In my very humble opinion, if there’s one thing that the British do well, it’s television shows. Specifically, they’re masters of the mini-series and/or short-lived TV series. They don’t let shows wear out their welcome (limiting a show to 2 or 3 seasons like the original Office) and more importantly, they do a superb job of story telling. 

Case in point: this massive mini-series based on the novels by Robert Graves. It’s an epic saga tracing the rise of Claudius, the fourth Emperor of the Roman Empire. Along the way, his path crosses with some of the most famous (and infamous) members of Roman history: Tiberius, Augustus, and Caligula. It’s a story full of political intrigue, backstabbing, maneuvering, and power grabbing. The cast telling the story is amazing: Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Sian Phillips, and Patrick Stewart are just a few of the phenomenal actors and actresses bringing this story to life. If you’re a fan of ancient history of any sort, this is definitely worth your time.

As a DVD set, this is a terrific release. You get the 12 episodes spread across four discs, with a fifth disc packed to the gills with bonus material. There’s a behind-the-scenes feature, a documentary on the failed 1937 film adaptation, an interview with Jacobi, and reflections from the cast and director on their favorite scenes. One caveat on this series should be noted. As this was originally released in 1976, the general quality of the footage (both audio and video) isn’t as pristine as you might be used to in this age of HD TVs and Blu-Ray discs. It basically looks like this was transferred straight from the videotapes that were used to film the series. Obviously it’s something you get used to after a bit, but it’s worth knowing before diving into it.

Acorn’s done a fantastic job with this set. Check it out if you’re a fan of the story, the actors, the history or a mix of all three.