Due South: The Explanation
By day she's a modest but unprolific fanfic writer.
But when the sun sets on Lake Michigan,
she reveals her secret identity....
Keeper of the Explanation
(It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.)
Burning Down the House
Fraser to Ray Kowalski
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that, well, they don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate. And over the course of my time here, I have formed what you would call a duet with the person that I am currently looking for: one Raymond Vecchio, Detective First Grade, Chicago Police Department."
(Ray holds up his ID) "Raymond Vecchio, Detective First Grade, Chicago Police Department. Everyone here knows who I am, Fraser, how 'bout you?"
You only think this is the first time these immortal words were spoken. Stick around--the first and second season Explanations are at the end of the list.
Eclipse
Fraser to Landlady
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
This is the Explanation that is featured on the second Due South soundtrack. It's also the only Explanation to be repeated in another episode, word-for-word. All other Explanations are different.
I Coulda Been a Defendant
Welsh, Ray and Fraser to Deputy Director Spender
"Originally came to Chicago on the trail of his father's killer..."
"...and for a whole bunch of reasons he's decided to stick around..."
"...attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
Tag-Team Explanation!
Strange Bedfellows
Fraser to Detective Dewey
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that really, well, they don't need exploring at this particular juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
Seeing is Believing
Fraser to Ms Madison and Judy Cates
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison officer with the Canadian Consulate."
Bounty Hunter (transcribed by Jeanie!)
Ray to bounty hunters, interrupted by Fraser
"He first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of his father, and for reasons that do NOT need explaining at this juncture, he has remained a lesion. . ."
"Uh, liaison, Ray." (beat) ". . . attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
Obviously, Ray hasn't been listening. "Concentrate, Ray. Repeat after me, slowly. . . li-ai-son."
The scene: RCW 139, Toronto, August 1999. I have my question ready, knowing that as Keeper of the Explanation, I have a responsibility to my collection....
"How did the idea come about for the phrase 'I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killer of my father' to be used in almost every season three episode, and was it always intended with variations on the theme or did it just evolve?"
"Well, it did kind of just evolve," Paul Gross said. "It actually started because somebody somewhere at the company said--I think it may have come from PolyGram or from TNT--said that we would prefer to see in your titles some sort of premise of the show, because it's very hard for people who haven't followed it all along to figure out what the hell this guy is doing wandering around Chicago. But we couldn't do anything with the titles to explain it.
"So I said, 'Well, I could explain it just every single show.' I'll just say, 'Well, originally I came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father,' and I think for the first four or five episodes I said the whole thing. And then we really--this is getting ridiculous--so we should shorten in a bit or have other people fill it in or... and that's kind of how it evolved. And then it was sort of fun each week we'd try to figure out how to make it a little bit different."
Mountie and Soul
Ray to Franco Devlin
"He first came to Chicago on the killers of his father. He's Canadian, you don't want to know."
Many viewers tell me that they missed the humor in this version of the Explanation. Did you hear what Ray said, or did you just hear what you expected to hear?
Spy vs. Spy
Fraser to Ruth
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father; for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
Asylum
Fraser to Gus Fillion
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father; and for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained, attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
The only two Explanations that are word-for-word identical are in Eclipse and Asylum. All others are different. There are, however, four other Explanations that are very close.
Burning Down the House adds the words "well, they."
Strange Bedfellows adds the words "really, well, they."
Seeing is Believing adds the word "officer."
Spy vs. Spy deletes the word "and."
Melanie, I think you need a hobby--oh yeah, this is your hobby.
Perfect Strangers
Fraser to Nick Evers, interuppted by arrival of General Bowman
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father. For a variety of reasons. . . ."
"Explanationus Interruptus" appears for the first time.
Dead Guy Running
Fraser to Mr. Dinardo
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father-- But it's not really important, sir."
Mountie on the Bounty, pt. 1
Fraser to sailors on the dock
"Well, I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father."
"And what? You just stayed?"
"As a matter of fact, I did, yes. Attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
Missing in Action
As ubiquitous as the Explanation may have seemed during the final season, it did not appear in every episode. The second part of Mountie on the Bounty is the first hour of the season that does not have any Explanation at all. Other Explanation-Free episodes are Easy Money, Good For the Soul and Dead Men Don't Throw Rice.
