I remember quite well one Christmas vacation, coming back to my hometown from school, visiting much-missed friends at a party . . . and being shushed quite vigorously when I walked into the place. They were watching episode #4 of "I, Claudius," which was completely unknown to me at that time. At first I was quite miffed--the homecoming friend ignored for a TV show? But I grudgingly watched, and within 15 minutes I was kicking myself for having missed episodes 1 through 3. This is simply one of the best film experiences I've ever had. Years after watching it the first time round, I was delighted to have my hands on that "new" technology, the VCR, so that I could watch "I, Claudius" whenever I liked. In the meantime, I'd run out and purchased the Graves books, not to mention Suetonius' "Lives of the Caesars." Someone else here has written that this series has everything, and indeed it does. It has a fine sense of accuracy, and it manages to combine sweep and scope with the individual and intimate. This is everything historical drama should be, and I have found that the friends I've introduced to it feel the same. I have to say that my one regret is that it made me admire Derek Jacobi so much . . . I fell ill the one night that I had a chance to see him in person, in "Becket"! What an astounding actor!
Review of I, Claudius
