Due South

This article concerns the television program. For the television listings magazine, see Due South Magazine
Due South
DueSouth2.jpg
Due South title screen
Format Comedy-drama
Created by Paul Haggis
Starring Paul Gross
David Marciano
Callum Keith Rennie
Country of origin  Canada
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 68 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time 45 minutes approx.
Broadcast
Original channel CTV
CBS[1]
Original run September 22, 1994 – December 10, 1999

Due South is a Canadian television police comedy-drama from the 1990s.[2] It was created by Paul Haggis and produced by Alliance Communications.[3] The show first aired in 1994, and ran until 1999. It followed the adventures of fictional Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Constable Benton Fraser and his wolf companion, Diefenbaker, who find themselves living and working in Chicago. Fraser's methods, usually more sensitive and understanding than is typical for police work, gave the series a reputation for well rounded characters.[4]

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'. Another humorous angle of the show was that his sidekick, a wolf named Diefenbaker, though deaf, could read lips.

Contents

History

Due South originally debuted as a made for television movie aired on CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States. After higher than anticipated ratings, Due South was turned into a continuing drama series with its first season launching late in 1994. It was the first Canadian-made series to earn 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.[5]

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 - 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 again in 1996, CBS refused to renew the series.[6]

After a one-year hiatus, CTV revived the series in 1997 with international investment (from the BBC, ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG in Germany, and the French company TF1), and it ran for two further seasons, until 1999. In the United States, seasons three and four were packaged together as a single third (26 episode) season for syndication. The post-1997 episodes have been labelled a spin-off from the original series by some references, but were in fact titled Season Three and Season Four. 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 and remains highly regarded and popular in the United Kingdom, where it was initially broadcast on BBC One in 1995,[7] and later shown on BBC Two between 1996 and 2002 and on ITV3 since 2006.

Story overview

Fraser, Diefenbaker & Vecchio

The basic premise of the series centres on an Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constable named Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) who travels to Chicago to solve the murder of his father; this is how he first 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:

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. A little more unusual is his encyclopedic knowledge of virtually everything, however obscure (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 stereotypes, 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 plays 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 to the far north is immortalized in Canadian folk song by Stan Rogers: 'Northwest Passage', which Paul Gross sings in the episode.)

Cast

Main characters

Character Actor/Actress Seasons[8]
Constable Benton Fraser Paul Gross 1-4
Detective Raymond Vecchio David Marciano 1-2,3 (1 episode) & 4 (2 episodes)
Diefenbaker Newman (pilot)
Lincoln (Seasons 1-2)
Draco (Seasons 3-4)		 1-4
Lieutenant Harding Welsh Beau Starr 1-4
Elaine Besbriss Catherine Bruhier 1-3
Detective Jack Huey Tony Craig 1-4
Detective Louis Gardino Daniel Kash 1-2
Francesca Vecchio Ramona Milano 1-4
Inspector Meg Thatcher Camilla Scott 2-4
Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski Callum Keith Rennie 3-4
Detective Thomas E. Dewey Tom Melissis 3-4
Constable Renfield Turnbull Dean McDermott 2-4
Sgt. Buck Frobisher Leslie Nielsen 1-2,4
Sgt. Bob Fraser Gordon Pinsent 1-4

Major guest appearances

Notable guest appearances (Canadian celebrities)

The show has featured a number of respected and well-known Canadian actors and celebrities, including:

Notable guest appearances (Hollywood actors)

In addition, the show has featured a number of guest appearances by well-known Hollywood stars, as well as actors who have since become more famous in later roles, including:

Diefenbaker

Diefenbaker (Dief for short) is one of the major characters. He is part dog, part wolf,[9] 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, two of whom are named Sunshine and Buster, by a husky named Maggie.[10]

Diefenbaker first 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 eardrums - 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.[11] When the show was brought back for seasons 3 and 4, Lincoln was replaced by another purebred Siberian Husky named Draco[12], whose sister, Cinder, did most of his stunts.[13] A variety of stunt dogs were used throughout the series, and fake dogs have also been used in some scenes.[14] [15]

Diefenbaker received the first fan mail for the series.[16] Draco appeared on the officially licensed merchandise t-shirt of Diefenbaker.[17]

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.[18]

Production

Filming was mostly done in Toronto, Ontario, which was used as a stand-in for Chicago. In many episodes a Toronto Transit Commission bus can be seen to pass by 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.

Episodes

Media

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 paper-back novelizations of a selection of episodes by Tom McGregor were later 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 VHS in 1996, but individual episodes had been released prior to this throughout 1995 on VHS with two episodes per tape. Finally, 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 Entertainment released all 4 seasons on DVD in Canada only. Note: the pilot episode is included on the third season release as a bonus feature.

