‘I, Claudius’
In the pantheon of great television programming, I, Claudius has to reign supreme. Though nearly fifty-years-old and shot on low budget soundstages, the show manages to full transport its audience to the opulent viper’s den that was Ancient Rome. Narrated by Claudius (Derek Jacobi), an emperor who beat the odds and his family’s treachery to take the throne, we get an up-close and gossipy look at the heroes and villains of the early Roman Empire. Early episodes focus on how the avarice of Empress Livia (Siân Phillips) manifested itself in murderous schemes that ripped the family apart, all while pushing forward her own ambitions. All these laters, I, Claudius remains a sumptuous watch thanks to its incredible scripts and even more incredible performances. It’s one of the most perfect, profound, and vicious shows in TV history.