When Kowalski's boxing protégé puts his opponent in the hospital, tempers flare, especially when the brother of the injured boxer turns up murdered.

Detailed Overview

Fraser follows Kowalski to a trip to the gym, where we find out that the Chicago detective is an amateur boxing coach in a community program. Kowalski himself dabbled quite a bit in boxing, but quit when he married as his wife found the sport 'uncivilized.' His current protege is Levon, a young black man from a gang. Kowalski thinks they've got a chance to win the match as Franko Devlin, a 'legendary' trainer who has the opposing fighter Deron under his wing, is tryng to 'psych out' Kowalski. Levon doesn't appear to be doing too well in his match until his opponent wavers. Urged on by Kowalski's cries of "Kill him!", Levon pummels his opponent and wins. The victory is short-lived when it's discovered that Deron, has lapsed into a coma.

Levon feels terrible about putting the other man in the hospital, and what's worse is that Deron is from a rival gang. Tempers flare when Deron's brother, Jamal, swears revenge. Deron manages to escape from everybody, including Fraser and Kowalski, who would have offered protection to the young man.

However, they are soon seeking Deron for a totally different reason: Jamal turns up dead in an alley, the victim of a vicious beating. Only Fraser seems intrigued that a diuretic was found on the body when they visit the morgue. Fraser and Kowalski visit the Rollin' 22s, Deron's gang. It's Kowalski who gets them inside, courtesy of his knowledge of the lingo and a quick hand-over of cash. Fraser is hopelessly out of touch with the street language. Their attempt to persuade Duval Edwards, the 22's leader, to not go after Levon, fall on deaf ears. A visit to the gym follows where they find out someone has tampered with Deron's locker and its contents. Levon calls Kowalski on his cellphone. He's in deep trouble. Fraser and Kowalski arrive in the nick of time to save the youth from a group of gang members. Unfortunately, Kowalski must arrest his protege on suspicion of murder.

Levon is grilled by Huey and Dewey, who give the young man very little leeway. Kowalski hates this, and goes off to the gym to blow off his frustrations and guilt by boxing. Fraser finds him, and soon the Mountie is encouraged to spar with the detective. However, the Mountie is a better boxer and suggests another sparring partner. Kowalski then fights Mason Dixon, a larger man who very quickly knocks the detective to the floor -- over and over again.

Stan is very sore after his losing match, but he feels better, mentally at least. Fraser believes they can clear Deron once they get the lab tests back from Mort (the singing coroner) on whether Jamal was taking a diuretic they'd found in the man's possession. A visit to Mort unfortunately clarifies Jamal was not taking it. Fraser narrows the diuretic down to Deron, who took the drug to flush his system of illegal steroids. Kowalski is mortified to figure out that it logically points toward Devlin supplying the steroids in order to get a winning boxer.

Deron awakes from his coma, and eventually confesses to Fraser and Kowalski that he was taking steroids -- and that Devlin supplied him.

Kowalski confronts Devlin at the gym about the steroids, and he doesn't deny it. He's going to take Devlin downtown for questioning, but suddenly Mason grabs the trainer and drags him out of the gym. Fraser and Kowalski find themselves surrounded by big and unfriendly boxers, but Kowalski clears a quick path out by bringing out his gun. They catch up with Devlin and Mason, the former of whom thinks his friend is just trying to protect him. But Fraser has it figured out; it's Mason who killed Jamal in order to protect Devlin. Mason escapes to a rooftop. Fraser and Kowalski pursue, and all three end up falling through a skylight to the boxing ring below. Remarkably unharmed by the shower of shattered glass, the men all get to their feet. Kowalski and Mason fight it out. Fraser only offers words of encouragement, but this time it's Kowalski who's the victor. After Mason is taken off by the uniformed cops, Kowalski suggests to Fraser that next time the Mountie help when assistance is requested.

As they leave the gym, Fraser tries out his newly-learned 'street lingo -- it's a disaster.

Music

SLAVE TO YOUR LOVE *
Written by Dutch Robinson and Saby Buccella
Performed by Dutch Robinson
Published by Long Way Home
Music Publishing and Buccella Publishing
While Fraser and Stan visited the Rollin' 22s.

CUBICALLY CONTAINED *
The Headstones, "Smile & Wave"
(c) 1997 Universal Music
UMC 9747
As Stan and Fraser hunt Mason Dixon on the rooftop.

* - This song is part of the Second due South Soundtrack.

Interesting Trivia

• The character of Mason Dixon was probably named after the line established by British Astronomers Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon around 1763-1767 which marked the boundary between the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Mason-Dixon line is often considered to be the separation between the 'North' and the 'South' in the United States.
• Jan Rubes joins the cast in a recurring role as opera-singing coroner Mort Gustafson.
• Gene Mack appeared in the Pilot movie as the Police Sergeant who didn't like pigeons.

Original Broadcast Information

• Australia: March 25 / April 8, 1998
• Canada: October 26, 1997
• South Africa: December 17, 1997
• Sweden: September 19, 1998
• Switzerland: March 15, 1998
• United Kingdom: December 9, 1998
• United States: Week of October 27-Nov 2, 1997

Other Cool Links

• The DueSies Project
• Episode Title Origins
• Fan Episode Reviews
• Filming Locations