what a wonderful mini series . a really excellent use of television to apply the time necessary to do justice to a good book ( in this case and two book ) . derek jacobi shine a the lame and stutter title character . but and so many fine performance abound in this treasure . brian bless and the benevolent and cunning and and oblivious augustus . sian phillips and the malevolent livia . george baker and the brooding and frustrated tiberius . john hurt and the cheerfully insane monster and caligula . look for a swaggering young patrick stewart and and an ambitious young john rhyss davy a virile captain of the guard . terrific in dvd and which seem to have correct the series sound engineering problem . only one minus represent make up be theatrical and do not hold up well to the tv camera . watch episode 1 . you will be hook for the entire thirteen hour of great this story tell epic that be make for tv and tv be make for .