By 1992 Timothy Dalton knew that his time as James Bond had passed. Eon were involved in litigation with MGM causing delays over the next Bond movie.
So he was still officially James Bond and Dalton took the opportunity to do lucrative television projects.
Framed was one of them, a four part television series. After the success of Prime Suspect. Anything from Lynda La Plante was all the rage.
Dalton plays charismatic bank robber Eddie Myers hiding out in the Costa del Crime. Young police officer Lawrence Jackson (David Morrissey) out on a family holiday in Spain spots Myers.
Eventually Myers is extradited back to Britain with Jackson assigned to guard him. The officer from the original investigation Jimmy McKinnes (Timothy West) wants Myers to give up the names of the other robbers.
While his former cohorts plan to silence Myers. Only Myers has a plan, he needs to Jackson's help. Some of the proceeds of the bank robbery in a safe deposit box.
The series is essentially the temptation of Jackson by the magnetic Myers to the dark side. Both play a cat and mouse game with each other as well as Jackson's bosses. Can both men really trust each other?
It also features an early role by Penelope Cruz. There is nothing here to show that one day she will be an Oscar winner.
A young David Morrissey and Dalton are outstanding. Elevating was is really a hackneyed story. Dalton very much displays the star power that glimmered when he stepped into the Bond role in the last minute.
