It is obvious that the last regular appearance of Dame Sian Phillips in "I Claudius" will mark a turning point for the remainder of the series. Yes, she has killed perhaps dozens of people (what happened before Marcellus is never discussed) during her 85 years, but there's a dignity within the way she dispatches of her enemies that you can't help but feel sorry for her as she grieves over the possibility that she will end up in hell for eternity because of the deeds she considered necessary to protect the empire from the turmoil of the republic. While she was definitely showing her age in the previous episode, Sian Phillips is made to look frail and on her last legs in her first scene where she encounters her embittered son, the emperor Tiberius (George Baker) after an incident where a Roman noblewoman took her own life in public because of how Tiberius violated her after unsuccessfully trying to violate her daughter.
The performance of Isabel Dean may have just been a five minute introduction (and end) to her character, but her despair and anguish over what she witnessed in the court of Tiberius is stunning. This is truly Tiberius beginning the most vile aspects of his reign, dramatized quite more garishly through Peter O'Toole's performance in "Caligula" just a few years later. (Ironically, O'Toole had been married to Sian Phillips during the making of "I Claudius", making his casting as her character's son in "Caligula" ironic as they were divorced around the time it was in production. The focus of the episode, however, is the ambition of the evil Sejanus (Patrick Stewart) and the way he manipulates himself in gaining power during Tiberius's reign. It is apparent that he abhors the now adult Caligula (John Hurt, riveting from the start), and uses his phony charm to manipulate Claudius into marrying his sister. Caligula, seen in the previous episode setting the imperial palace on fire, is now charming his way to surpass Sejanus by bringing his uncle a very detailed example of early pornography. Sejanus's disgust over the drawings shows his hypocrisy, especially as he manipulates Livilla (Patricia Quinn) into aiding him in poisoning her husband so he can further ally himself to the imperial family.
Of course, the most memorable parts of the episode concern the now aged Livia, still feisty in her first few scenes, and fragile and desperate in her final two. She begins to understand and respect her fool of a grandson, Claudius, and while it is obvious that she is trying to manipulate his sympathy, he can't help but feel sorry for her even with her constant cruelties to him prior to her realizing that her days were numbered. Garish make-up works in making Livia look as if she's already a corpse, her soul destroyed by her evil deeds, but the desperation to redeem herself foremost on her mind. John Hurt displays how evil and calculating the young Caligula is, and his chilling two scenes with Sian Phillips are quite shocking for first time viewers. When he calmly tells her what his intentions concerning her are, it is as if Livia has realized that there is someone more vile than her in control of her destiny, as if she is facing the devil in person even before she makes her way to hell. That makes the scenes all the more chilling, giving the final moments of the episode some real shivers to the viewer.
The performance of Isabel Dean may have just been a five minute introduction (and end) to her character, but her despair and anguish over what she witnessed in the court of Tiberius is stunning. This is truly Tiberius beginning the most vile aspects of his reign, dramatized quite more garishly through Peter O'Toole's performance in "Caligula" just a few years later. (Ironically, O'Toole had been married to Sian Phillips during the making of "I Claudius", making his casting as her character's son in "Caligula" ironic as they were divorced around the time it was in production. The focus of the episode, however, is the ambition of the evil Sejanus (Patrick Stewart) and the way he manipulates himself in gaining power during Tiberius's reign. It is apparent that he abhors the now adult Caligula (John Hurt, riveting from the start), and uses his phony charm to manipulate Claudius into marrying his sister. Caligula, seen in the previous episode setting the imperial palace on fire, is now charming his way to surpass Sejanus by bringing his uncle a very detailed example of early pornography. Sejanus's disgust over the drawings shows his hypocrisy, especially as he manipulates Livilla (Patricia Quinn) into aiding him in poisoning her husband so he can further ally himself to the imperial family.
Of course, the most memorable parts of the episode concern the now aged Livia, still feisty in her first few scenes, and fragile and desperate in her final two. She begins to understand and respect her fool of a grandson, Claudius, and while it is obvious that she is trying to manipulate his sympathy, he can't help but feel sorry for her even with her constant cruelties to him prior to her realizing that her days were numbered. Garish make-up works in making Livia look as if she's already a corpse, her soul destroyed by her evil deeds, but the desperation to redeem herself foremost on her mind. John Hurt displays how evil and calculating the young Caligula is, and his chilling two scenes with Sian Phillips are quite shocking for first time viewers. When he calmly tells her what his intentions concerning her are, it is as if Livia has realized that there is someone more vile than her in control of her destiny, as if she is facing the devil in person even before she makes her way to hell. That makes the scenes all the more chilling, giving the final moments of the episode some real shivers to the viewer.