Un tandem de choc

I was very disappointed to hear in 1995 that "Due South" was being canceled, because it was one of the few interesting Canadian/American endeavors to hit the tube in years. Paul Gross and David Marciano were well-matched as partners, and were what made the series fun. It's surprising that "Due South" rated so poorly in both Canada and America, because it had a wit and humor that is often lacking in some of the more popular American dramas. Benton Fraser (Gross) and Ray Vecchio (Marciano) launch pithy one-liners off of each other, never batting an eyelash when the other does something that seems outlandish to them. Fraser can be a tad over-exaggerated as a result of the American desire to create the stereotypical Canadian, but this seems to decrease somewhat in the second season, after the US stepped away from the show. Marciano continues through both seasons to be well-written and funny, both with his personal fashion sense and his large, over-bearing family. A nice get-away from the usual violent cop show.

The spirit of the pristine countryside out of which Paul Haggis' contemporary vision of the stalwart Mountie emerges was summoned to an unlikely place--downtown Chicago--and from it, "Due South" was born. My cynical side gave in to the sense of snow and suggestion of rarefied air, and the crisp figure of Paul Gross against them, as the character he plays--Constable Benton Fraser--greets the squalor and disorder of the big city with uncommon graciousness. Haggis must have intuited this gallantry would soon trigger the gag reflex of people like me, and mercifully introduced a comic turn, so his conception wouldn't turn insufferably "noble." Enter David Marciano as Chicago detective Ray Vecchio, and this vehicle burns rubber. You don't mind Haggis turning your disbelief on its head with Ray around. He's the lever that balances our doubts against the heroics that ensue. That is to say, if Ray doesn't mind being the butt of Haggis' jokes, why should we? And the laughs make the unwelcome moral at the end of each episode stick in a way it wouldn't with a graver approach.

I'm a sucker for themes where fathers try to redeem themselves in the eyes of their children, but if it's mawkish, I head for the remote control. There are at least two episodes like these that I can remember, both handled well. The one with the ex-con (and his partners-in-crime) soaked in gasoline contemplating suicide with a lit match in his hand, so his son can be set for life with the booty he's collected made my heart stop. The way Fraser talks him out of it had me swallowing hard. It was spellbinding.

I regret this series leaving the air. Gross and Marciano make for smashing buddy-buddy interplay--and I usually hate this kind of stuff. But Haggis turned me around, and had me feeling that good things were at stake, that with every day lay an opportunity to save it, that there was something to this zeal for justice and pursuit of love and self-respect, that when Haggis headed south, he was really aiming for Heaven. "Due South" was my favorite TV series from the 90's.

I have long since packed away the Due South videotapes I own and stashed them in an unobtrusive corner, but that didn't stop me from checking out the IMDb entry and the fans' comments while surfing through here. I want to put in my two cents worth because I loved that show and I hope that one or two other persons who read this will seek it out and come to enjoy it too. Other fans have written great things about the overall quality and the subtle humor of the series - two of the best reasons to watch, so I shall stick to how I feel about the show.

Due South is a courageous show. Week after week, the writers put the comically unflappable Mountie Fraser in center court, fighting crime in his bright red ceremonial uniform. This raised eyebrows and started snickers. It was ridiculed for its ostentatiously feel-good storylines and ignored as "another one of those cop buddy series". But those who overcame their initial cynicism and stayed to watch a full hour of the show discovered a gem. The message of the show was - don't be afraid to show what's in your heart and mind. Due South the series, by being on air and gaining a loyal following, led by example.

Due South promotes old fashioned virtues. Mountie Fraser opens doors and helps old ladies cross streets. He always goes the extra mile for everyone he knows. Detractors claimed that the character was cartoonish. But again, they missed the point. I am reminded of a forwarded e-mail that encouraged the reader to wear bright colored clothes to improve the mood, spike the energy level and increase productivity in general. Another e-mail said to smile frequently so that one will feel better about oneself and be attractive to others at the same time. Due South embodies the spirit of those quaint but universally sound advice. You bring out the best in others by exhibiting the best in yourself. In our modern world of depressing grays and browns, Fraser's scarlet served as a flashing reminder that passion, over any issue, causes us to care about others and may yet redeem us from the selfish, individualistic blackhole that society is sleepwalking towards.

And my favorite reason, Due South is about friendship. Fraser and Ray took bullets for each other. I can recall a few other cop and soldier shows that had the lead characters do the same but more often than not, it's done to grandstand the machismo of the protagonists. Due South says what's really important is to be a hero for your loved ones, the people who actually need that from you. In real life, those who were passionate about the show became good friends, making full use of the (then) infant Internet to clamor for the revival of the show after its first season. I made friends with fantastic people who shared my love for Due South, people who understood and placed a high value on the kind of "through thick and thin" relationship that the show emphasized.

Due South resounds with the hope that we will remember to have love in our hearts and empathy in our actions. It doesn't try to shock or sensationalize. Instead, it requires the viewer to reflect a little after the television set is switched off. It appeals to the brain as much as it does to the heart and the funny bone. It will always be one of the best shows I know.

"Less is more" is the concept that makes this series so compelling and fun to watch. The cast displays rare talent, with Paul Gross portraying a unique leading man, a refreshing change from other carbon-copy cop shows. Gordon Pinsent, as his ghost-of-a-father, is delightful and completely at ease as he appears to Gross to guide, advise and torment. He is, indeed, one of the most underused and underrated actors of our time. This series is a perfect example of what good quality television the United States is missing.

This ranks up there as one of the best TV dramas of all time. Honestly, I can't recalls details about plots and so forth but I distinctly remember the way in which this show hooked me. Great music, great acting and one of the best on-screen relationships between two men I have ever seen, Due South has always been greatly missed in my life since it ended -- especially with the crap that is on TV these days. It's a shame that no network has picked up reruns of this great show but a person can always hope.