The writing in I, Claudius was so much sparkier and more fun than I thought it would be, with jokes and barbed insults at every turn. Everyone said “Ye gods!” all the time, which I loved.

The Period: I, Claudius In just about any list of the Greatest TV Miniseries of All Time, one title is always sure to pop up: I, Claudius, the epic 1976 TV series produced by the BBC.

The timeline spans from 24 BC, to Claudius’ death in 54 AD. Derek Jacobi starred in the landmark 1976 TV series and in this radio adaptation takes the role of Augustus.

British Film and television director Herbert Wise, whose work included the seminal miniseries "I, Claudius," died Aug. 5 in London. He was 90. When it aired on BBC Two in 1976, the critically ...