Open your imagination to Due South - You won't regret it!

Long before winning his first Oscar for the original screenplay he wrote for Crash and the multiple nominations for Million Dollar Baby, Paul Haggis was already a successful writer, producer, and director. Having created several television shows, the native Canadian created one of the most beloved series ever to grace TV screens across Canada and, for two seasons, the United States.

In 1994, Due South debuted on CBS with mixed reviews. Critics liked the witty writing and the seemingly intriguing storyline of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who traveled to Chicago to track his father’s killer.

Billed as a comedy-drama, Due South was seen as a bit odd by some and brilliant by others. While each episode was mostly self-contained, the aforementioned theme of solving the mystery of his father’s death turned to Constable Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) chasing mob bosses and common criminals with Chicago Detective Ray Vecchio (David Marciano), all the while be followed around the sprawling city by his deaf half-wolf Diefenbacker.

The show only lasted two seasons in the US, but aired for another two in Canada and made Gross one of Canada’s most-loved and revered actors. With special guest stars in almost every episode, a fabulous soundtrack that spawned two albums, and creative writing that was second to none, Due South became known as one of those rare gems that America just didn’t get.

Fortunately, I returned to this show about 5 years ago and prior to their release in the US, I was able to get all four seasons imported from Canada. All the DVDs are now available everywhere, but the show still remains a mystery to most viewers. And yet whether you use Netflix or Blockbuster, I would highly recommend adding the Pilot and Season 1 to your queue. Due South remains as one of my favorite television shows of all time and made me proud to recognize the true talents of our fine neighbors to the north.