Free Willie (Due South)

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“Free Willie”
Due South episode

Willie
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 1
Written by Kathy Slevin
Paul Haggis
Directed by George Bloomfield
Guest stars Tony Craig
Djanet Sears
Todd Schroeder
Ed Sahely
Elena Kudaba
Michael Donaghue
Domenic Cuzzocrea
Christina Cox
Rummy Bishop
Matt Birman
Chris Babers
Beau Starr
Daniel Kash
Original airdate September 25, 2006
Episode chronology
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"Beautiful Songbird Pt. 2" "Diefenbaker's Day Off"
List of Due South episodes

"Free Willy" is the first episode of the first season of Due South. Including the pilot episodes, it is the third episode overall.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The episode starts with a robbery, it is unclear when or where this happens. While Fraser is buying a new apartment he hears a scream, which is from a woman that is being robbed. He and Diefenbaker (and Ray, but he's not that quick) follow the robber who later seems to be only twelve[1] years old. When they finally catch him the boy tries to threaten them with a gun but Fraser disarms and arrests him. The boy's name seems to be Willie, he says he stole the bag and found the gun in it. Ray reluctantly agrees to help Fraser prove the boy's innocence as well as find the true criminals, even though he's risking his own job to do so.[2]. Because Fraser wants to let Willie go, if he won't return after his release Vecchio will be fired. The gun seems to be used in the robbery from the beginning of the episode. Later, when they are investigating the bank robbery, the bank president tells detectives Louis and Huey about the robbery, he says there is a possibility that one of the robbers was a child. Fraser tells Vecchio's boss that if Willie did rob the bank he wouldn't have to steal any more purses, which makes it very clear that Willie probably wasn't one of the robbers. Willie gives a description of the woman he stole the purse from: a Heather Locklear-a-like description that doesn't really helps. But it does clear that one of the robbers was female. Outside Willie tries to escape, but he doesn't get very far. When searching the place where Willie dropped the briefcase they find an old woman whom they have to pay 50 dollars to get the case, these appear to be fake. Meanwhile we hear a woman talking on the phone, she wants to kill the kid but she can't because the cops are involved. Fraser decides to have Willie stay at his place. The next morning Fraser and Vecchio leave Willie together with Diefenbaker in their car while they question the bank president again, only this time he defines one of the robbers as a she, which makes him involved. While they're in the elevator Willie is being attacked by the robbers, he starts the car, to get away. Then Fraser and Vecchio come out of the building and see their car just driving away. From then on a big chase starts between Fraser and Vecchio (on horses they just found), Willie and Diefenbaker and the robbers. Eventually Fraser and Vecchio are able to make the robbers stop and save Willie, the robbers do escape. Eventually they figure out that the package with the real papers is at the depot and they have to go there before the robbers do. Just when they arrive there the robbers are picking up the package, way to go Fraser. Another chase starts which ends up with the woman who points her gun at Vecchio. Fraser makes the woman very nervous which causes her to shoot at him instead of at Vecchio. She misses and Fraser jumps out of a pile of boxes, the woman shoots him but in his hat so he survives. At the end of the episode we see that Fraser hires Willie to take care of Diefenbaker.

[edit] Cast

Actor Role
Paul Gross Constable Benton Fraser
David Marciano Detective Raymond Vecchio
Draco Diefenbaker
Catherine Bruhier Elaine Besbriss
Kevin Rushton Construction Worker
Tony Craig Detective Jack Huey
Daniel Kash Det. Louis Gardino
Djanet Sears Public Defender
Todd Schroeder Charles
Ed Sahely Hamlin
Elena Kudaba Celeste
Michael Donaghue Hugo
Domenic Cuzzocrea Dennis Argyle
Christina Cox Caroline Morgan
Rummy Bishop Cleaning Salesman
Matt Birman Donald
Chris Babers Willie Lambert
Beau Starr Lt. Harding Welsh

[edit] Used Music

[edit] Trivia

  • Fraser refers to the Lieutenant using the pronunciation 'Leftenant', which is the traditional pronunciation of the word, and still in use in Canada.[2]
  • Just before the cleanser salesman comes into frame, there is a shot of Fraser from the pilot telemovie where his strap is on the wrong shoulder.[2]
  • The title of this episode, Free Willie, is a play on words from the 1993 film Free Willy.

[edit] References

  1. ^ allmovie.com. Due South/Free Willie. Retrieved on November 24, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Tv.com. Due South/Free Willie. Retrieved on November 24, 2007.

[edit] External links

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