began his entertainment career as the front man and vocalist for the award-winning Canadian hard rock/heavy metal musical group Slash Puppet , originally under the stage...
as hit man Johhny Maigot, in episode 3.07 "Seeing is Believing" - Martha BurnsMartha BurnsMartha Burns is an award-winning Canadian actress known for her stage work and youth outreach in Ontario and her leading role as Ellen Fanshaw in the TV dramedy series Slings and Arrows.Burns was born 1958 in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
as Russian spy Nadia, Maury ChaykinMaury ChaykinMaury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
as Pike, and Eric ChristmasEric ChristmasEric Cuthbert Christmas was a British stage and screen actor, with over 40 films and several more television roles to his credit. He was well-known for his role as Mr. Carter, the principal of Angel Beach High School, in the 1982 hit comedy Porky's, the 1983 sequel Porky's II: The Next Day, and...
as chess player Albert Hanrahan, in episode 3.08 "Spy vs. Spy" - Douglas CampbellDouglas Campbell (actor)Douglas Campbell, CM was a Canadian-based stage actor. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland.-Acting career:...
in episodes 3.12 and 3.13 "Mountie on the Bounty parts 1 and 2" - Art HindleArt HindleArthur Hindle is a Canadian actor and director.Hindle was born in Halifax. His family moved to Toronto while he was a child. Although shy as a youngster, he grew to be a rebellious and independent teenager...
in episode 3.18 "The Ladies' Man" - Maury Chaykin as Jasper Gutman, in episode 3.19 "Mojo Rising"
- Michael Hogan and Michelle WrightMichelle WrightMichelle Wright is a Canadian country music artist. She is one of the country's most widely recognized and awarded female country singers of the 1990s, winning the Canadian Country Music Association's Fans' Choice Award twice...
as a country singer and her business manager in episode 3.20 "Mountie Sings the Blues" - Jessica SteenJessica SteenJessica Steen is a film and television actress, noted for her roles in Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, Homefront, Earth 2, Armageddon, Left Behind: World at War, NCIS, and Flashpoint....
in episode 3.24 "Hunting Season" as Constable Maggie MacKenzie - Martha Burns as Fraser's mother, in episode 3.26 "Call of the Wild part 2"
Diefenbaker
Diefenbaker (Dief for short) is one of the major charactersFictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
. He is part dog, part wolf
Wolfdog
A wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
, originally from northern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who now lives in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with his owner, Fraser
Benton Fraser
Constable Benton Fraser is a fictional character in the television series Due South. He is a constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who works in the American city of Chicago, Illinois as Deputy Liaison Officer. He lives in a dangerous neighbourhood at the fictional address of apartment 3J...
. He is named after former Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
John George Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
. He has several puppies or cubs, two of whom are named Sunshine and Buster, by a Husky
Husky
Husky is a general name for a type of dog originally used to pull sleds in northern regions, differentiated from other sled dog types by their fast hard pulling style...
named Maggie.
Diefenbaker met Fraser when the Mountie found him in an abandoned mine. Diefenbaker later pulled Fraser out of Prince Rupert Sound, saving the Mountie's life, but also bursting the wolf's eardrum
Eardrum
The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, is a thin membrane that separates the external ear from the middle ear in humans and other tetrapods. Its function is to transmit sound from the air to the ossicles inside the middle ear. The malleus bone bridges the gap between the eardrum and the other ossicles...
s - which resulted in, according to Fraser, Diefenbaker's deafness. Whether Diefenbaker is actually deaf, and not just suffering from selective hearing, is up to the viewer. Diefenbaker is apparently able to read lips, in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
. Diefenbaker has stayed with Fraser ever since and has gone wherever the Mountie is posted.
Diefenbaker is extremely loyal to Fraser, if sometimes disobedient, and will attack someone if required to defend Fraser. He is usually quite laid back - for a wolf. Since moving to Chicago, (for which Fraser's friend Detective Ray Vecchio forged him a special "wolf permit"), Diefenbaker has developed a taste for junk food
Junk food
Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods that are perceived to have little or no nutritional value ; to products with nutritional value, but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten; or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all...
, much to Fraser's despair.
The role of Diefenbaker was played in the pilot movie by a mixed breed named Newman, then in the rest of seasons 1 and 2 by a purebred Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family...
named Lincoln. When the show was brought back for season 3, Lincoln was replaced by another purebred Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family...
named Draco, whose sister, Cinder, did most of his stunts. A variety of stunt dogs were used throughout the series, and fake dogs have also been used in some scenes.
Diefenbaker received the first fan mail for the series. Draco appeared on the officially licensed merchandise t-shirt of Diefenbaker.
Naming this character after a famous Canadian particularly appeals to the Canadian audience of the series. Aniko Brodroghkozy asserts in an article in Hop on Pop:
The only reason why the use of these… names would be funny to Canadians… was because such references would be unknown to Americans who Canadian viewers knew would be watching the show in the United States.
