Amazon's AirPods Max sale delivers a $100 discount on the latest USB-C model, reflecting the lowest price on record as the retailer engages in a weekend price war with Best Buy.Get Apple's latest AirPods Max with USB-C for $449.99.Save $100 on Apple's latest AirPods Max over-ear headphones with USB-C charging at Amazon this weekend, bringing the price down to $449.99. Inventory is limited so it's recommended to order early for the best shipping date. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

People will realize the direct contribution of building facades to public health and human prosperity and start to spread the word.Very soon, I believe, property developers may have to treat neuroscientific findings as key information to be weighed up alongside structural-load calculations, energy efficiency, lighting, and acoustics. And the person in the street will welcome this change.Heatherwick mentions the involvement in a new research study between the University of Waterloo and his two-year-old Humanize Campaign, now the second such academic partner after the UKs Loughborough University announced a new neuroscience-informed masters program last spring. Artificial intelligence can play a role in aiding the development of his theories too, he says. Human Architecture and Planning Institute (aka theHapi) is another recent example of the growth of these ideas.

Shortly after the release of a 1-minute-long first-look trailer for the upcoming movie Until Dawn movie, a longer trailer has now been released. The trailer, which you can check out below, clocks in at around 2 minutes and 25 seconds.As the first-look trailer indicated, the Until Dawn movie wont be a direct adaptation of the game of the same name. Rather, it will take place in the same universe and feature an entirely new cast of characters with its own original story. The movie also seems to be taking a unique twist on the original games anyone can die feature by having its characters come back to life in the course of its story.As for the new trailer itself, it looks like the movie will make use of similar tropes to other horror movies that revolve around a group of teenagers trapped in a hostile place. How the movie will subvert these tropes, however, will likely be a key feature of the movie.While it gives us a quick look at the movies setup and some of its characters, all of the protagonists are seemingly killed off within seconds. Time seems to reverse, however, with the characters coming back to life but still somehow remembering the events that led to their deaths.The story of the Until Dawn movie revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Melanie. This prompts her sister, Clover, to head into a remote valley where Melanie disappeared with her friends to search for answers. In their time at the valley, the group discovers that it is being methodically stalked by a masked killer, and ultimately, the group is murdered one-by-one. Curiously, however, the group awakens at a time before their deaths, while still retaining the memories. Upon learning that they have a limited number of deaths left, the group starts looking for a way to escape these circumstances.Directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman, the Until Dawn movie stars Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa Azion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell and Peter Stormare.The Until Dawn movie is slated for a theatrical release on April 25. In the mean time, fans of the game can also look forward to a rumoured sequel to the original game that is seemingly in the works.

The dye, chemically known as erythrosine, has been used since 1907 to give candies, drinks and other foods their vibrant red color. Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesAfter decades of debate, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on Red Dye No. 3, a synthetic food coloring thats been linked to cancer in male lab rats.The decision comes after a petition filed in 2022 by advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and follows mounting state-level legislation, most notably a ban in California. The federal ban will take effect in 2027, giving manufacturers time to reformulate their products.This is wonderful news and long overdue, Melanie Benesh, vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, tells Andrew Jacobs and Teddy Rosenbluth of the New York Times. Red Dye 3 is the lowest of the low-hanging fruit when it comes to toxic food dyes that the FDA should be addressing.The petroleum-based dye, chemically known as erythrosine, has been approved for use since 1907 to give candies, drinks and other foods their vibrant red color. While its cosmetic use was banned in 1990 under the Delaney Clausea federal rule prohibiting additives that have been found to cause cancer in humans or animalsit has remained in food and ingested drugs.Now, the FDA is using the same rule to eliminate the dye from beverages, food and drugs. However, the agency noted that the findings tying Red Dye No. 3 to cancer are specific to male rats and not directly translatable to humans.Relevant exposure levels for humans are typically much lower than those that cause the effects shown in male rats, the agency writes. Studies in other animals and in humans did not show these effects.But consumer safety advocates have long criticized the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food while it has been banned in cosmetics and topical drugs. The dye is prohibited or severely restricted in many countries, including the European Union, Japan and Australia, yet it has remained a staple in several U.S. products.Red 3, like every food dye, only serves as a marketing tool for the food industry, Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives and supplements at CSPI, tells NPRs Allison Aubrey. Its just there to make food look visually appealing so that consumers want to spend their money on it.Red Dye No. 3 is found in more than 9,200 U.S. food products, including popular candies, cereals and sodas, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited by CSPI. Companies