In the US, Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released the entire series on DVD in 2005. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together in the release entitled: Due South: Season 3. They also released a complete series set on May 6, 2008.

In Region 2, Network DVD released the entire series on DVD in the UK. Seasons 3 and 4 were released together in the release entitled: Due South: The Complete Third Series.

In Region 4, Madman Entertainment released the entire series on DVD in Australia. As with the UK release, seasons 3 and 4 have been released together in the release entitled: Due South: Season 3.

DVD Name Ep# Release dates
Region 1 (Canada) Region 1 (US) Region 2 Region 4
Due South: Season 1 22 November 26, 2002[19] November 23, 2005 January 30, 2006 August 16, 2006
Due South: Season 2 18 August 5, 2003[20] August 30. 2005 May 29, 2006 September 29, 2007
Due South: Season 3 13 September 21, 2004[21] November 11, 2005 September 4, 2006 June 30, 2009
Due South: Season 4 13 September 27, 2005[22]
Due South: The Complete Series 68 N/A May 6, 2008[23] October 23, 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 eventually being released on to CD soundtrack. The show's distinctive theme was written and composed by Jay Semko of the rock band 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, and bears a resemblance to the cascading chorus interlude from Deep Blue Something's Breakfast at Tiffany's. . Semko went on to score the first two seasons of Due South.[24] In November 1996, the first album was released containing 17 tracks, one of which was 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 and fourth seasons Semko returned once again to complete the second soundtrack.[24] The second soundtrack album was released in June 1998 containing 16 tracks from the final two seasons. 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 which has been referred to as an unofficial Canadian anthem.[25]

Awards

Over the four-season run of the series, Due South and its cast and crew earned a number of awards. Most significantly, the show earned 53 Canadian Gemini nominations, winning 15 in total, 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 running.

The following table summarizes awards won by the Due South cast and crew:

Winner Award
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)
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)
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)

Cultural references

The series was known for its extensive use of in-jokes for character names. The characters who appeared over the course of the series included Dawn Charest (an allusion that conflates iconic ice hockey commentator Don Cherry with politician Jean Charest, who for most of the show's run was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada), an RCMP inspector named Meg Thatcher (alluding to Margaret Thatcher), Doctor Esther Pearson (an allusion to Lester B. Pearson), newspaper reporter Mackenzie King, and a trio of police agents named Huey, Dewey and Louis (the "Dewey" was named Thomas E. Dewey, alluding to the 1940s New York governor and unsuccessful U.S. Presidential candidate). As well, Stanley Kowalski's wife was, unsurprisingly, named Stella. When Fraser was asked by an official for his mother's maiden name, he answered, 'Pinsent' a reference to the actor who plays his father, Sgt. Bob Fraser, Gordon Pinsent. In the episode 'North', Steve Smith appears as a ticket agent in a small Canadian airport playing a character reminiscent of Red Green, and is actually credited by that name, rather than Smith. Vecchio angrily calls him 'Mr. Funny-hat.' Finally, Fraser's pet Diefenbaker is named for former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

In the episode "Dead Men Don't Throw Rice," the names of real-life professional hockey players Tie Domi, Teemu Selänne, Pavel Bure, and Esa Tikkanen are mentioned as menu items in a restaurant.[26] Ironically, only Domi is a native of Canada.

The radio and television series Sergeant Preston of the Yukon was an influence on writer Paul Haggis;[27] Diefenbaker's being named after a Prime Minister may be an allusion to Sergeant Preston's dog, who was named 'King.' There are also significant resemblances to Corporal Carrot and the werewolf Angua of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.[28]

The names 'Fraser' and 'Frobisher' are references to Canadian explorers, both connected to the search for commercial passages to the Pacific. Simon Fraser journeyed from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean in 1808. However, the Fraser River (named after him) turned out to be unusable as a trade route. Sir Martin Frobisher was a 16th Century explorer who attempted three voyages in search of a Northwest Passage, but did not make it further than Northeastern Canada.

International

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 Marciano (1998), Paul Gross (1999), Gordon Pinsent (1998), Tom Melissis (1997, 1998, 1999), Tony Craig (1997), Catherine Bruhier (1998, 1999) and Jay Semko (1998, 1999). Furthermore, 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, and was highlighted by guest panels from David Marciano, Jay Semko, Tom Melissis, Catherine Bruhier, and Gail Parker with Cinder, Draco's sister and stunt-double. Plans are currently underway for another RCW 139 convention, to be held in August 2010.