Production
Filming was mostly done in Toronto, Ontario, which was used as a stand-in for Chicago. In many episodes a Toronto Transit CommissionToronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
bus can be seen in the background. In others, prominent city landmarks such as the CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
and the Union Station
Union Station (Toronto)
Union Station is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Toronto, located on Front Street West and occupying the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street in the central business district. The station building is owned by the City of Toronto, while the...
can be glimpsed. The U.S. Consulate in Toronto was used for exterior shots of the supposed Canadian Consulate in Chicago. In a move typical of the production, Chicago was used in one episode to represent Toronto.
Books
Due South: The Official Companion by Geoff Tibballs was published in May 1998 containing basic information on the series and cast and brief episodes synopses up to the end of the third season. Another illustrated companion, Due South: The Official Guide by John A. Macdonald, was published in December 1998. It contains some interviews with the characters and bios of the cast.A number of paperback novelizations by Tom McGregor were published, including Death in the Wilderness based on the pilot movie, An Invitation to Romance based on the episodes "An Invitation to Romance" and "Gift of the Wheelman", All the Queen's Horses based on "All the Queen's Horses" and "Red, White or Blue", and Vaulting North based on "North" and "Vault".
Videos
The pilot two-hour movie was originally released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in 1996, but individual episodes had been released prior to this throughout 1995 on VHS with two episodes per tape. In 1998, the season three and the season four two-part finales were released. In November 2002, the Due South Giftset was released containing the pilot movie and episodes Mountie on the Bounty and Call of the Wild.
DVD releases
Alliance Home EntertainmentAlliance Films
Alliance Films is a major Canadian motion picture distribution/production company, which serves Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.-History:It was formed in 1984 by Stephen Roth, Denis Heroux, John Kemeny, Robert Lantos and Jay...
released all 4 seasons on DVD in Canada only. The pilot episode is included on the third season release as a bonus feature.
In the US, Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released the series on DVD in 2005. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together as Due South: Season 3. They also released a series set on 6 May 2008.
In Region 2, Network DVD
Network DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
released the series on DVD in the UK. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together as Due South: The Complete Third Series.
In Region 4, Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
released the series on DVD in Australia. Seasons 3 and 4 were released as Due South: Season 3.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"|DVD Name
! rowspan="2"|Ep#
! colspan="4"|Release dates
|-
! Region 1 (Canada)
! Region 1 (US)
! Region 2
! Region 4
|-
| Due South: Season 1
| style="text-align:center;"|22
| 26 November 2002
| 23 November 2005
| 30 January 2006
| 16 August 2006
|-
| Due South: Season 2
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| 5 August 2003
| 30 August 2005
| 29 May 2006
| 29 September 2007
|-
| Due South: Season 3
| style="text-align:center;"|26
| 21 September 2004
| 11 November 2005
| 4 September 2006
| 30 June 2009
|-
| Due South: The Complete Series
| style="text-align:center;"|68
| N/A
| 6 May 2008
| 23 October 2006
| N/A
|}
Soundtrack
The producers of Due South sought to showcase various Canadian artists within the show's episodes, with many of the featured tracks released on CD soundtrack. The show's theme was written and composed by Jay SemkoJay Semko
Jay Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. He is also a music composer for numerous film and television productions, most notably the successful Canadian television series Due South...
of The Northern Pikes
The Northern Pikes
The Northern Pikes are a Canadian rock band formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1984. The original members were Bryan Potvin, Jay Semko, Merl Bryck and Glen Hollingshead. Hollingshead left the band in 1985, and was replaced by Don Schmid in 1986...
(who recorded a version of the song with lyrics, played during the shows closing credits) working with Jack Lenz
Jack Lenz
Jack Lenz is a Canadian Bahá'í composer. He has written, performed, and produced music for film, television, and theatre, along with working on non-soundtrack album ventures. He is also the founder of Live Unity Enterprises, an organization devoted to the production of music for the Bahá'í...
and John McCarthy. Semko also scored the first two seasons of Due South. In November 1996, the first album was released, including an in-character soliloquy
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone. Soliloquy is distinct from monologue and...
by Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
on the subject of bravery, taken directly from the episode "An Eye for an Eye".
When the show returned for its third season, Semko returned to complete the second soundtrack. The second soundtrack album was released in June 1998. Both albums are filled largely with the vocals used in the series; most of the incidental music has not yet been released on CD.
- Due South: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South: The Original Television Soundtrack was a soundtrack album for the Canadian television series Due South, released in 1996.-Track listing:# Jay Semko, "Due South Theme"# Spirit of the West, "Bone of Contention"...
(1996) - Due South, Volume II: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South, Volume II: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South, Volume II: The Original Television Soundtrack was the second soundtrack album for the Canadian television series Due South, released in 1998.-Track listing:# Junkhouse, "Oh, What A Feeling"# Captain Tractor, "Drunken Sailor"...
