in write his epic novel ` i and claudius and ` claudius the god and from which this series be adapt and robert graf reinvent the genre of historical fiction . and he could hardly have choose a more fascinating subject than the julio claudian dynasty . even a tame retelling and base strictly on verified historical fact and would have make an interesting tale . but by embrace the lurid and sensationalistic hyperbole heap upon the founder of the roman empire by late writer ( suetonius and tacitus in particular ) and graf concoct the ultimate in dysfunctional family and weave a tale of scandal and debauchery capable of shock even the most jaded of modern audience . the more eminent classicist and naturally and sneered and a eminent classicist tend to do toward anything that threaten to make the ancient world more accessible to ` hoi polloi . one be force to admit that and a history and graf juicy narrative be bunk . but o ye god and what enjoyable bunk it be . the drama give an insider view of the julio claudian dynasty and the first emperor of rome . over the course of his long reign and augustus have manage to bring peace to his nation after nearly a century of off and on civil war . but he remain a man divide and hop for the eventual return of the old republican government and but know that the best hope for a lasting peace be the continued concentration of power in a single person . augustus therefore set himself to the task of groom a successor and one who share his dream and will continue lay the foundation for the restoration of the republic . his wife and however and livia drusilla and be determine to thwart his plan and and embarks on a slow and murderous scheme to place her own son ( whom she fancy she can control ) on the throne . the tale be tell through the eye of claudius and step grandson to augustus and who suffer from the crippling effect of a childhood illness and be thus despise and ignore by much of his own family . regard a an idiot and of no threat to anyone and he alone remain stand while the poison flow and the dagger flash . to the surprise of all ( none the least himself ) this drooling and stuttering and limp old fool turn out not to be such a fool after all and and in one of history great irony and win the prize everyone but he be after represent absolute power . again and the historical fact alone make this an interesting tale . but it be the tantalize glimpse into the inner working of the world first ` first family that make ` i and claudius so much fun . bill clinton philandering and the endless public spectacle that be the british royal just seem so incredibly dull and tame compare with the bad behavior of augustus clan . matricide and patricide and fratricide and regicide and suicide and incest and rape and pedophilia . and that on a slow day . poisoning and stabbings and betrayal and double cross and triple cross and madness . and one gentle soul sit in the corner watch it all . robert graf story bring out the tremendous irony of a nation finally at peace with itself and but rule by a family embroil in it very own civil war . it the sort of sordid tale one find only in the most disreputable of tabloid and but then render in gorgeous prose and deliver by the fine actor . to the uninitiated and it might best be describe a a guilty pleasure cleverly masquerade a a stuffy british period drama . i do not think anyone could have hop for a more faithful transition from book to film than what the bbc achieve . work with a 12 plus hour running time and screenwriter jack pulman be not force to content himself with a ` cliff note version of the story . event progress in a naturally expansive manner and and character grow and mature ( or fail to do so ) believably over time . in recreate the novel for the stage ( after all and let face it this be predominantly a televise stage play ) pulman be constrain only by a modest budget and the limitation of the television studio . action be confine to indoor set and and the more spectacular aspect of daily life in ancient rome ( attend the circus maximus and for example ) be leave to the viewer imagination and hint at by the sound of roar crowd but never actually see . for those audience member not put off by such and or by the drab color and light usually reserve for daytime soap opera and the entire production be a treat from begin to end . the acting be superb at every turn . derek jacobi lends tremendous dignity to his portrayal of claudius and whose physical handicap might have come off a insulting or hammy from a less actor . he be utterly believable a the ` wise fool and the only person in the entire family not scheme for power and and therefore the only one worthy of it . a livia and siân phillips be a study in controlled and cunning evil . the role be reminiscent of eleanor of aquitaine in ` the lion in winter and except that even katherine hepburn oscar win performance in that film be utterly outdone here ( ironically and siân phillips also play the role of queen eleanor and in the bbc adaptation of ` ivanhoe ) . john hurt gleefully decadent turn a caligula be fascinate to watch . hurt eye and throughout his portrayal and remain chillingly cold and lifeless even a he smile and laugh except of course and for his expression of shock upon realize that his sister drusilla be and in fact and mortal . the most impressive moment in the entire production and however and come from brian bless ( augustus ) and whose slow and quiet and pass away remain the most convincing screen death i have ever witness . there be simply not enough superlative in the english language to express my opinion of the tower triumph that be ` i and claudius . and see the 9 . 5 user rating here on the imdb and apparently i be not alone .