Gormenghast

At the Castle of Gormenghast, the Groan family has ruled with dusty ceremony for more than seventy generations. A clever and ambitious new kitchen boy, Steerpike, begins to insinuate himself into the affections of Lady Fuchsia Groan and to murder his way to power.

Gormenghast (2000) is a British gothic fantasy miniseries created by Mervyn Peake and Malcolm McKay for BBC Two. Adapted from Peake's novel, the four-episode run follows Steerpike (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a clever and ambitious kitchen boy who wriggles into the affections of Lady Fuchsia Groan (Neve McIntosh) while plotting his climb through the household. Around him the ancient Groan family keeps up ceremonies that have stood for generations, and the eccentric figures who serve them include Dr Alfred Prunesquallor (John Sessions), Irma Prunesquallor (Fiona Shaw), and Countess Gertrude (Celia Imrie). The engine of the series is Steerpike's quiet, relentless scheming, set against a household that resists any change, with each episode turning on a fresh manipulation and a new act of violence. The castle itself is a sprawling, crumbling mass of rooms and corridors that feels both suffocating and absurd. The tone is grotesque and darkly comic, with an atmosphere of decay and dread that recalls the baroque gothic storytelling of Mervyn Peake's source. Fans of Game of Thrones and Brideshead Revisited will find resonance in its aristocratic intrigue and its gothic sense of a world that refuses to die. Rated 12 in Britain, the miniseries is a single, complete arc that rewards patient, attentive viewing.

Critics were divided on this gothic miniseries adaptation of Mervyn Peake's novels, with its dense atmosphere and eccentric characters praised while its uneven pacing and heavy stylization drew reservations.

• Game of Thronesgothic fantasy world of decaying aristocracy and eccentric characters
• The Addams Familybaroque gothic tone, grotesque characters, and a castle-bound social satire
• Brideshead Revisitedambitious outsider manipulating a rigid household from within, dark fairytale register

Created by

Mervyn Peake, Malcolm McKay

Release Date

2000-01-17

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

7.2 / 10 (35)

What is Gormenghast about?

A clever kitchen boy named Steerpike schemes and murders his way toward power inside the ancient, ceremonial Castle of Gormenghast.

What is Gormenghast like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gormenghast as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as dense.

Is Gormenghast violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Gormenghast as moderate.

What did critics think of Gormenghast?

Critics were divided on this gothic miniseries adaptation of Mervyn Peake's novels, with its dense atmosphere and eccentric characters praised while its uneven pacing and heavy stylization drew reservations.

Which shows are like Gormenghast?

Shows with a similar feel include Game of Thrones, The Addams Family, and Brideshead Revisited.

How long is Gormenghast?

Gormenghast: 1 season, 4 episodes.

Is Gormenghast still running?

No, Gormenghast has ended.

Where can I watch Gormenghast?

In United States, Gormenghast streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Tubi TV.