like Ferrara, which produces Brachs candies, and Just Born, the maker of Peeps, have already begun removing the dye from their products, while other companies have turned to alternatives like Red Dye No. 40 or natural colorants, from beets to turmeric.The FDAs decision follows a wave of state legislation targeting synthetic dyes. California banned Red Dye No. 3 in October 2023, alongside three other additives linked to health risks, and it has barred artificial dyes including Red Dye No. 40 from public school meals.California assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced the states 2023 bill, credited state-level efforts with spurring federal action.To me, this is a clear indication that our strategy of putting pressure on Washington and putting pressure on the FDA to look at these issues more closely, to step up to the plate and take their regulatory responsibility seriously, is working, Gabriel tells Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Elizabeth Chuck of NBC News.But concerns about synthetic dyes extend beyond cancer risks. In 2012, a study concluded that, while such dyes are not a primary cause of hyperactivity and attention-related behaviors, they could exacerbate these symptoms in children. Then, in 2021, a study by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found that legal exposure limits for artificial dyes might not adequately protect childrens behavioral health.Despite these concerns, the FDA maintains that most children are not affected.The totality of scientific evidence indicates that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives, but some evidence suggests that certain children may be sensitive to them, the agency wrote in a 2023 consumer update.For now, consumers worried about synthetic dyes can check product labels for ingredients like FD&C Red #3, red 3 or Red Dye No. 3. Highly processed foods, which are more likely to contain artificial colorings, may also warrant a second look for those aiming to reduce their exposure.Revoking the authorized use of Red No. 3 is an example of the FDA using its risk and science-based authority to review the safety of products in the marketplace, Sarah Gallo,senior vice president of product policy and federal affairs at the trade groupConsumer Brands Association, says in a statement to NBC News. Food and beverage companies will continue to follow the latest science and comply with all food safety regulations to ensure safe and available choices for consumers.Advocates hope the FDA will adopt a more proactive approach to regulating additives. Speaking to CNNs Kristen Rogers, Galligan suggests the case of Red Dye No. 3 reflects broader challenges in food safety oversight. The FDA has a long way to go to reform the broken system that allowed Red 3 to remain in foods decades after it was shown to cause cancer when eaten by animals, he tells the publication.But the decision, Galligan adds, ends the regulatory paradox of Red 3.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: California, Cancer, Food, Government, Health, Law, Medicine, US Government

Anuj Tandon has joined Bitkraft Ventures, a seed-stage investor for interactive media and games, as partner focused on the fast-growing Indian game market.Read More

Sony confirms cancellation of live service projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint GamesNeither studio will be shuttered, but it's unclear if decision will result in layoffs News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Sony has confirmed the cancellation of two unannounced live service titles from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games.As reported by Bloomberg, a spokesperson said the projects were shut down "following a recent review." It reiterated that PlayStation is dedicated to making online and single-player games."Bend and Bluepoint are highly accomplished teams who are valued members of the PlayStation Studios family, and we are working closely with each studio to determine what are the next projects," the spokesperson said.Neither studio will be shut down, but it's unclear how this decision will impact employees and whether layoffs will occur.In a memo seen by Bloomberg, Sony said it is "working closely with Bend and Bluepoint" and "plan[s] to do everything we can to ensure there is minimal business impact."Bend Studio has been a first-party developer for Sony since 2000 and is known for its work on the Days Gone franchise.Bluepoint Games was acquired by Sony in 2021 as a first-party studio focused on developing remasters and remakes including Uncharted, God of War, and Demon Souls.Last September, Sony pulled its live service hero shooter Concord from sale two weeks after its August release. Its servers were then turned off on September 6.A month later, Sony shuttered Concord's developer Firewalk Studios alongside Neon Koi after evaluating its "games portfolio and status of [its] projects."

Godot 4.4 Beta Released / News / January 17, 2025 / Godot, ReleaseFollowing 7 different Dev releases [ our coverage of Godot 4.4 Dev1 and Dev2, Dev3, Dev4 and Dev5 as well as Dev6 and the addition of Jolt Physics in Dev7 ] Godot 4.4 Beta 1 is here. This release adds a few more new features on top of the previously feature packed Dev releases and represents the last major additions to the 4.4 branch, everything else from this point to release candidate should only be small fixes and improvements.Highlights of the Godot 4.4 Beta release include:Typed Dictionary support in GDScriptMetal rendering support and Metal upscaling on Apple devicesNew embeddable Game window for runtime interaction with your gameJolt Physics engine integrationREPL evaluation in debuggerPhysics based snapping for 3D object placement in the worldInteractive camera previewFavoriting of properties in the inspectorThere are of course several hundred other fixes and improvements in the Godot 4.4 Beta release.Key LinksGodot 4.4 Beta Release AnnouncementGodot 4.4 Beta Interactive ChangelogGDQuest Demo GitHubYou can learn more about the Godot 4.4 Beta release and see several of my favorite new features in action in the video below.

