orange t
I was first shown 'I, Claudius' by a friend at university, on what happend to actually be the 30th aniversary of it ever being aired. 20th September 2006. From that day onward, on which I watched the ENTIRE thing in a single day, I have rewatched it 6-7 more times. It remains to me, the second best show ever made (behind Band of Brothers), and that is a tesitiment to it's charm and strength, as it has basically no budget and the production value compared to shows of this day an age is pitiful. Regardless of this, the cast, the writing, the uneasiness and poison that runs throughout the show cannot be missed by anyone. The book(s) have since become some of my favourite novels and I recommend this show to almost everyone who I become close with.
10/10 TV, almost the best of all time.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
10/19/23
Full Review
Richard B
Cardboard Romans Shout
I watched the highly praised I Claudius again (1976 and sometime in the 1990s) and was struck by two things - how cheap and awful the production was, all cardboard, and how static it looked - and how the Shakespearian actors barked and shouted at the TV cameras. Fortunately, the Robert Graves source novels (read them both, twice) are a firm foundation for the scripts - which are compelling. It is more influential than excellent.
There are three outstanding performances - Jacobi (Claudius), Philips (Livia) and Hurt (Caligula). Despite the occasional outbursts of overacting, these three supply credible characters that dominate the drama. But the rest of the cast is awful - Blessed (Augustus), the ugly fool who played Tiberius, the nympho Messalina and most of the remaining cast - who make faces, shout and deliver declaimed lines like they are on stage. The staginess of the production drags it down. The budget did not allow for outside shots, let alone well built exteriors. It is so cheap you can see the sets move on occasion.
It was enjoyable to watch again, but for me, its shortcomings were all on display. The critics who gave it 100% RT ratings are wilfully blind to its shortcomings.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
09/08/23
Full Review
Paul B
Fantastic adaptation of Robert Graves novels. Superb performances all around from a stellar cast, notably the great Derek Jacobi. I watched it when it first came out, and again this year. Marvellous.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
08/23/23
Full Review
PJ P
Possibly the best show ever made, certainly in terms of script and acting, which are of the highest level you will ever see on TV. Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart.... all in the same show! (Though all the other actors are incredible too). A masterpiece and a masterclass. This is how it's done.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
11/07/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Done with a 1970s BBC budget (ie: a shoestring) but more than compensated for by an amazing cast and wonderful script. An absolute must-see
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/09/23
Full Review
robert m
My father said, "The light at the end of the tunnel may be the express train that's headed in our direction." That's the story for "I, Claudius" and it may be the story for the United States and the United Kingdom during recent years. We have problems and the situation is bad, but, hey, wait a bit, because things may soon get worse. The "I, Claudius" television series was one of the best in television history. It prepared the English-speaking world for the 1980s and the 21st century.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
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