chaos-rampant History? Only the imperial machinations around the throne. Drama? Plotting and counter-plotting spoken around a room. Acting? It's only great if you're impressed by good posture and enunciation. (I was impressed by this Livia, her steely determinism)No, history for me to be effective in a lasting sense has to surround the lived atmosphere. This is stagebound artifice around the supposed events. There's no life here, only staging about staging. It's a Roman Days of Our Lives with the only lofty difference that the actors impersonate historical persons and the same tempestuous games about power are enacted in costume and sandals.

DrDFox This is a television great that has aged extremely well considering it was made nearly forty years ago.The story is cleverly told as an autobiography of the emperor Claudius neatly covering the social, family and political comings and goings of the five emperor Julio-Claudian dynasty in which our storyteller's life spans: from the late reign of first Roman emperor Augustus to the imminent succession of the corrupt Nero.Many used to modern productions may be disappointed in the lack of outside scenes, great cinematography or lavish production quality that modern movies give us, but the fact that I soon forgot about this was a testament to the pure theatre this whole series is an excellent example of. Sian Phillips portrayal of Livia Drusilis is chillingly perfect (and sowed the seed for the name of Livia being used for the wife of character Tony Soprano in a television series in later years) It is a great introduction to the social, family and political history of the dynasty. This is obviously from the perspective and bias of the title character, which in the point. Only the profoundly obtuse would see as a criticism.For historical pedants, there might be some slightly annoying things and in one episode we are insultingly (or comically depending on your mood) treated to modern German accents being used by soldiers from Germanic Tribes. That and the generally weaker performances in the later episodes prevented me giving it a 10.

TheLittleSongbird I'll try to add to the other reviews that sum up I Claudius so brilliantly, but my feeling is that what needs to be said about it has been said. Superlative is the best way to sum up how phenomenal I Claudius is, it is one of those rarities where everything works and there is nothing whatsoever about it.The settings, photography and costumes are superb and very authentic, the mini-series is directed absolutely beautifully and the story is compelling. And I almost to say that I feel I Claudius is one of the best written mini-series out there, both in dialogue and characterisation, or that Derek Jacobi, John Hurt and Sian Phillips give some of their very best work here.Overall, superlative. 10/10 Bethany Cox

thinker1691 When this film (entire series) is viewed by any student of history or for that matter, anyone " wishing to see Rome, . . .as it truly was " will hardly be surpassed for enjoyment. The story told here is that of the first five emperors of Ancient Rome. Brian Blessed plays Augustus and is very accepted as the benevolent dictator. Siân Phillips plays Livia, his scheming wife. George Baker is Tiberius, who waited too long to become emperor and was despised during his tenure. John Hurt plays Caligula who garnered more praise for his role than nearly everyone else. Christopher Biggins plays the fiddle playing Nero. James Faulkner is Herod Agrippa, the jovial friend from the East. His was a particularly sympathetic soul and friend of Claudius. But it is Derek Jacobi as Claudius who tells the tale of his family and does such a fantastic job, that this series has created such a high plateau, he may never surpass it. An excellent series which should also establish for itself the crown of Classic. *****