The following is a list of RCW 139 conventions:

References in other media

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "An Uncertain Future". Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-06-02/features/9506020011_1_due-south-david-marciano-benton-fraser. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  2. ↑ "Parting Company". Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-01-06/features/9801060051_1_constable-benton-fraser-due-south-episode. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  3. ↑ "When a Mountie's as Thick as a Brick". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1994-09-26/entertainment/ca-43258_1_due-south. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  4. ↑ "Giving 'Due South' Its Due". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1995-07-09/news/tv-21829_1_due-south. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  5. ↑ "Back On The Beat". Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-12-08/features/9512080038_1_due-south-constable-benton-fraser-time-slot. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  6. ↑ "CBS Flies 'Due South' for the Winter". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1995-12-08/entertainment/ca-11676_1_due-south. Retrieved 2010-08-30. 
  7. ↑ Truss, Lynne (May 10th 1995). "Even Heroes Cannot Always Be Believed". The Times: p. 43. "When BBC1 moves EastEnders, thereby upsetting the stomach-clocks of millions, there has to be a damn good reason. Last night, EastEnders started 15 minutes early to make way for Due South." 
  8. ↑ Season appearances from individual actor profiles on"The Internet Movie Database". http://www.imdb.com. Retrieved 2006-04-19. 
  9. ↑ Constable Fraser does not know what breed(s) the dog part is, “The Wild Bunch” 19:15.
  10. ↑ Ibid. 45:06.
  11. ↑ Rydbom, William (2007-12-11). "Lincoln Biography". http://home.hiwaay.net/~warydbom/duesouth/bios/lincoln.html. Retrieved 2008=02-22. 
  12. ↑ Rydbom, William (2007-01-06). "Draco Biography". http://home.hiwaay.net/~warydbom/duesouth/bios/draco.html. Retrieved 2008=02-22. 
  13. ↑ Dickenson, Elyse (2007-09-06). "Who is Diefenbaker?". http://home.hiwaay.net/~warydbom/duesouth/dief2.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-22. 
  14. ↑ The fake dogs were made in Canada by Walter Klassen FX.
  15. ↑ "Walter Klassen FX -- Dogs". http://www.walterklassen.com/Props/dogs.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-15. 
  16. ↑ "KEEKAWA SIBERIANS on TV series "DUE SOUTH"". http://www.magma.ca/~keekawa/duesouthinfo.html. Retrieved 2007-12-15. 
  17. ↑ "Due South - Merchandise". http://www.tour-de-france.cz/duesouth/merchandise_en.asp. Retrieved 2007-12-15. 
  18. ↑ Brodroghkozy, Aniko (2003). "As Canadian as Possible…: Anglo-Canadian Popular Culture and the American Other". In Jenkins, Henry; McPherson, Tara; Shattuc, Jane. Hop on Pop: The Politics and Pleasures of Popular Culture. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822327376 
  19. ↑ http://www.amazon.ca/Due-South-Complete-First-Season/dp/B00006RG6Y
  20. ↑ http://www.amazon.ca/Due-South-Season-Paul-Gross/dp/B00008IHE6
  21. ↑ http://www.amazon.ca/Due-South-Complete-Season-Original/dp/B0000YWKFO
  22. ↑ http://www.amazon.ca/Due-South-Season-Paul-Gross/dp/B00008YQ3T
  23. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Due-South-Ultimate-Collectors-Set/dp/B0017KP8Y0
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Jay Semko's Official Website". http://www.jaysemko.com/. Retrieved 2006-04-14. 
  25. ↑ "Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to end by leaving you with a line from Stan Rogers’ unofficial Canadian anthem – Northwest Passage." Address by the Prime Minister Stephen Harper, 17 August 2006 in Yellowknife.
  26. ↑ [1]
  27. ↑ Paul Haggis Q&A Session - 1999
  28. ↑ http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/reverse-annotations.html. See also Pratchett's tacit confirmation, e.g., in alt.books.pratchett, http://groups.google.com/group/alt.books.pratchett/msg/b881c937e0c424d5.
  29. ↑ Ratsapolitseinik kolib koos koeraga metsast Chicagosse. Postimees. February 2, 1999.
  30. ↑ Ulkomaiset tv-sarjat
  31. ↑ Katrineholms Kuriren

External links

Due South
Characters
Constable Benton Fraser · Diefenbaker · Inspector Margaret Thatcher · Constable Renfield Turnbull · Sergeant Bob Fraser · Sergeant Duncan "Buck" Frobisher · Raymond Vecchio · Stanley "Ray Vecchio" Kowalski
Others
Episodes · Due South: The Original Television Soundtrack · Due South, Volume II: The Original Television Soundtrack
Related
Royal Canadian Mounted Police · Chicago Police Department