I just finished the beeb's Gormenghast series on DVD (rented from Netflix). Castle drama's and anachronisms usually don't interest me much (I grew up watching the smurfs, so Hamlet doesn't shock me in it's political intrigue), but this story (adapted from the book after the 2nd world war) was funny, absurdist and bizarre. Essentially a thin allusion to decaying aristocracy and the rise of fascism.
The acting was over the top - but probably in line with the fantasmic characters. The set design alone is worth seeing it - having equal parts pre-raphealite pretty and Jeunot-brothers creepiness.