LLMs are essential in industries such as education, healthcare, and customer service, where natural language understanding plays a crucial role. Though highly versatile, LLMs challenge is adapting to new tasks. Most fine-tuning methods are resource and time-consuming. Moreover, the fine-tuning approach often results in overfitting or sacrificing general adaptability for task-specific performance. This is a barrier for LLMs to address dynamic new and unforeseen tasks and creates a bottleneck in the overall application.One of the most prominent methods to address these challenges is Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), which updates small, task-specific matrices while freezing the rest of the models parameters. Although this reduces the computational cost of fine-tuning, it has limitations, such as increased sensitivity to overfitting and the inability to scale efficiently across tasks. Moreover, LoRAs design lacks inherent compositionality, limiting its ability to integrate multiple domain-specific skills.The researchers at Sakana AI and Institute of Science Tokyo introduced Transformer, a novel self-adaptive machine learning framework for large language models. Transformer employs a groundbreaking method called Singular Value Fine-tuning (SVF), which adapts LLMs in real time to new tasks without extensive retraining. By focusing on selectively modifying the singular components of the models weight matrices, Transformer enables dynamic task-specific adjustments. This innovation reduces the computational burden associated with fine-tuning, offering a scalable and efficient solution for self-adaptation.At the heart of Transformer is the SVF method, which fine-tunes the singular values of weight matrices. This approach drastically minimizes the number of trainable parameters compared to traditional methods. Instead of altering the entire model, SVF leverages reinforcement learning to create compact expert vectors specialized for specific tasks. For the inference process, Transformer works on a two-pass mechanism: the first is to analyze what the task might be and requires, and in the second, it dynamically integrates various relevant expert vectors to produce suitable behavior. Modularly, the approach ensures efficiency in addressing such a wide array of tasks through Transformer.Transformer performed outstanding performance in extensive benchmark evaluations. For instance, the framework shows improvements of over 39% compared to baselines in visual question-answering domains. In mathematics-related problem-solving, when testing was done on the GSM8K datasets, this model showed its strength by winning more than any fine-tuning method, reaching about a 4% improvement in its performance. On programming tasks under the MBPP-pro benchmark, Transformer displayed considerable accuracy improvements for domain-specific tasks and its general performance on various types of domains. As a result, Transformer adapted efficiently to unseen tasks like ARC-Challenge and Humaneval by either maintaining or exceeding the baseline performance metrics.An important overall outcome was the SVF methods efficiency. This improved training times and reduced the need for significant computational requirements as this method used fewer than 10% of the parameters required by LoRA. For example, for the GSM8K dataset, only 0.39 million parameters were needed for SVF training versus 6.82 million using LoRA to achieve higher performance. In addition, the model demonstrated good compositionality; vectors trained as an expert for one task could be reused and added together with others for a different, unrelated task, indicating the ability to scale up this Transformer framework.The researchers achieved this leap forward by addressing core limitations in existing methods, such as overfitting and inefficiency. By leveraging reinforcement learning, the SVF method provided principled regularization, preventing performance collapse on small datasets or narrow task domains. This allowed Transformer to excel despite limited training data while maintaining task adaptability.Conclusion: A research team from Sakana AI provided a scalable and efficient solution to task-specific adaptation in LLMs. Transformer, with its SVF method, is a highly significant advancement within the field that will pave the way for computationally efficient self-adaptive AI systems that are highly versatile. This approach will answer present challenges and lay a foundation for future developments of adaptive AI technologies.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our65k+ ML SubReddit.(Promoted) Nikhil+ postsNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

This article contains spoilers for .Well, that is how you deliver an adrenaline-fueled finale, providing answers and a tantalizing cliffhanger. It is a delicate balance that Silo achieves for the second season in a row. The climatic moments of Season 1 showed Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) walking out into a barren wastelandnot the lush green vista displayed on her helmet screenand the engineer and former sheriff quickly discovered that her underground community was far from alone. Juliette returns to the outside world again this time, but it doesnt end there. Instead, a triple whammy in the final 10 minutes includes an existential threat, a potential major character death, and a glimpse at a world before living underground. While some of the season has progressed at a slower pace, Into the Fire doesnt hold everything back for the climax, and the whole hour is Silo at its best, mixing