Mothers, Murderers and Mistresses: Empresses of Ancient Rome

The star of this programme is the camera operator/VT editor.

The documentary is vividly brought alive by the locations of Ancient Rome used to illustrate the plot. While the Forum and Curia are well known in documentaries, some lesser known, less frequently visited locations, such as the House of Livia on the Capitoline and the Mausoleum of Augustus, broaden the sense of history and revitalise the sense of Imperial Rome. One is aware that the myth-like histories of events took place on those very spots. The Suetonius tales of Roman lives are made very real. And there is more than a courteous nod to Robert Graves's "I Clavdivs"......

The content is generally very good, based very much on Suetonius's "Lives", but extended appropriately by Historian Professor Catherine Edwards. For the first time I understand the complex lineage of the family tree, and the various comings and goings (mainly goings!) of the Dynasty made complete sense - despite half of the people having very similar names!

But, sadly, it is in the presentation of the documentary by the good Professor that I found the programmes wanting.

This isn't the warmly eccentric verbal embrace of a Mary Beard, or your friendly and engaging best mate Lucy Worsley. Nor even the enthusiastic delivery of a passionate and emotional Philippa Gregory. No, instead this is like getting a stinging Broadside from a Spitting Image Margeret Thatcher puppet. Even the voice intonation is very similar. The viewer is looked at down an aloof-looking nose, then addressed, talked at; not talked to. The invitation for the viewer is to sit up, pay attention and listen to what is being thrown at you. And after a while you have to simply turn it off for a while and return to it later if the subject really interests you.

So, content was great. Locations and camera work were superb, but a bit of a struggle to watch.