EARNING HIS DUE Despite two cancellations, Paul Gross and Due South are still going strong

Paul Gross never intended to do a TV series, and he certainly didn't expect to be on one that seems to have more lives than the proverbial cat. But here he is, back for the third season of Due South, the quirky Canadian-produced series. As before, he stars as the unerringly moral Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable Benton Fraser, who helps an ethically challenged Chicago detective solve crimes. The comedy-drama debuted in 1994, was canceled by CBS at the end of that season, was revived late in 1995, then canceled again. But because of South's fanatical audience, the show is back again, this time in first-run syndication.

"There was this feeling that we've almost got the show sort of organized," says Gross, who is now also the series' executive producer. "And it would be nice to complete it."

As for Fraser, he's still puritanical, although maybe not quite as much. "Not to say that he's cynical," Gross says, "but he's more aware of what's going on around him. He has to remain rooted in the belief that human beings deep down would prefer to be good people rather than bad people."

The 38-year old Calgary native, who lives in Toronto with his wife, stage actress Martha Burns, and their two children, Hannah, 7, and Jack, 4, has seemingly limitless aspirations. He has written several plays and television scripts and is finishing two screenplays: "an oddball Western with a time-travel element" and "a depressing World War I film." Gross has even recorded an album of folk music with partner David Keeley.