Some Justice (18 Oct. 1976)

Tiberius, aided by Sejanus, is proving to be a harsh ruler with only Germannicus able to keep him under control. However, whilst he is in Syria Germannicus is mysteriously poisoned. His ... See full summary »

Director:

Herbert Wise

Writers:

Robert Graves (novels), Jack Pulman (screenplay)

Stars:

Derek Jacobi, Siân Phillips, George Baker

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Derek Jacobi	...	Claudius
Siân Phillips	...	Livia
George Baker	...	Tiberius
Margaret Tyzack	...	Antonia
Stratford Johns	...	Piso
Irene Hamilton	...	Plancina
David Robb	...	Germanicus
Fiona Walker	...	Agrippina
Patrick Stewart	...	Sejanus
James Faulkner	...	Herod Agrippa
Kevin McNally	...	Castor
Roy Purcell	...	Vitellius
Patsy Byrne	...	Martina
George Pravda	...	Gershom
Robert Morgan	...	Caligula

Storyline

Tiberius, aided by Sejanus, is proving to be a harsh ruler with only Germannicus able to keep him under control. However, whilst he is in Syria Germannicus is mysteriously poisoned. His widow Agrippina is able to rally public support due to his popularity and accuses Piso, the governor of Syria, of being the slayer Despite claiming an alibi Piso and his wife Plancina are brought before the senate to stand trial, with Martina, a star witness, being kept under wraps. In fact Martina was the poisoner, encouraged by Germannicus's son, young Caligula, whose insolence and taste for incest with his sister are already giving his elders cause for concern. Piso claims to have scrolls incriminating Livia and Tiberius in the murder but Plancina, in an effort to save herself, stabs her husband to death and passes it off as remorseful suicide. Thus the case is closed.

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Plot Keywords:

antidote | playing on superstition | revenge plot | superstition | divine faith | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Release Date:

18 October 1976 (UK)

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Quotes

[hugs Germanicus' dead body as she blames Livia for her husband's death]
Agrippina: Now nothing stands between her and her imperial destiny.

User Reviews

Some Vengeance

With deceased Augustus in the previous episode, the events begin to be marked by 'deceased' honor and law in the Roman Empire. "Some Justice" quickly turns into a cry for "some vengeance" when Germanicus (David Robb) - the victorious commander and a likable brother of Episode 5 lies dead. Murdered? Poisoned? Defeated by a bad omen or enslaved under the spell of witchcraft? It occurs, at first sight, that the episode's storyline is entirely focused on judging the 'evil-doers.' However, after longer inspection, we notice its powerful portrayal of decadent machinations of reigning. While Robert Graves refers to the events in a far broader manner, Jack Pulman condenses the script to the trial of Piso and Plancina.

The characters, again, may be divided into good and wicked ones. Within the more and more corrupted power, no one can be sure of survival. While those murmuring the truth are prompted to shout "Rome will not rest," those defending their vanity are prompted to resort to the most desperate acts. For what? There is no time to think about that...those in power have already made their irrevocable decisions...

In view comes the character of Agrippina (Fiona Walker) as a mourning wife, caring mother (sometimes even too indulgent), indefatigable struggler towards revealing the truth of her husband's secret death and punishing those in the web of conspiracy. She leads her own "illegal" faction. Consequently, she is less human and more political. Her grief becomes a grief of a Roman matron and her desire to fight her way through becomes a desire of a heroine. Meanwhile, we have three interesting characters presented to us in some of the best moments of the episode. These are Piso (Stratford Johns), his wife Plancina (Irene Hamilton) and a renowned skillful poisoner Martina (Patsy Byrne). Let us stop at them for a little while...

Stratford Johns nicely portrays a man who lives in constant fear because he has to pretend, he has to disguise innocence. The quintessential conclusion to his character, however, justifies his deeds in a way. Irene Hamilton highlights laughable vanity (at first her greatest shock comes from being neglected by Agrippina at parties) but as events reveal to us the core reason, her misery expressed in the growing independence make her wretchedness to be pitied. While Graves focuses on Plancina as a witch, Pulman still makes her a more likable character. Patsy Byrne as Martina has one scene but the one that is without doubt the greatest in acting skills and script – two poisoners' talk and, paradoxically, the 'expert' appears to be the most naive of all. The political conclusion at the end seems inevitable...as soon as we realize that these characters would have some means to defend themselves, they are too deeply possessed by the claws of higher scheme before which total obedience is the only way. That aspect is beautifully presented by the scene when Sejanus visits the worried couple and gets the letters with imperial seals. Yes Sejanus...

Played by wonderful Patrick Stewart (who portrays the character with desirable sarcasm), he is growing in power more and more. As if a sort of anticipation of events to come, he appears to be the 'evil genius' of the new emperor in whose mouth any empathy would equal to disgust. And Livia? She is more and more a living dead. The fact that she looks far too old when compared to the final scene of the previous episode has its meaning. No. Livia's old face and condition represents the state of power in the empire and her own influence on her son, now the emperor. In one of the most memorable but brutal scenes of the episode, Tiberius and Livia call themselves names and their eyes are just filled with hatred. One of the first and last scenes between the two, scenes of intensely negative emotions. It is time for him to be above his mother and it is time for him to tell her what he really thinks..."mental incompetence brought on by extreme old age." and she...what does she think of her son now when he has already become an emperor and her targets have been achieved? "miserable, spineless, mean spirited creature"...pity she notices that so late. Such epithets filled script nicely manifests the disappointment of the characters.

Although we do not pay much attention to our hero in this episode (Claudius), he appears to be most clever of all. Meeting in the group of 'good characters' or at least think-alike whose voices of truth have been shut by decadent power, his idea of setting Piso's trial to the Senate becomes crucial. But, even there, a poisonous blow of evil winds have their moment. Young Caligula portrayed by Robert Morgan, constitutes a perfect introduction to the true viper nursed on the shoulder of Rome and its times. There is something almost demonic in a kid who turns up like a ghost among adults, who plays naughty games with his sister, who has a bad dream of bats that dare make him invisible. Lil' Boots will not take much time to grow horns.

Some justice at least...in its travesty. Yet, some vengeance speaks more clearly to the depraved minds of power. Yet, who cares what it is called? Within the growing flames of destruction, monsters are nursed and rise.