heartfelt interactions with high-stakes scenarios. Silo Season 2 Ending Explained It is conceivable that Into the Fire couldve cut to black after Juliettes conversation with a now-nihilistic Bernard and the subsequent life-or-death cliffhanger. That still wouldve been a solid way to end the season. Thankfully, Silo doesnt settle for satisfactory. An enticing flashback to a Washington D.C. resembling our current landscape (with a radioactive twist) gives insight into what led humankind to survive below ground for apparently the last 352 years (Bernard mentions this as the number of years humans have lived in silos, and I dont know if I can trust him or his sources). Lets unpack Juliette finally making it back to Silo 18 in a full circle moment after she first left at the end of Season 1. Fergusons character has spent the majority of the 10 episodes of Season 2 opposite Steve Zahns sole survivor, Solo, in neighboring Silo 17. Of course, he isnt actually the only person inhabiting this now-dilapidated structure, and his name isnt even Solo. Early on, I guessed that Solos childlike behavior pointed to him being alone since a young age, which is finally confirmed in the penultimate episode. Solo is actually Jimmy, and the finale uncovers his parents' integral role in saving thousands of lives (even if almost everyone would later perish). Opposite the hardened Juliette, Zahns Jimmy offers sweet naivety and even some much-needed whimsy. Juliettes edges soften further when Jimmys life is threatened by a young family led by young mom Audrey (Georgina Sadler) trying to gain access to the vault Jimmy is protecting. By the end of the penultimate episode, Jimmy opens up the vault to all, but this still doesnt completely quell Audreys rage. PlayBe angry at the motherfuckers who built this place and put us in it! is Juliettes sage advice in the finale. Pointing the finger of blame at each other is futile. Because Juliette has zero time to deal with anyones BS (petty or serious), the finale delivers a speedy resolution to Audreys incessant complaining. Juliettes lecture taps into Jack Shephards mantra of live together, die alone on Lost, and telling Audrey, Be angry with each other, not at each other, does the trick. Maybe stitch that advice on a few cushions, as bumper stickers have no place in this car-less world. Of course, they cant yell at the architects of the 51 subterranean structures built 352 years ago, but there is a chance we just met one in the flashback.Before Juliette leaves her temporary home, she voices her fears that the people I love might be killing each other. Little does she know that her father has already laid down his life to save others. Inside Silo 18, it is chaos, but the moment Juliette appears on the horizon, the fighting stops, and the cheer that erupts when she starts to clean is electric. Emotions are already running high, and hearing the cry of Juliette Lives! now they know this sentiment matches reality is a stirring moment. The cloth the former sheriff uses to clean also bears a vital message: not safe do not come out. Juliette never minces words. Just because Juliette has beat the odds doesnt mean she has it easy, as she now contends with a despondent Bernard pointing a gun at her in the tunnel into the silo. Juliette radiates with impatience and annoyance at yet another obstacle blocking her path. Bernard is very wah wah poor me, telling Juliette there is no point in trying to save the people of Silo 18 because it has never been in their hands. It is impossible not to read Bernards complaints as anything but self-pity because he justified his crimes for the greater good. His petulance is a reaction to being manipulated. Until now, he thought he knew all the answers but is equally in the dark about why an Algorithm has been programmed to poison the 10,000 inhabitants if word of the AI's existence is shared. Robbins makes the mayor sound sniveling and small even as he towers over Fergusons Juliette. Silo Season 2 GalleryWhen the door started shutting on Juliette and Bernard, potentially leaving them stranded in the tunnel to the outside world, Juliette instinctively jumped into the small room. You cant go in there! Youll burn to death, Bernard yells. Bernard tries to yank Juliette out, but the door closes before he can. The fire that cleanses this space (which we saw in the pilot) ignites, which is not great for Juliette or Bernard. Juliette dies? But this is not the end of the episode. Its on the heels of Juliettes apparent death, that the flashback begins. Cutting from Juliette and Bernards perilous conditions to rain in a pre-dystopia Washington D.C. is incredibly disorientating because everything looks different from the environment we have spent two seasons experiencing. It takes a few beats to adjust to the familiar symbols of our present-day or the not-too-distant futurethere are no wacky clothes or technology to suggest it isnt 2025. One major difference is that patrons are scanned for radiation before they can enter a bar, which is part of the norm. An unnamed congressman (played by Ashley Zukerman) thinks he is going on a first date but quickly learns that Helen (Jessica Henwick) is gathering information for a story she is working on for The Washington Post. We then see a dirty bomb detonated in the nations capital that is blamed on Iran, but Helen thinks a bigger conspiracy is at play and wants to know what caused this catastrophic event if there wasnt a radiological attack. Now, that is an expos I want to read.A couple of other pertinent facts indicate the congressman could be one of the