Stories about ancient Romans are all the rage these days, both in theaters (The Wrath of the Titans) and on cable (Rome, Game of Thrones). How refreshing it is to watch it being done, and done much better, 35 years ago in this fascinating BBC series. The stories may be generally the same, but the way they are told is so different because while the modern shows depend on violence and special effects to tell their tales, the BBC series depended on well written scripts and phenomenal acting. I Claudius stars Derek Jacobi in the title role as the handicapped son of the illustrious Augustus Caesar (Brian Blessed), a man everyone assumes is an idiot because of his stammer and physical disabilities. It’s a mistake they pay dearly for. Strong as the men are in the series – John Hurt is stunning as the lascivious Caligula — it is the ladies who steal the show: Sian Phillips performance as Augustus Caesar’s wife, Livia, is absolutely chilling.
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