Once a Thief

Once a Thief

1996
Once a Thief
Once a Thief

Once a Thief

6.9 | en | Drama

Once a Thief is a 1997 Canadian television show inspired by the 1996 film of the same name.

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Seasons & Episodes

1
EP23  Endgame (2)
May. 02,1998
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.

EP22  Family Reunion (1)
Apr. 25,1998
Family Reunion (1)

We don't have an overview of this episode, please check back later.

EP21  Politics Of Love
Mar. 28,1998
Politics Of Love

We don't have an overview of this episode, please check back later.

EP20  Shaken Not Stirred
Mar. 21,1998
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

EP19  The Director Files
Mar. 14,1998
The Director Files

The Director turns against the agency thanks to a close encounter with an unknown force.

EP18  Little Sister
Mar. 07,1998
Little Sister

Victor is summoned to rescue his little sister from a gang of alt-culture criminals.

EP17  Kangaroo Court
Feb. 28,1998
Kangaroo Court

The gang attempts to save Jackie from an underground justice system.

EP16  True Blue
Feb. 21,1998
True Blue

Victor's haunted by criminal ex-cop buddies who think he's ratting them out.

EP15  Li Ann's Choice
Feb. 14,1998
Li Ann's Choice

Jackie, Mac and Victor set out to shut down a feuding family of weapons dealers

EP14  Mama's Boys
Feb. 07,1998
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

EP13  Last Temptation of Vic
Jan. 31,1998
Last Temptation of Vic

Victor gets mixed up with a gang of wiseguys.

EP12  That Old Gang of Mine
Jan. 24,1998
That Old Gang of Mine

Mac and Li Ann investigate a teen-age mob boss and encounter their ""Godfather.''

EP11  Wedding Bell Blues
Jan. 17,1998
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.

EP10  Jaded Love
Nov. 17,1997
Jaded Love

Victor's old flame asks him for help after she's threatened by a client.

EP9  Drive, She Said
Nov. 10,1997
Drive, She Said

Victor and Mac are sent to a safe house after several male agents are assassinated.

EP8  It Happened One Night
Oct. 27,1997
It Happened One Night

An Arabian prince is kidnapped while under the team's protection.

EP7  Wang Dang Doodle
Oct. 20,1997
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"".

EP6  Mac Daddy
Oct. 13,1997
Mac Daddy

Mac is suspicious when his father shows up; Li Ann disappears while investigating a spa that's linked to an arms dealer

EP5  Art of Death
Oct. 06,1997
Art of Death

A cop who arrested Mac and Li Ann works with the agency to stop a terrorist cult.

EP4  Trial Marriage
Sep. 29,1997
Trial Marriage

Mac follows husband and wife terrorists while Li Ann and Vic investigate the death of several scientists who attended the same convention.

EP3  Rave On
Sep. 22,1997
Rave On

An investigation into the death of several teens uncovers a dangerous youth rave culture.

EP2  The Big Bang Theory
Sep. 15,1997
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

EP1  Pilot
Sep. 29,1996
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.

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6.9 | en | Drama , Action & Adventure | More Info
Released: 1996-09-29 | Released Producted By: Fox Broadcasting Company , Country: Canada Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

Once a Thief is a 1997 Canadian television show inspired by the 1996 film of the same name.

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The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Victoria Pratt , Nicholas Lea , Jennifer Dale

Director

Producted By

Fox Broadcasting Company ,

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Reviews

Noirdame79 I remember this show when it initially aired on CTV in Canada. I took an immediate liking to it and was extremely disappointed that it was cancelled after one season. The episodes were well-written and performed and came off very well despite the low-budget. Even better that it was filmed and set in Vancouver.John Woo directed the two-hour movie that served as the pilot for the series. I won't rehash the plot too much but the love triangle between the three leads is both amusing and touching. By the last four episodes it becomes clear which man Li Ann Tsei (Sandrine Holt) belongs with, which unfortunately due to the series cancellation was not explored further, but if you watch it from the beginning you'll have it figured out. Holt has great chemistry with both her leading men, Ivan Sergei (as Mac Ramsey) and Nicholas Lea (as Victor Mansfield), who of course, also had a prominent recurring role on the hit TV series "The X-Files". Rounding out the main cast is Jennifer Dale, who plays "The Director" of the agency that the trio works for. In the latter part of the season, Vicky Pratt became a semi-regular as a former mob queen who is eager to be "reformed" (cough). Canadian viewers will also get a kick out the guest stars, which include Colin Mochrie, Ron Lea, Pat Mastroianni and Katherine Greenwood, just to name a few. Michael Wong is also a standout in his appearances.While each disc starts with an advisory about condition of the source material, for the most part the picture is very good, with only minor issues here and there. The show has aged quite well, and the music and wardrobe is just another reason to love it. As another reviewer pointed out, the writers did some clever spoofs of "The X-Files", "The Maltese Falcon" and the "James Bond" series of films. Humor, action, romance and drama abound. The only special feature is an alternate ending, which was evidently used when the show later aired in the US. I wasn't aware that there was an alternate ending until recently, and it's a good option for those who didn't like the way the series ended.The only thing that is jarring is that the 17th episode, "Little Sister" was obviously shot earlier in the season; key factors give this away, and that makes the continuity a bit confusing. Why the episode aired so late is anybody's guess.On the whole, I was pleased to be able to watch this again, and even catch up on the few episodes that I missed. While "Once A Thief" had a brief life on television, the show lives on in the hearts of its fans.
kosmasp But only by the fact that it is rated so high here. OK, so actually only a few people voted (to this point not even 50), but still that alone doesn't explain why it has that high a rating ...A TV movie was made that John Woo directed (see under movie connections), after that he only produced the TV Show or just lend his name for it (I have to admit that I don't know which, but it doesn't make a difference) ... Which explains the downfall! Although the TV directors who took over tried to contain or even embrace the style that John Woo is known for, it always looked phony ... The stories weren't that good, the direction was just a poor rip-off and the acting was bad too ... To make things worse, this is a series that had to meet certain standards (let's call it kid-friendly), which just doesn't mix up with the action it tried to deliver ...
snsh The movie is slow, and the writing, acting, and even directing are lame. I fast-forwarded through most of the DVD. The only cool part is the "twisted leather freak." She's a babe!!
thebishop74 I was surprised by this program, it turned up late night here and I found myself staying up late to watch it, and I'm glad I did.The acting is ok, and in general it is a very slick show, with plenty happening to keep you interested, and of course with John Woo producing it you know the action is always going to be great.