I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

100% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 90% Audience Score Fewer than 50 Ratings

Roman emperor Claudius narrates his life. Read More Read Less

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I, Claudius — Miniseries

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I, Claudius — Miniseries

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Critics Consensus

Marrying a trove of terrific actors at the their peak with a masterful script that draws from irresistibly juicy source material, I, Claudius transcends its paltry production values to become a gold standard for historical dramas.

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Critics Reviews

View All (24) Critics Reviews
I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Hugo Rifkind Times (UK) It’s amazing. Gripping, dark, complex, compulsive. Aug 18, 2023 Full Review I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Nancy Banks-Smith Guardian Speaking as a food-taster myself, I, Claudius goes down very easily. Jun 25, 2019 Full Review I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Charlotte Runcie Daily Telegraph (UK) No crowds are visible, which makes everything feel a bit like a school play. But that claustrophobia sometimes creates amazing intensity, with richly textured drama expressed through dialogue and subtle performance alone. Apr 16, 2019 Full Review I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Alberto Carlos Espinof A series that deserves to be seen at least once in life. [Full Review in Spanish] Apr 16, 2019 Full Review I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Sarah Boslaugh PopMatters The highbrows can enjoy the history and the literati can feast on Jack Pulman's witty dialogue, while there's more than enough treachery, bloodshed, and bare nipples to please those of more earthy tastes. Rated: 8/10 Apr 16, 2019 Full Review I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Diane Werts TV Worth Watching Those sets, those costumes -- they all scream "TV budget." But you'd be surprised how immediate those studio cameras make these performances feel, as if they were being beamed live straight into your living room. Apr 15, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (8) audience reviews

orange t I was first shown 'I, Claudius' by a friend at university, on what happend to actually be the 30th aniversary of it ever being aired. 20th September 2006. From that day onward, on which I watched the ENTIRE thing in a single day, I have rewatched it 6-7 more times. It remains to me, the second best show ever made (behind Band of Brothers), and that is a tesitiment to it's charm and strength, as it has basically no budget and the production value compared to shows of this day an age is pitiful. Regardless of this, the cast, the writing, the uneasiness and poison that runs throughout the show cannot be missed by anyone. The book(s) have since become some of my favourite novels and I recommend this show to almost everyone who I become close with. 10/10 TV, almost the best of all time. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/19/23 Full Review Richard B Cardboard Romans ShoutI watched the highly praised I Claudius again (1976 and sometime in the 1990s) and was struck by two things - how cheap and awful the production was, all cardboard, and how static it looked - and how the Shakespearian actors barked and shouted at the TV cameras. Fortunately, the Robert Graves source novels (read them both, twice) are a firm foundation for the scripts - which are compelling. It is more influential than excellent.There are three outstanding performances - Jacobi (Claudius), Philips (Livia) and Hurt (Caligula). Despite the occasional outbursts of overacting, these three supply credible characters that dominate the drama. But the rest of the cast is awful - Blessed (Augustus), the ugly fool who played Tiberius, the nympho Messalina and most of the remaining cast - who make faces, shout and deliver declaimed lines like they are on stage. The staginess of the production drags it down. The budget did not allow for outside shots, let alone well built exteriors. It is so cheap you can see the sets move on occasion.It was enjoyable to watch again, but for me, its shortcomings were all on display. The critics who gave it 100% RT ratings are wilfully blind to its shortcomings. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/23 Full Review Paul B Fantastic adaptation of Robert Graves novels. Superb performances all around from a stellar cast, notably the great Derek Jacobi. I watched it when it first came out, and again this year. Marvellous. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/23/23 Full Review PJ P Possibly the best show ever made, certainly in terms of script and acting, which are of the highest level you will ever see on TV. Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart.... all in the same show! (Though all the other actors are incredible too). A masterpiece and a masterclass. This is how it's done. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/07/22 Full Review Audience Member Done with a 1970s BBC budget (ie: a shoestring) but more than compensated for by an amazing cast and wonderful script. An absolute must-see Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review robert m My father said, "The light at the end of the tunnel may be the express train that's headed in our direction." That's the story for "I, Claudius" and it may be the story for the United States and the United Kingdom during recent years. We have problems and the situation is bad, but, hey, wait a bit, because things may soon get worse. The "I, Claudius" television series was one of the best in television history. It prepared the English-speaking world for the 1980s and the 21st century. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

