Every which way Due South looks, the borders are blurred. Recent captor of a record-breaking 14 Gemini nominations, the Canadian-made series for cbs primetime in the States and the CTV Television Network in Canada was conceived by expatriate Paul Haggis, who moved to the sunnier climes of La La Land in the ’70s, as did Due South’s cowriter and coproducer, Kathy Slevin. After 17 years in l.a., much of which was spent writing for American network shows, the two moved (temporarily) to Canada to produce their first homegrown show, Due South.

The cross-border shuffle continues: not only did the deal that made it all possible start at a lunch between then-cbs head Jeff Sagansky and Alliance Communications ceo Robert Lantos, but the odd-couple scenario of the series twists tales around a Canadian Mountie (Paul Gross) and an American cop (David Marciano). Diefenbaker is not a piece of our nation’s history, he’s the Mountie’s deaf dog (impersonating a wolf – but never mind, that gets complicated).

Transplanted exec

And finally, amidst the Canadian crew is the transplanted Chris Davidson, a cbs executive who works in-house on the series as the u.s. network’s eyes and ears.

The presence of the American net is not so much felt in the writing as in production. Writing is the same across the board, with rare exceptions like the cbc, says Slevin, but producing for a broadcaster 3,000 miles away has its challenges.

The main solution, presented in the form of Davidson, is unprecedented as far as she knows. Usually the executives pop by the set, just a short drive away. Having the executive around full-time was initially a bit intimidating. ‘No one knew at first what it would mean, but it has been a godsend,’ says Slevin, who cites excellent communications with cbs as the biggest reward.

Producing in Canada is a first for Slevin and Haggis, and the small talent pool here is one example of what Slevin, without Davidson, may have had difficulty explaining to the net. Actors sometimes audition three or four times for Due South before they are cast, not because they are not up to snuff but for the opposite reason.

‘We have a small talent pool (here) and we run the risk of using them up rather quickly. The Americans don’t understand that. So, we have Chris, and he goes down to casting with us – if we invite him – and he sees the talent and the situation and can communicate with them privately,’ says Slevin.

Since justifying casting delays is in the hands of Davidson and out of the way, Slevin says there is a bonus to the size of the talent pool in Toronto. Due South not only has recurring roles but recurring actors.

‘When we find actors we like we bring them back in similar roles. It creates a feeling of having a repertory company,’ says Slevin citing the little old lady role that has expanded from a one-line, one-time role to four and counting, thanks to the talent of Gladys O’Connor. There is a desk clerk who keeps popping up for the same reason.

Shooting on location, not so much shooting in Canada, has meant some interesting challenges, says Haggis (L.A. Law, thirtysomething), who is used to working in-studio.

At the time of the interview, he and the show’s entire entourage are caught up in a schedule upheaval due to unexpectedly warm weather. A big action sequence that has our good Mountie escaping bad guys by skating down a frozen city street is on the shelf and a near-finished script has been finished in a hurry to replace the Canadian winter scene.

Great crew

The Canadian crew is another major difference, says Slevin. ‘We would die for our crew. In l.a., you get wonderful technicians and artists, but because shows tend to get canceled more often, one doesn’t tend to put one’s heart in each show because that would be foolish. Here, they are used to getting a show on the air and keeping it on the air.’

With his knowledge of producing north (Night Heat) and south of the border, Jeff King, executive producer and cowriter with Slevin and Haggis, has been ‘a linchpin’ for the series, says Slevin.

‘We see ourselves as a United Nations here,’ adds King. ‘We don’t check passports.’

Long-experienced ex-pats, Slevin and Haggis have had more than a bit of fun planting in-jokes that emphasize Americans’ stereotypical ignorance of their northern neighbors.

For instance, a tale was spun around the originator of basketball – a Canadian – whose move to the u.s. was attributed to ‘a lack of vision and backbone.’

Slevin says they are introducing historical information about Canada and Canadians to the u.s. ‘because people don’t talk about Canada on American network television. They know about the Blue Jays and about hockey, but that’s pretty much it.’

While cbs often doesn’t get the Canuck humor, it doesn’t interfere. King maintains the culture clash inherent in the series’ premise allows for smooth communications with the net.

‘Let’s put it this way: we have never been told that something is too Canadian or not American enough,’ he says, adding that one of the triumphs for the writing team has been ‘being able to preserve the identity of the show by sticking pins in the sacred cows of culture on both sides of the border.’

‘In (the Mountie) we are dealing with an archetype,’ says Haggis. ‘Americans created the Mountie – as early as 1920 – so they know that character very well. What we have to do is just (create) a perverse underpinning of sly humor.’

Financial support

Due South co-editor Eric Goddard, who was nominated for a Gemini with his colleague David Thompson, says he doesn’t feel the American network presence except in monetary terms. The big-budget ($1.5 million per episode) has two sides for Goddard: while it means he gets something when he ‘truly needs it’ (like more memory for his Avid non-linear system), substantially more footage is shot than on a show like e.n.g., which Goddard worked on for five years.

‘It’s more intense, but it also makes for a better show – we’re choosing from all good stuff.’ The pacing and style directions are the same as from any broadcasters, says Goddard, and aside from the many action sequences, the show is not that different a job from e.n.g.

The fact that Due South is being edited in Toronto is significant, says Goddard. ‘It’s certainly a good advertisement for Canadian editors. We have proved we can do the same job as anybody – cutting NYPD Blue or any of those other shows. But it doesn’t necessarily mean more work will come here for editors.’

It’s the fact that the show can be edited in Toronto for American consumption that most impresses Goddard. ‘It’s great that we can be in Toronto and work with the big boys. I can do from Toronto what I would do in Hollywood. Why move?’