I, Claudius [5 Discs]

A superlative 13-part saga, based on Robert Graves' novels, centering on the historian Claudius and how, in an unlikely (and violent) chain of events, he came to rule the Roman Empire. Brilliantly mounted, and with a memorable lead performance by Derek Jacobi as the stuttering and shrewd Claudius, and a scene-stealing, over-the-top turn by John Hurt as Caligula, the 1977 series became one of the most acclaimed and popular productions in the history of 'Masterpiece Theatre.'