Titus Groan first catalyst is the birth of Titus Groan, the heir to Lord Sepulchrave, which interrupts the centuries-old daily rituals which are practiced at all levels of the castle's society, from the kitchens to the Hall of Bright Carvings in Gormenghast's upper reaches. Though he is the title character and integral to the plot, Titus appears only infrequently as an infant during his first two years of life. The second is Steerpike, a ruthlessly ambitious kitchen boy, whose rise drives the plot of "Titus Groan". His escape from the kitchen during the castle celebration of Lord Titus' birth introduces change into
Gormenghast (TV serial) in Tibet. The series covers the events of the first two books, "Titus Groan" and "Gormenghast". It does not cover any of the events from the third book, "Titus Alone". At the time of its broadcast, Gormenghast was among the most ambitious serials ever undertaken by the BBC. The series required a combined five years of production and pre-production and utilized over 120 sets. Changes were made to both the plots and characters of both books. Certain changes are made to make the story fit the four episode format: The series received wide critical acclaim, with particular praise for its