I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that don’t need exploring at this juncture I’ve remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate. – Constable Benton Fraser
Is Due South the best Canadian television series ever made?
There’s one good way to answer that question: tune in to VisionTV this summer, and judge for yourself.
VisionTV presents the original two-hour Due South pilot on Tuesday, June 22, at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Regular episodes will air thereafter on Tuesdays, starting June 29, at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. PT.
The first Canadian-made drama series ever to land a prime time slot on a U.S. network (CBS), Due South racked up more than a dozen Gemini Awards, turned star Paul Gross (Gunless, Slings and Arrows) into Canada’s top leading man, and gathered a legion of fans around the world. Not bad for a show that had to be resurrected not once but twice from cancellation.
Created by Oscar-winning screenwriter, producer and director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby), Due South tells the story of Constable Benton Fraser (Gross), an upright and excruciatingly polite RCMP officer who, accompanied by his loyal canine companion Diefenbaker (a deaf, lip-reading half-wolf), finds himself fighting crime in Chicago with the help of streetwise detective Ray Vecchio (played by The Shield’s David Marciano).
Due South used its fish-out-of-water premise and the contrast between its leads – the honest, well-mannered Mountie and the brash, cynical cop – to slyly lampoon both Canadian and American stereotypes. Always witty and inventive, the show blended character-driven action-drama with its own unique brand of eccentric, sometimes surreal humour.
In seasons three and four, Battlestar Galactica’s Callum Keith Rennie would replace Marciano, joining the cast as Constable Fraser’s new partner, Detective Ray Kowalski. Camilla Scott, Beau Starr and Dean McDermott were among the other series regulars.
Canadian screen legend Gordon Pinsent (Away From Her) turned up frequently as the ghost of Fraser’s Mountie father, and their oftentimes absurd exchanges ranked among the show’s comic high points. Other memorable guest stars included Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun) as Sergeant Buck Frobisher of the RCMP, along with Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island), Colm Feore (24), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) and Melina Kanakaredes (CSI: NY).
The show’s writing talent included Paul Haggis’s fellow London, Ontario native David Shore, who went on to create the hit series House M.D.
Due South’s fan following extends to the UK, where the series aired on BBC One, and to the nearly 30 other countries where it has been seen. To this day, Due South lovers still gather periodically for conventions, with the next such event scheduled for August 13-15 in Toronto. For news and information, check out www.rcw139.org.
