Sword of Justice

It was a favorite as a lad, even though it was short-lived

Dated, but isn't everything? Ignore the 70s hair and clothes, and take a step back. This is 'The Count of Monte Christo' for the new millennium. The basic plot is the same: honest man is framed for a crime he did not do, is imprisoned and while in prison learns a whole new set of skills. After his eventual escape/release he joins forces with a man he served time with, creates a new identity, and sets out to avenge the wrongs done against him. It has been said that there are no new stories; all plots you can conceive of are contained in the Greek myths, but so what? It is not the underlying story that is important - it is the way it is told, and 'Sword of Justice' does it well. As another reviewer put it, it's a shame it ran only 9 episodes, and worse that it has never been released to video. I'd buy it.

I loved every episode even though I was only in two

This isn't as bad as SuperTrain -- which came out about the same time -- but it has an awful concept. Jack Cole, framed for a crime he didn't do (who hasn't been???), picks up a lot of criminal and not-so criminal skills in the slam. Lock picking and forgery are a stretch but I suppose you could do this in prison. But every week the opening credits would have a guy say "You never know when precision gymnastics might come in handy." And so, Jack Cole practices gymnastics in the joint. What a crock. It was the 70s and this is 70s television in all its glory.

Jack Cole is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Because of his status as a "rich kid" he faces retribution. After a personal loss he his accepted by the general population. He decides to take advantage of the situation and learn "the tricks of the trade". Learning lock picking, how to beat security systems, and other outside the law activities. The commonsense thing is: "If the guys were so good why did they get caught?" Hey, its fantasy.

The M.O. is when acquiring a target the perpetrator is sent a series of cards with the number "three" as a warning with a "catch phrase" finally ending with the three of spades. The number three is for the number of years served in prison by the way.