(1998)
The final scene of the series was set to Stan Rogers
Stan Rogers
Stanley Allison "Stan" Rogers was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter.Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing...
' "Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage (song)
"Northwest Passage" is one of the best-known songs by Canadian musician Stan Rogers. An a cappella song, it features Rogers alone singing the verses, with several guest vocalists harmonizing with him in the chorus...
", a classic Canadian folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
song that has been referred to as an unofficial Canadian anthem.
Awards
Over the three-season run of the series, Due South and its cast and crew earned a number of awards. Most significantly, the show earned 53 Canadian GeminiGemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
nominations, winning 15, including Best Dramatic TV series three years running (1995–1997). Paul Gross won Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role two years running (1995–1996) and creator Paul Haggis won Best Writing in a Dramatic Series the same two years.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Winner
! Award
|-
| rowspan="2"|Paul Gross
| Gemini, Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (1996)
|-
| rowspan="2"|Gordon Pinsent
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Earle Grey Award (1997)
|-
| Brent Carver
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role Dramatic Series (1998)
|-
| Wendy Crewson
| Gemini, Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role Dramatic Series (1998)
|-
| rowspan="10"|Production Awards
| Gemini, Best Dramatic TV Series - (Paul Haggis, Kathy Slevin, Jeff King) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best TV Movie - (Paul Haggis, Jean Desormeaux, Jeff King) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series (Kathy Slevin and Paul Haggis for The Pilot) (1995)
|-
| Gemini, Best Dramatic Series - (Paul Haggis, Jeff King, Kathy Slevin, George Bloomfield) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series - (Paul Haggis and David Shore for Hawk and a Handsaw) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Direction in a Dramatic or Series - (Jerry Ciccoritti for Gift of the Wheelman) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Sound - (Brian Avery, Allen Ormerod, Keith Elliot, Michael Werth, Jann Delpuech for Victoria's Secret) (1996)
|-
| Gemini, Best Dramatic Series - (Jeff King and Bob Wertheimer) (1997)
|-
| Gemini, Best Writing in a Dramatic Series - (Paul Gross, Robert B. Carney, John Krizanc for Mountie on the Bounty - Part 2) (1998)
|-
| Gemini, Best Visual Effects - (Jon Campfens, Barb Benoit, John Cox, Mark Savela for Call of the Wild, Part 2) (1999)
|}
Critical reception
Fraser's methods, usually more sensitive and understanding than is typical for police work, gave the series a reputation for well-rounded characters.Fan conventions
A number of fan conventions were organized by Due South fans during the 1990s, the biggest and best-known of which was RCW 139, so named after the recurring license plate number. RCW 139 was held annually in Toronto between 1996 and 1999, attracting approximately 300 fans from more than 10 countries in both 1998 and 1999. The convention featured games, discussion panels, a formal dinner, and guest panels. Numerous cast and crew members have attended, including David MarcianoDavid Marciano
David Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
(1998), Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
(1999), Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Edward Pinsent, CC, FRSC is a Canadian television, theatre and film actor.-Early life:Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Flossie ; originally from Clifton, Newfoundland, and Stephen Arthur Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler;...
(1998), Tom Melissis (1997, 1998, 1999), Tony Craig
Tony Craig
Tony Craig is an English footballer who currently plays for Leyton Orient on loan from Millwall.Craig initially came through the youth ranks at Millwall, and made his Lions debut away at Nottingham Forest late in the 2002-03 season.He had a short loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers midway through the...
(1997), Catherine Bruhier (1998, 1999) and Jay Semko
Jay Semko
Jay Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. He is also a music composer for numerous film and television productions, most notably the successful Canadian television series Due South...
(1998, 1999). Draco (Diefenbaker) and his trainer, Gail Parker, were guests in both 1998 and 1999
After a nine-year hiatus, the convention was revived in 2008, with guest panels from David Marciano
David Marciano
David Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
, Jay Semko
Jay Semko
Jay Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. He is also a music composer for numerous film and television productions, most notably the successful Canadian television series Due South...
, Tom Melissis, Catherine Bruhier, and Gail Parker with Cinder, Draco's sister and stunt-double. Another convention was held in August 2010, with Paul Gross
Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
, Jay Semko
Jay Semko
Jay Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. He is also a music composer for numerous film and television productions, most notably the successful Canadian television series Due South...
, Tom Melissis, Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott is a Canadian actress and television host.-Biography:Scott's first job was a cashier at the Canadian grocery chain Dominion when she was age 15...
, Tony Craig, Catherine Bruhier, and Ramona Milano.
RCW 139: From a Million Miles is planned for 17-19 August 2012 in Toronto.
External links
- A Due South retrospective at PaulGross.org
- BBC website, which lists Due South as a cult television show
- RCW 139, Due South fan convention