Catherine Bruhier

Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) thinks he has scored a professional coup when his Seattle-based radio advice show is syndicated to a station in Spokane. No such luck! The Spokane audiences resent Frasier because his show has replaced the one hosted by popular and venerable local radio personality Sully (Bill Hayes). Former Second City TV co-star Joe Flaherty makes a cameo appearance while the "guest voices" include a certain former mermaid! ~ All Movie Guide

Fraser (Paul Gross) gallantly saves the life of farmer Lyndon Buxley (Louis Del Grande)--only to be slapped with a gargantuan lawsuit by Buxley, who is sore that his precious eggs were destroyed during his rescue. It turns out that Buxley is secretly developing a new low-cholesterol egg, and it is this fact that may or may not save Fraser from bankruptcy. Meanwhile, siblings Ray (David Marciano) and Francesca (Ramona Milano) squabble over the ownership of a winning lottery ticket. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on March 1, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Fraser (Paul Gross) dons female drag to go undercover as a teacher at an all-girl's school. Somehow this is tied in with the mysterious appearances of several Capone-era artifacts all over Chicago, and the disappearance of a young schoolgirl named Celine (Heather McComb). Along the way, Ray (David Marciano) is reunited with his junior-high sweetheart (Michele Scarabelli)--now a nun--and Celine's shy roommate Melissa (Marisol Nichols) comes out of her shell. And don't miss "Ms. Fraser"'s disco dance with a fellow teacher. First broadcast on American television, this episode made its US debut on March 29, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a witness against Ray's old nemesis Kruger (Aidan Devine) perjures herself in court, Ray (David Marciano) goes ballistic--and ends up being jailed for contempt. Reckoning that there are several incarcerated cons who have scores to settle with Ray, Fraser (Paul Gross) arranges to "protect" his friend by getting himself arrested. While Fraser makes many new friends behind bars as the jail's new library monitor, Ray discovers that the lying witness was only trying to save her imprisoned husband from Kruger's wrath. Lee Purcell becomes a semi-regular in the role of highly suspicious attorney Louise St. Laurent, a character introduced in the first-season episode "Victoria's Secret." Originally broadcast on Canadian television, "Witness" made its US debut on December 15, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Leslie Nielsen makes a return appearance as "legendary" Canadian mountie Sgt. Buck Frobisher, as do Alex Carter and Mark Melymick as well-meaning but bumbling FBI agents Ford and Deeter. Frobisher is among a group of singing mounties on board a train bound for an American concert. These redcoated songbirds as hijacked by a group of terrorists, led by Randal Bolt (Kenneth Walsh), who intend to kill everyone on board the train whether their demands are met or not. The climax involves a runaway choo-choo and Frobisher's sudden attack of "excess gas." Drama students will appreciate the character names given the members of the phony movie production crew. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on April 12, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The normally docile Diefenbaker is impounded after biting an animal control officer. Can it be that the hard-of-healing wolf is reverting to the wild? Fraser (Paul Gross) hopes not, lest he be forced to destroy his pet. It turns out that the source of Diefenbaker's bad behavior is a pack of stray mutts known around the neighborhood as the Wild Bunch--not to mention a crooked dog catcher who is part of a sinister human conspiracy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a computer glitch declares that Ray (David Marciano) is dead, he and Fraser (Paul Gross) head to their bank to correct the error and free up Ray's money. Once at the bank, the two lawmen recognize one of the cleaning crew as a crook of their acquaintance--and before long, our heroes are in the middle of a bank robbery. Locking themselves in the vault, Ray and Fraser set off the bank's sprinkler system in hopes of foiling the thieves, only to nearly drown themselves in the process. And as if this isn't bad enough, Ray's sister Francesca (Ramona Milano) manages to get herself snatched as a hostage. Camilla Scott makes her first series appearance as Constable Margaret Thatcher, Fraser's beautiful but contentious new boss. Originally broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on December 8, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Fraser (Paul Gross) makes the acquaintance of exotic dancer Ida Banks (Lisa Engleman), who tells him that the Olympus Club, the strip joint where she works, has been targetted for a mob takeover. To make matters worse, Ida's mob-wannabe boyfriend Barry Pappas ( Nick Sandow) has confessed--in his sleep--that he has been dragooned into killing a rival club owner. The climax finds Fraser and Ray (David Marciano) trapped in the middle of a deadly turf war. Legendary comedian Milton Berle guest stars as Shelley Litvak. Originally broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on April 26, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ray (David Marciano) falls hopelessly in love with a beautiful woman (Susan Gibney) whom he has seen but once--when she knocked him down with her car. All subsequent evidence indicates that Ray's "dream girl" is a pretty tough cookie, and an illegal arms dealer to boot. But Ray cannot get over her, even when she repeatedly tries to kill him. Can it be that he is loving neither wisely nor well, or is the girl truly the outlaw that she appears to be? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shoemaker Joey Paducci (Rod Wilson) is arrested for stealing from a church collection box. It turns out that Paducci has been reduced to poverty by a gang of extortionists, headed by Frank Zuko (Jim Bracchita), childhood classmate and schoolyard tormentor of Detective Raymond Vecchio (David Marciano). In order to free Paducci and others from Zuko's iron grip, Ray must personally stand up to the bullying gang boss. Meanwhile, Fraser (Paul Gross) has quite a time avoided the amorous advance of Ray's sister Francesca (Ramona Milano). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In search of the scoundrel who murdered his mountie father, sweet-tempered, straight-arrow RCMP constable Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) shows up in the nail-tough 27th Police Precinct of Chicago as the tongue-in-cheek cop series Due South launches its first season. Teaming with sardonic, streetwise Chicago police detective Ray Vecchio (David Marciano), Benton manages to track down his quarry, but in so doing behaves in such an unorthodox manner that his Canadian superiors deem it wise to keep Fraser permanently in the Windy City, assigning him to the local Canadian Consulate. Season one proves to be quite a period of adjustment for the naïve Constable Fraser and his hearing-impaired pet wolfhound Diefenbaker, as they not only acclimate themselves to Chicago customs and procedures, but also attempt to create a cozy home out of their rundown apartment in one of the town's grungiest neighborhoods. Much to the dismay of rule-bound 27th Precinct Captain Welsh (Beau Starr), Benton continues to assist the brash, flashily-attired Det. Vecchio in his investigations, nearly always getting results despite his bizarre (to say the least methods). Meanwhile, the handsome young mountie becomes the object of attraction to two local females: Elaine Besbriss (Catherine Bruhier), the Precinct's pretty civilian aide, and Ray's loudmouthed younger sister Francesca (Ramona Milano). As for Ray, he welcomes Benton's input if only because it enables him to one-up a team of rival detectives, Jack Huey (Tony Craig) and Louie Gardino (Daniel Kash), otherwise known as "The Duck Boys" (Huey and Louie, get it?) Another of Benton's new friends is police medical examiner Dr. Esther Pearson (Deborah Rennard).
A number of recurring characters are introduced this season, including the Fraser family's longtime friend Buck Frobisher (Leslie Nielsen), and endearing pathological liar Ian McDonald (Rino Romano) -- not to mention the ghost of Benton's father (played by Gordon Pinsent), who occasionally materializes in the closet of Benton's office at the Canadian Consulate to offer advice and consul. Although the proceedings are generally lighthearted, things take a somber turn in a two-part episode wherein Benton is reunited with his "lost love," career criminal Victor Metcalf (Melina Kanakaredes), who enmeshes the impressionable mountie in an unsavory crime caper that threatens to forever drive a wedge between Benton and Ray. Also making trouble for the partners is relentless States Attorney Louise St. Laurent (Lee Purcell), who has persuaded herself that Fraser and Vecchio are "dirty" cops. Though canceled by CBS at the end of its first season, Due South was renewed for a second year on Canadian television, courtesy of the CTV network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Newly moved to Chicago to take on his duties as Deputy Liason Officer at the Canadian Consulate, RCMP constable Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) leaps right into his erstwhile partnership with Chi-town police detective Ray Vecchio (David Marciano) when the two of them appoint themselves protectors of 12-year-old purse snatcher Willie Lambert (Chris Babers). Having witnessed an armed robbery, Willie now knows too much to stay alive--or at least that's his story. By the time Fraser and Vecchio have confirmed to their satisfaction that the habitual-liar Willie is telling the truth this time out, the crooks are in hot pursuit, leading to a climactic chase through the streets of Chicago in a horse-drawn carriage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Canceled by CBS at the end of its first season, the lighthearted cop series Due South was kept alive for a second season on Canada's CTV network. And a good thing, too -- stuck with a lackluster 1995-1996 lineup, CBS was able to bring Due South back to American screens as a midseason replacement. By now, transplanted Canadian mountie Benton Fraser (Paul Gross) has grown comfortable in his new Chicago surroundings -- though whether or not Chicago is comfortable with the unorthodox, incredibly naïve Constable Fraser, to say nothing of Fraser's unpredictable pet wolfhound Diefenbaker, is another matter entirely! Still partnered with street-smart Chicago police detective Ray Vecchio (David Marciano), and still the object of affection for both the 27th precinct's civilian aide Elaine (Catherine Bruhler) and Ray's brash young sister Francesca (Ramona Milano), Benton is now the servant of two masters, answerable to both Ray's superior officer Captain Welsh (Beau Starr) and his own commander at the local Canadian Consulate, the beautiful but stern Inspector Margaret Thatcher (Camilla Scott). Though there's no love lost between Benton and Margaret at the outset of the season, their relationship has warmed up considerably by year's end. Assisting Benton at the Consulate is the bumbling Constable Renfield Turnbull (Dean McDermott). Other cast additions this season are Captain Welsh's boss and erstwhile girlfriend, Cmdr. Sherry O'Neill (Sherry Miller), and Ray Vecchio's irksome ex-wife Angie -- ironically played by actor David Marciano's real-life spouse (Katayoun Marciano). Absent from the proceedings is Daniel Kash as Det. Louie Gardino, the partner of Ray's chief detective rival Jack Huey (Tony Craig). Though Due South was quite popular in Canada, it didn't do particularly well in the US, and was canceled (again!) by CBS at the end of its second season. Fortunately, CTV was able to finance two additional seasons for Canadian consumption with the help of various foreign TV distributors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide