Rating: 
Summary: Best historical drama ever!
Review: After reading the books as a kid, again as a grownup, later again as a married man, and soon again; after watching the series on TV a couple of times and purchasing the VHS version, I am thrilled to be adding this DVD set to my collection. I seriously think that this performence is a marvel of theater and litherature. Whoever has a passion for history, drama and excitement - add this to your shopping cart! NOW!
Rating:
Summary: HYPNOTIC
Review: Just downright mesmerizing..superb..breath-taking and absolutely brilliant...The pace never lets up.....and never for one moment,did my interest let up...Bravura performances all round...an incredible production!
Rating: 
Summary: Memorable
Review: For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by all things Roman. In the spring of 1984 PBS showed this series again and on the recomendation of my high-shcool Latin teacher, I was sixteen then, I watched it. At first I had to make myself sit still. At that time I was more interested in the Roman military, battles and campaigns. but I sat and in a very short time I was engrossed. Yes the story is very dramatic and a bit of a soap opera but I remember thinking that the Romans were suddenly taking on human proportions.Before I watched this series the Romans were frozen in my mind - just like their architecture and marble scupltures. In the skilled hands of John Hurt, Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi and Patrick Stewart the people, as well as the Empire ,took on the human dimension. Just recently I viewed it again and it's even better then I remember. The writing is brisk, witty,and intelligent. The fact that the story is studio bound I believe helps for it can't rely on special effects and spectacular stunts. The action is dialouge driven and a mark of it's quality in that it never lags. Wonderful production.
Rating:
Summary: Legendary Series is DVD Bound
Review: In my opinion, "I, Claudius" ranks with "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "The Sopranos" as the best dramatic series in television history. What the show lacks in visual flair is more than compensated by the extraordinary story and the astounding performances by Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Sian Phillips as Livia (hands down the greatest villain in tv history), Brian Blessed as Augustus, John Hurt as Caligula, and many others (including a young Patrick Stewart as Sejanus). So many unforgettable scenes, especially those with Livia---her deathbed scene when she asks Claudius to make her a goddess remains etched in memory. Dramatic television at its peak---and note the homage by "The Sopranos" to "I, Claudius" in naming the wicked Mafia matriarch Livia. And there is good news on the DVD front. This week, Image Entertainment announced the DVD release of I, Claudius (with the documentary on the aborted film version). Release date is tentatively set for August 1, 2000.
Rating:
Summary: TV Classic to watch repeatedly
Review: I, Claudius, when it's broadcast on PBS, is entertaining whether one begins at part one or near the middle, say during the reign of Tiberius. The writing (by Jack Pulman) is so efficient that any episode of the program will entertain standing alone, while retaining its place within the larger context of the series. Each episode glances back, points forward, and tells a plausible & engrossing tale about the present. Thus I, Claudius is a great achievement in the art of good "teleplay," and yet the writing isn't the strongest element of the production. Great acting by all the major characters, and memorable performances by minor ones, raise I, Claudius above the level of a great "TV mini-series," turning it into great theatre that just happens to be produced for the television medium. In many respects I, Claudius deviates from the novels by Robert Graves that inspired the show, usually for the admirable purpose of tightening up the drama, and these alterations seem natural until you go back and re-read the books. Always, the main themes of Graves' novels are stressed in the TV production. For the true story, go read Tacitus and Seneca the younger... you may discover that I, Claudius transforms spotty source texts into a plausible exhibition of early Imperial court squabbles and mortal enemies and vice and wasteful pleasure and, not least, strains of Roman nobility, kindness, love, and death. It doesn't get any better than I, Claudius. Spend the 100+ bucks for this - you will not regret doing so. If you watch it very often, as I think you will, you may burn out on every episode and say, "Well, that was pretty good but I'm burned out on I, Claudius. I know all the lines, I'm fast-forwarding to the really good scenes..." Don't fear - put the set on the shelf for a year, then try watching Episode 1 again without proceeding immediately to Episode 2, and so forth and so on. For the record: my favorite scenes are 1) Tiberius, in Rhodes with Thrysallus the astrologer, laughing at the latest news report from Rome - Lucius (possible heir to the Principate) has drowned in a boating accident... 2) Claudius writes a history of Carthage and can't get anybody to read it, but then he delivers a secret message, rolled up inside the history, to the Emperor Tiberius, thus bypassing the evil, dangerous Sejanus, who handles all communications for the Emperor. The message provokes a crisis, because it states that Sejanus is plotting to assassinate Tiberius. Caligula offers a way out of the crisis, and Tiberius promises to make him the next Emperor, saying: "Rome deserves you. I shall nurse you like a viper in her bosom." 3) Caligula, now Emperor, awakens from a long sickness that's affected his brain, and he thinks he's a god. He invites Claudius into his sickroom, to see whether Claudius recognizes the great change in Caligula's nature. Claudius enters and Caligula is holding a sword; he threatens to kill Claudius unless he can guess what Caligula thinks he's become. Claudius guesses correctly and stays to chat with Caligula, who tells him frightful stories about past events and then asks Claudius for more information about Greek and Roman gods... great scenes all, and these aren't nearly all of them.
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best TV drama ever
Review: I, Claudius, Robert Graves' great book about the Caesars, was brought to television in this BBC series starring Derek Jacobi as the crippled, stuttering Emperor Claudius, narrator of the story. Jacobi is brillian in this role - going from young boy to old man as the series progresses. Other standouts are Sian Phillips as Livia, the evil wife of Augustus, Brian Blessed as Augustus himself in a wonderfully understated performance, and John Hurt as the insane Emperor Caligula in a performance that is abolutely over the top. I have no idea how many times I have watched this series. I have never grown tired of it. The story of the Caesars - of the competition, corruption, assassinations, intrigue, political and military turmoil, family tragedy and human comedy - never fails to entertain. This series has a little bit of everything that all good stories have, great plot, fascinating characters, multiple conflicts, moments of drama and moments of comedy - and it is all (mostly) true. One doesn't have to be an enthusiast for historical drama to really enjoy this saga. These Romans are, in their feeling and ambitions, just like modern folk. Endlessly fascinating, I, Claudius deserves a place in the collection of anyone looking to preserve the best that BBC television has had to offer.
Rating:
Summary: Reading v. Watching
Review: Few books are as philosophical, romantic, and adventurous as Robert Graves, I, Claudius and Claudius, the God. The BBC series started out with naked breasted dancers when such was taboo in the United States. The video lacks Cook's Masterpiece Theater comments and such is our loss. The performances are stellar, the character development outstanding, and the beauty of buying the video and reading the books are that they easily enjoy repeating.
Rating:
Summary: Decadence and debauchery at its best.
Review: There is nothing that can compare to this. (10 stars at least.) Overall historically this is very accurate. Claudius was infact very bloodthirsty when it came to the arena and Tiberius was somewhat more twisted etc..., but these are small matters, and of little significance. There aren't any players here that don't belong to the script, and everything happened when and where it was supposed to. The book is very different and deals more with the Sibyl, but I enjoyed this more (sacrilege, I know, but just by a hair). My biggest complaint is that PBS refuses to release this on DVD (along with everything else). Also, since I have an old (worn out) copy, I don't know if what is offered is the cut or uncut version. Needless to say the uncut offers more. This is a great look at the early Roman Empire, when the 'throne' was inherited and family members 'arranged' for succession. The Emperor, Augustus, is too busy reshaping Rome to deal with matters at home. His wife, Livia, controls the fate of Rome by clandestinely killing off the heirs apparent - or manipulating her husband by making sure he discovers half the senate slept with his daughter. Little Claudius grows up largely ignored for his handicaps and manages to witness almost everything. With few true friends, and the butt of every family joke, he manages to survive and become Emperor, and Conqueror... The acting is superb. This contains my all time seven most hated characters on screen: Livia, Sejanus, Messalina, Caligula, Macro, Nero and Agrippina minor - in that order. Livia was so outstanding that even after all the hatred she earned, I pitied her. Claudius is brilliantly portrayed. Germanicus and Posthumus I wept for like no other. Julia is a very sad character, caught in a game out of her league... If you can sit through the first fifteen minutes of the first episode, you won't be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Let all the brilliance that lurks in the mud hatch out...
Review: For sheer acting chops, I don't think there's a miniseries around that matches I, Claudius. There are the North and Souths, the Roots, and credit where credit is due--for American productions they are sometimes worthy, even excellent. But it never got (and will likely never get) as good as this one. The characterizations of Brian Blessed, Sian Phillips, Derek Jacobi, and John Hurt are the particular stand-outs, although the entire cast and production/direction is stellar. Twenty years ago, I barely understood what was going on (at age six, no less), but couldn't help watching. These days I understand completely, and still can't help watching. Either buy the set or support your local PBS drive, but don't miss out on this wonderful tale.
Rating:
Summary: Great Classic Soap Opera
Review: Fairly faithful adaptation of Robert Graves book. It's great for those who miss Dynasty, Dallas, et. al. There is no sweeping cinematography to reveal the grandeur of the Empire at its height, but this adds to the intimacy of the performances ( fewer distractions). Sian Philips is fantastic as Livia (Alexis with arsenic) and John Heard is great as Caligula (much more totally psychotic than Malcolm Macdowell in THAT movie). Derek Jacobi was convincing as Claudius ("If I play stupid maybe they'll leave me alone. Oops...guess not.") I'm sorry that they didn't include the connection to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, who Augustus defeated at Actium. It would have been an interesting and ironic contrast to see Livia in the context of Cleopatra. Also, don't try to watch this without a scorecard. There are many characters and their relationships can be somewhat labyrinthine. Enjoy.
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