I, Claudius — Miniseries

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Cast & Crew

Derek Jacobi Claudius Sîan Phillips Livia Drusilla Brian Blessed Augustus Margaret Tyzack Antonia Minor George Baker Tiberius James Faulkner Herod Agrippa
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 20, 1976 A Touch of Murder Aging Claudius (Derek Jacobi), Emperor of Rome, reminisces. With Sian Phillips, George Baker, Brian Blessed, Frances White. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 20, 1976 Family Affairs Livia (Sian Phillips) schemes and murders to secure the throne for Tiberius (George Baker). With Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 27, 1976 Waiting in the Wings Livia (Sian Phillips) begs Augustus (Brian Blessed) to summon Tiberius (George Baker). With Derek Jacobi, John Castle. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 4, 1976 What Shall We Do About Claudius? Claudius (Derek Jacobi) plays the fool to preserve his life and is ridiculed for marrying an amazon (Jennifer Croxton). Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 11, 1976 Poison Is Queen Claudius (Derek Jacobi) has a son; dying Augustus (Brian Blessed) realizes Livia's (Sian Phillips) treachery. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 18, 1976 Some Justice Tiberius (George Baker) takes the throne; 9-year-old Caligula (Robert Morgan) shows signs of evil. With Derek Jacobi. Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 25, 1976 Queen of Heaven Caligula (John Hurt) encourages Tiberius' (George Baker) eroticism; Livia (Sian Phillips) wants deification. With Derek Jacobi. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 1, 1976 Reign of Terror Tiberius (George Baker) accuses many of treason and names Caligula (John Hurt) as his successor. With Derek Jacobi. Details Episode 9 Aired Nov 8, 1976 Zeus, by Jove! Herod (James Faulkener) returns to Rome; Caligula (John Hurt) declares himself a god; with Derek Jacobi, Beth Morris. Details Episode 10 Aired Nov 15, 1976 Hail Who? Mad Caligula (John Hurt) lives decadently; Claudius (Derek Jacobi) is crowned emperor. With Sam Dastor, James Fagan. Details Episode 11 Aired Nov 22, 1976 Fool's Luck Herod (James Faulkener) advises Claudius (Derek Jacobi); Messalina (Sheila White) bears Claudius a son. With Lyndon Brook. Details Episode 12 Aired Nov 29, 1976 A God in Colchester Claudius (Derek Jacobi) and Herod (James Faulkener) are foes; Claudius is blind to Messalina's (Sheila White) infidelity. Details Episode 13 Aired Dec 6, 1976 Old King Log Claudius (Derek Jacobi) has premonitions of death as his wife (Barbara Young) plots for her son, Nero. Details

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Photos

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I, Claudius — Miniseries

I, Claudius I, Claudius I, Claudius I, Claudius View more photos

Director
Herbert Wise

Screenwriter
Jack Pulman

Network
BBC

Rating
TV-14

Genre
History, Drama

Original Language
British English

Release Date
Sep 20, 1976
I, Claudius: Miniseries | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Why is I, Claudius so good? ›

The great strengths of I, CLAUDIUS are in the driving pace, sharp wit, and ferocity of Jack Pulman's script and the host of brilliant performers who play it out.

What is the sequel to I, Claudius? ›

The "autobiography" continues in a sequel, Claudius the God (1935), which covers the period from Claudius' accession to his death in AD 54.

How long is each episode of I, Claudius? ›

This box set features the series as originally broadcast--13 episodes of circa 50mins each. I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time.

