Gormenghast
Created by Mervyn Peake, Malcolm McKay
On BBC Two
A baroque, darkly comic miniseries steeped in gothic atmosphere and surreal ceremony, where an ambitious schemer navigates a decaying castle ruled by dusty ritual.
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.
Clusters
Questions people ask
Does Gormenghast leave you hopeful? No. Less hopeful than 96% of series.
Is Gormenghast scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 93% of series.
Is Gormenghast sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.
Is Gormenghast violent? Yes. More violent than 81% of series.
Is Gormenghast easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like Gormenghast
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Gormenghast
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Gormenghast, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Gormenghast, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Gormenghast, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
