John Woo
Director
Once a Thief (1996)
Season 1
Once a Thief is a 1997 Canadian television show inspired by the 1996 film of the same name.
Released Sept. 29, 1996
Episode 60 min
None+
Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Keywords: tmdb.canada, tmdb.secret-government-organization, tmdb.orphan, imdb.spy
Production Companies: Fox Broadcasting Company
Network: CTV
S1E1 - Pilot
An underground crime lord known as The Godfather, who resides in Hong Kong has three professional criminals who has raised and trained - his son Michael Tang, his foster daughter Li Ann and the white Mac Ramsey. Mac and Li Ann are lovers, but when Li Ann is promised to Michael and Mac is doomed to a life in a job he hates, they set about in order to escape from Hong Kong. However, the Godfather and Michael find out about his plans and alhthough Li Ann escapes unharmed, the building which both Michael and Mac are in is blown up and they are both presumed dead.
Sept. 29, 1996, midnight
S1E2 - The Big Bang Theory
It is three months since the event of the pilot episode. Mac, in particular, is not happy. He is still working for the vixen known as the Director and Li Ann is still in love with Victor. The trio are sent to get a computer disk off a criminal. Unfortunately he is killed before they can, and in the heat of the moment - Mac quits. Surprisingly, the Director lets him go. Li Ann goes to find him but he refuses to come back when he realises she still loves Victor.
The Director tells the agents remaining, that the disk contains the names of the people who helped get dissidents out of China after the Tienamen Square massacre. If that disk gets to the wrong hands, those people will be killed. The Tang family is on that list.
Mac's new flame is working for a crime syndicate against her will and has to steal the disk. She asks Mac to help her and he does. However, after she doublecrosses him, he is soon back with the agents. All three must retrieve the disk which they do after Mac's friend doub
Sept. 15, 1997, midnight
S1E3 - Rave On
An investigation into the death of several teens uncovers a dangerous youth rave culture.
Sept. 22, 1997, midnight
S1E4 - Trial Marriage
Mac follows husband and wife terrorists while Li Ann and Vic investigate the death of several scientists who attended the same convention.
Sept. 29, 1997, midnight
S1E5 - Art of Death
A cop who arrested Mac and Li Ann works with the agency to stop a terrorist cult.
Oct. 6, 1997, midnight
S1E6 - Mac Daddy
Mac is suspicious when his father shows up; Li Ann disappears while investigating a spa that's linked to an arms dealer
Oct. 13, 1997, midnight
S1E7 - Wang Dang Doodle
The team are assigned to investigate a group of psychotics who were once normal. It soon becomes a race against time when the agency's ""cleaners"" - Camier & Murphy - are sent to dispose of the people. Dr Bernard Fry, employed by the agency, is using mind-altering drugs to turn people into ""droogs"".
Oct. 20, 1997, midnight
S1E8 - It Happened One Night
An Arabian prince is kidnapped while under the team's protection.
Oct. 27, 1997, midnight
S1E9 - Drive, She Said
Victor and Mac are sent to a safe house after several male agents are assassinated.
Nov. 10, 1997, midnight
S1E10 - Jaded Love
Victor's old flame asks him for help after she's threatened by a client.
Nov. 17, 1997, midnight
S1E11 - Wedding Bell Blues
Mac investigates, then falls in love with, a woman who's suspected of organizing the sale of a hand-held nuclear grenade.
Jan. 17, 1998, midnight
S1E12 - That Old Gang of Mine
Mac and Li Ann investigate a teen-age mob boss and encounter their ""Godfather.''
Jan. 24, 1998, midnight
S1E13 - Last Temptation of Vic
Victor gets mixed up with a gang of wiseguys.
Jan. 31, 1998, midnight
S1E14 - Mama's Boys
When Mac is sent to investigate a spree of jewel thefts, he doesn't stop the thieves after suppoesdly falling in love with the hostage they take.
The Director, annoyed with the teams continual lack of discipline sentences all three to a week of appreciating what goes on inside the agency, beginning with a postmortem with Murphy & Camier.
Mac discovers Angie, the supposed hostage, is in on the plan. She lives with her adopted brothers and mother in a ""Brady Bunch"" style family that steals jewels and reports back to a murderous criminal mastermind who is manipulating them.
The family soon adopt Mac as one of them and the Director sends Jackie to find out what Mac is up to. Mac confesses to Angie that although her family is odd, he has never had a family. Meanwhile, Vic has to put up with Nathan, who belives LiAnn and everyone else are bug people, Vic is the only one he can allegedly trust.
The Rivers family meanwhile have a problem - they need someone else muscular to pull off a diamond
Feb. 7, 1998, midnight
S1E15 - Li Ann's Choice
Jackie, Mac and Victor set out to shut down a feuding family of weapons dealers
Feb. 14, 1998, midnight
S1E16 - True Blue
Victor's haunted by criminal ex-cop buddies who think he's ratting them out.
Feb. 21, 1998, midnight
S1E17 - Kangaroo Court
The gang attempts to save Jackie from an underground justice system.
Feb. 28, 1998, midnight
S1E18 - Little Sister
Victor is summoned to rescue his little sister from a gang of alt-culture criminals.
March 7, 1998, midnight
S1E19 - The Director Files
The Director turns against the agency thanks to a close encounter with an unknown force.
March 14, 1998, midnight
S1E20 - Shaken Not Stirred
When the former member of an Irish terrorist group begins stealing antiques and blowing up antique trucks, the agency's number 1 spy in the British division - Ian Leslie, with a licence to terminate - joins them. He's suave, sophisticated and is spending a lot of time getting to know Li Ann. Mac and Vic, obviously jealous, try to interfere with their relationship. The Director also warns her to stay away from him as he is really there to kill the terrorist. Ian denies it but Li Ann is unsure.
As the group come together at the climax of their adventure, Mac comes to realise he still loves Li Ann but he doesn't think she feels the same way; Vic is unsure of what he feels but worries he may lose her to Mac; and Ian has to make a new evaluation of who he can trust. Li Ann, knowing Ian didn't lie to her is sad to see him leave but knows that ""he won't even think about another woman for a long time"". But little does she know he and the Director are already on a plane to Paris...
Meanwhile in
March 21, 1998, midnight
S1E21 - Politics Of Love
March 28, 1998, midnight
S1E22 - Family Reunion (1)
April 25, 1998, midnight
S1E23 - Endgame (2)
SPOILER ALERT - FOR THOSE AMERICAN VIEWERS WHO DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ENDING OF THE EPISODE, DO NOT READ THE NOTES BELOW THIS SYNOPSIS In the aftermath of the Godfather's assassination, the team comes close to breaking up, but the arrival of a top-notch assassin who not only is gunning for the Director but used to WORK for the Director (pre-Murphy and Camier) keeps them together. Li Ann is ready to believe in Michael again, who is working with the Director, but Mac is having his reservations. Mac finally does reach out to Michael, only to have it all blow up in his face.
May 2, 1998, midnight
Network: CTV
Episode Runtime: 60 min.
Season Runtime: 60 min.
Released: Sept. 29, 1996
Last Air Date: May 2, 1998, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: NR
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