# I, Claudius (1976)

> A blackly comic chronicle of Roman emperors and the web of murder and lies that carried power from Augustus to Claudius.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/5198

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 55 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Martin Lisemore, Herbert Wise, Jack Pulman
- Network: BBC Two
- Cast: Derek Jacobi, Margaret Tyzack, Brian Blessed, James Faulkner, Fiona Walker, Kevin McNally, Bernard Hepton, Sheila White
- TMDB rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074006/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: blackly comic, sardonic, brutal, tense, intriguing

## What critics say

Widely acclaimed for its sharp, blackly comic writing and Derek Jacobi's performance as the stammering Claudius, though its stage-bound production shows its age.

## Synopsis

I, Claudius (1976) is a British historical drama miniseries created by Martin Lisemore, Herbert Wise and Jack Pulman for BBC Two, adapted from the novel by Robert Graves. Derek Jacobi plays Claudius, a stammering, overlooked member of the imperial family who watches from the margins as relatives and rivals maneuver for the throne. Margaret Tyzack plays his scheming grandmother Antonia, while Brian Blessed's Augustus and Patrick Stewart's Sejanus anchor the court's most dangerous power plays. The engine of the story is survival: Claudius must read every dinner, letter and whispered alliance, knowing that a misjudged word can get him poisoned. Each episode unfolds as a set of court conspiracies, marriages, succession fights and quiet murders across the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula. Told in a single season of twelve episodes, the series moves with the patience of a long chronicle yet stays tightly bound by its web of lies. The tone is sardonic and mordant, with blackly comic asides undercutting brutal violence. Set in ancient Rome, it has the grandeur and stage-bound intimacy of a prestige period piece. Fans of Rome, Wolf Hall and The Borgias will find resonance in its ambition, betrayal and dark wit.

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