Doctor Longball
Sheriff Wilson Welsh to Huck Bogart, interrupted by Fraser
"He first came to Illinois on the trail of his father's killer and for a number of interesting reasons he-- he stayed. . ."
". . .attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate."
A Likely Story
Fraser (at gunpoint) to Nervous Nellie Martin
"I-- Well, that's not really important."
The shortest Explanation.
Odds
FBI Agent White, interrupted by Lt. Welsh
"First came to Chicago on the trail of his father's--"
"Yes, he is. Whaddaya want?"
The Ladies' Man
Fraser to Ray, who interrups
"As you know, Ray, I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father. . ."
". . .and have remained."
"Indeed."
Fraser to State's Attorney Bedford, who walks away
"Ah, well sir, I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and. . . ."
The Ladies' Man is the first episode to boast two Explanations. The poor, Explanation-Deprived episodes like Easy Money are jealous.
Mojo Rising
Mama Lolla to Fraser
"You first came to Chicago on the trail of the killahs of yo' daddy. And you stayed." (laughs) "So did yo' daddy."
Mountie Sings the Blues
Fraser and Earl Jeffers
"I--"
"You came looking for the guy that killed your father."
"Yes."
"I've seen your file."
. . . and your file says that you keep saying the same thing over, and over, and over again.
Say Amen
Fraser to Ms. Barrow; Ray interrupts
"I fi--"
"Heyheyhey!"
"Sorry."
Hunting Season
Fraser to Tommy Ellis; Constable MacKenzie interrupts
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father. And this is--"
"I heard that. I've never known if it was true."
Ray to Thatcher, about Constable MacKenzie
"Hang on a second. She came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of her husband?"
"Exactly."
This unusual explanation actually contains a spoiler!
Call of the Wild, pt. 1
Fraser to Muldoon and Armando Langoustini (aka Ray Vecchio), interrupted by Ray K
"I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers--"
"Fraser. Not now."
Call of the Wild, pt. 2
Fraser to Ray K
"When I first came to Chicago I felt as though I was from another planet. . . ."
"Which you are."
"Which I have come to accept."
The Auxiliaries
Sometimes, a line or two of dialog just begs to be put into the collection. These two exchanges are not Explanations themselves, but they've found their way into the collection in a supporting role.
Pilot
Fraser and Ray
"How much do I owe you?"
"Explanation."
Burning Down the House
Fraser and Thatcher
"It would appear that I am being stalked by a performance arsonist."
"Okay. That would qualify as an explanation."
Hey-- If Inspector Thatcher says it qualifies as an Explanation, who am I to argue?
Pilot
Superintendant Underhill and Fraser
"I talked to the super at your last job. He suggested transferring you further north."
"Well, that would put me in Russia, sir."
"Seems like the only people that do want you are in Chicago. If I were you, I'd make do until things calm down."
Free Willie (thanks, Roxy)
Welsh and Fraser
"I thought they sent you back up to the Yukon?"
"Well, they did, sir. And then they sent me back here again. I'm afraid I'm not all that well liked up there."
"By 'up there' you mean...?"
"Pretty much all of Canada, sir."
Hawk and a Handsaw
Fraser to psychiatrist
"Well, you see, I used to live in the Yukon. But I uncovered a plot that involved drowning caribou, and then some men who were dressed in white came after me with homicidal intentions. It's a rather long story, it takes exactly two hours to tell, but the upshot of it is that I was sent here. I-- I think I embarrassed some people in the government."
So tell me, Inspector--what qualifies as an Explanation?
An Explanation will either contain some variation on the words "I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father...." or it will provide some insight into the reason for the Mountie's presence in the big city. Most of the first and second season Explanations belong in the second category. But there are a couple of surprises....
Eye for an Eye
Ray and Fraser
"So you decided to scare the vigilante by destroying the only piece of evidence we have against him?"
"Well, he may try again, Ray. I felt it was worth the risk."
"You know, Fraser, it's about time someone told you: it's the little things like this that makes them not want you back across the border."
Victoria's Secret
Internal Affairs investigator and Ray
"He ever tell you why he came to Chicago?"
"Yeah. He came for the pizza."
Flashback
Ray to Fraser, who has amnesia
"Your father was a Mountie, a legend. Somebody shot him, and you came to Chicago on the trail of some dentists."
And there you have it. When Fraser was struggling to regain his memories, his best friend planted the seed. "...you came to Chicago on the trail...."