dueSOUTH... it did have some fantasy elements you know...

Anyone remember this great programme? For those not in the know, it told the story of a Canadian Mountie, Benton Fraser (played by Paul Gross) who is posted at the Canadian Consulate in Chicago, after having gone there to solve the mystery of his father's murder.
He strikes up an unofficial partnership with a Chicago cop, Ray Vecchio (played by David Marciano), with whom he also becomes very close friends.
Every week, they solved a different crime, usually helped by Fraser's deaf, lip reading wolf "Diefenbaker".
It was a fantastic, often very touching comedy drama series, with some satisfyingly surreal moments - such as the ghost of Fraser's father visiting him periodically to offer words of advice, (long before "Six Feet Under" and "Ally Mcbeal" were doing something similair) as well as in-jokes about the differences between American and Canadian culture.
Also, Leslie Nielsen occasionally made a guest appearance as the (quite nutty) Sergeant Duncan "Buck" Frobisher, and old friend of Fraser's.
It ran for three seasons, (four in Canada, the third season was split into two). In the third season, David Marciano left the show to be replaced by the superb Callum Kieth Rennie as Fraser's new friend and partner, Stan Kowalski (who for reasons too complicated to go into, was pretending to BE Ray Vecchio). Although, Marciano did return as Vecchio for the show's final two part finale.
In the mid-late 90's, when everybody was going nuts about "The X Files", "dueSOUTH" was my favourite TV show. I was nuts about it.
I own the first two seasons on DVD now, and I'm eargerly awaiting the release of the third and final boxed set, so I can own this superb programme in it's entirety.
The show was created by Paul Haggis, the writer and director of the recently critically acclaimed film "Crash".

Season one was easily the best season, and the penultimate two part episode "Victoria's Secret" is something I'll never forget. Since I've owned the DVD, I've watched it numerous times.
It is a stunning mixture of thriller and romance, written and directed by the show's creator Paul Haggis. I've never seen anything better on TV before or since, and "Victoria's Secret" is the finest combined two hours of television I have ever seen. And the way the episode ended I'll never forget.


malkie edit you are really struggling to fit that show into this forum - better to try the JCC

 

Love the show, and am watching the re-runs on TVTropolis whenever I can. I loved Victoria's Secret, as well as the two-parters. The best part of the entire series were Fraser's monolouges, the writing was excellent and Paul could make you feel it.