Who was Augustus in I, Claudius? ›

I, Claudius (TV Mini Series 1976) - Brian Blessed as Augustus - IMDb.

How accurate was the I, Claudius TV series? ›

I, Claudius is actually one of the most historically accurate dramatized TV series set in ancient Rome (not counting docu-dramas) to date. That does not necessarily mean everything in it actually happened – but most of the things that happen in it were at least rumoured to have happened back in the first century CE.

What happened to Marcellus in I, Claudius? ›

That year, an illness was spreading in Rome which afflicted both Augustus and Marcellus. Augustus caught it earlier in the year, while Marcellus caught it later, after the emperor had already recovered. The illness proved fatal and killed Marcellus at Baiae, in Campania, Italy.

Is I, Claudius based on a true story? ›

While the narrative contained in the novel is fictional, the characters and the plot are based on real people and events. The connection between the two is provided by an analysis of the motives and psychology of the characters which may be speculative.

What happens to Livia in I, Claudius? ›

In 38 BC, she divorced Tiberius Claudius Nero and married the political leader Octavian. The Senate granted Octavian the title Augustus in 27 BC, effectively making him emperor. Livia then became the Roman empress.

What was Claudius last words? ›

According to Seneca, a roman writer and satirist, Claudius soiled himself and moaned, “oh dear, oh dear, I think I have made a mess.” This can be interpreted two ways: one way is literally that Claudius soiled himself, or alternatively, it was because his reign had ended in a bit of a mess.

Is I, Claudius a movie? ›

I, Claudius is an unfinished 1937 film adaptation of the novels I, Claudius (1934) and Claudius the God (1935) by Robert Graves. Produced by Alexander Korda, the film was directed by Josef von Sternberg, with Charles Laughton in the title role.

Was I, Claudius on masterpiece theater? ›

The series was subsequently broadcast in the United States as part of PBS's Masterpiece Theatre series, where it received critical acclaim. Tim Harvey won a 1978 Emmy for Outstanding Art Direction. The producers and director received Emmy nominations.

What happens at the end of I, Claudius? ›

Cassius kills Caligula, his wife, and his daughter. Claudius watches in hiding, horrified, but is discovered. The guards jokingly declare Claudius as Emperor, who pleads that he does not want to be, but he is ignored. Claudius eventually accepts the title for the safety of his wife and unborn child.

What happened to Macro in I, Claudius? ›

Caligula. In 38 he executed Naevius Sutorius Macro, prefect of the Praetorian Guard, to whose support he owed his accession, and Tiberius Gemellus, grandson of Tiberius, whom he had supplanted in the succession.

Who plays Caligula in I, Claudius? ›

I, Claudius (TV Mini Series 1976) - John Hurt as Caligula - IMDb.

Which Roman emperor lived most recently? ›

The last Eastern emperor was Constantine XI Palaiologos, who died during the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. After conquering the city, Ottoman sultans adopted the title "Caesar of the Romans" (kayser-i Rûm).

Why Claudius is good? ›

On the outside, Claudius appears to be loving towards Hamlet, which gains him the favour of the people in Elsinore, although to the audience he does appear insensitive. The image that he portrays is what makes him an effective leader, as he is able to draw people in and entice them, much like he did with Gertrude.

Is I Claudius a good book? ›

Rating: 5 out of 5. I, Claudius is another of those classic books that appears on every 'Must Read' list.

How was Claudius a good ruler? ›

Despite his lack of experience, Claudius was an able and efficient administrator. He expanded the imperial bureaucracy to include freedmen, and helped restore the empire's finances after the excesses of Caligula's reign. He was also an ambitious builder, constructing new roads, aqueducts, and canals across the Empire.

What are the good qualities of Claudius? ›

At times, Claudius appears to have redeeming qualities, such as care and concern for others, but his good qualities are often overshadowed by his cunning and manipulative nature. In the end, Claudius is killed because of his cowardice and desire to have someone else kill his nephew.

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