rent this and for the next few week that snaky and insidious theme tune will be inch it way across your subconscious . especially a there no other music in it and contribute to the stagey and slightly hollow presentation . don not expect any long shot of the colosseum or excite chariot race and it all on set . the historical context and arch dialogue deliver by star turn such a sian phillips and george baker and brian bless and derek jacobi and john hurt may convince you that this be more highbrow drama than it really be . i enjoy it and but it follow one theme represent someone in the roman court be overtly or covertly murder their way to the succession either on their own or someone else behalf and and the others be too dim or cow to prevent it . i be not sure how historically accurate it be and and watch innocent people get stitch up be only so entertaining in my book . it do get a bit repetitive after a while . even the star turn be more entertaining than impressive . phillips might be channel disney wicked queen a livia and while hurt be not too far off kenneth williams in carry on cleo in his portrayal of caligua . some nasty stuff imply rather than see but which would give hostel 2 a run for it money make this non family viewing and on the other hand those draw to it for that reason would be disappoint by the lacklustre orgy . by disc four i have get quite depress by it going on and there really seem to be no respite from it . that not to say it isn not very enjoyable at time and but it seem to peak just before caligula arrival . if youre still keen for a bit of roman when you have complete the series and the movie quo vardis pick up where it leave off and deal with emperor nero reign ( nero be well play by christopher biggin in i claudius and peter ustinov in the movie ) .