Foundersor at least helped build the silos. He is from Georgia (the tourism guide relic is about this state), has a masters in engineering, and served in the Army Corps of Engineers. It might be tenuous, but does being an engineer run in the family? Is this Congressman Nichols? Not revealing his name suggests we will recognize a connection, and while an ancestor link might be a stretch, there is a direct nod between the convenience store-bought gift the politician gives Helen and an item in Silo 18. Helen finds it a curious choice, but the duck Pez is an icebreakereven if he gives it to the reporter when departing. Notably, this is another relic from Season 1 that opened a can of worms, and seeing it in its original context is equally intriguing and mind-blowing. Are Juliette and Bernard Dead?One reason it took Juliette so long to get back to the silo is she didnt have anything to wear! Okay, this isnt a fashion concern but a practical onethough Juliette is rocking her limited wardrobe. When she returns, Juliette is wearing a firefighter suit from Silo 17, as her original standard issue is no longer usable, and the replacement from Jimmy is equally damaged. This likely saved her life, as the material will be fire retardant. Bernad probably isnt so lucky, and it doesnt help that the best doctor in the silo (Juliettes dad) is also dead. But why did the door start to shut? It cant be a coincidence that it begins to close after Juliette says she has figured something out about the Safety Procedure. The Algorithm likely heard this comment and is taking measures to protect its failsafe. But Juliette has beaten the odds before and will likely do so again. What is the Algorithm? After solving Salvador Quinns (who was the head of I.T. and helped suppress the rebellion 140 years ago) message, Lukas converses with the Algorithm at the door in the depths of the silo at the end of the penultimate episode. The Algorithm warns that if he tells anyone about what he saw or heard, the disembodied voice (aka the Algorithm) will have no choice but to initiate the Safeguard. Quinn understood that the founders havent been entirely truthful, and Lukas has learned the same. The Algorithm appears to be an AI-voiced machine that has ultimate control over the lives (and deaths) of everyone in the silo. In fact, no one has referred to this entity as the Algorithm out loud yet, but this is the name given in the Apple TV+ closed captions. While we have the answers about what the safeguard does, many questions remain. One of the biggest mysteries going forward centers on the Algorithms true purpose, exactly who programmed it, and whether anyone else in the other silos knows the inner workings of this machine. PlayHow Can They Stop the Safeguard Procedure?If a safeguard is meant to protect, then the Safeguard Procedure takes this to an extreme and has little regard for human life. Thanks to her time with Jimmy, Juliette knows where the pipe is that can pump in enough poison to kill everyone. If anyone can challenge the Algorithm that controls the means to wipe out the world, it is Juliette and the Mechanical team. First, Juliet will have to get into the silo and make sure the Safeguard Procedure isnt implemented. If this season was about toppling Bernard and finding out the truth, then Season 3 could be about dismantling an even more insidious system. While Bernard says he doesnt care why the Founders created this failsafe,I know I am not alone in wanting to know the motives behind this choice. Will Juliette Return to Silo 17?Jimmy asks Juliette to come back to Silo 17, and Juliette smartly doesnt make a promise beyond telling Jimmy, Nothings gonna stop me from trying. Given how much Jimmy and Juliette bondedculminating in Jimmy embracing his new friendit would be fantastic to see Zahn as Jimmy return in Season 3 as Juliettes new friend. Considering Jimmys parents already solved this deadly mystery, it doesnt stretch logic that Juliette will have to return to Silo 17 to gather more intel on stopping the Safeguard Procedure. Who Is in Charge Now?With Bernard presumed dead, a new mayor is needed. Even if he survives, Bernard has eroded all trust and should be in jail for his crimes (including killing Judge Meadows earlier this season). Mechanical has managed to literally divide the silo by blowing up the stairs between levels 90 and 92 (RIP Dr. Nicholls, who sacrificed his life for the cause). While the rebellion has been quelled, a new leader must be anointed. Juliette is the obvious choice, even if she doesnt want the role. Camille Sims (Alexandria Riley) is currently holed up in the vault, and her husband, Robert Sims (Common), is Bernards shadow and will likely see himself as the natural successor. The Sims are a formidable couple and surprised us this season by helping the rebels, but a taste of the vault and being at the beck and call of the Algorithm will change the landscape. Round two of Juliette vs. Robert Sim is incoming, and I foresee Silo 18 will still be divided, with actual facts and knowledge being a powerful commodity in this fight for survival. The Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie of 2024Will We See More From the Past? Of course, there is much more to tell about the dirty bomb in the past and the potential conspiracy. Ending the season with this revelation suggests we will see more of the congressman representing Georgias 15th districtSuccession and Glass Onion. One of Silos strengths is how it plays with time, refusing to date when events take place with a handy screen graphic and instead letting us solve the puzzle. From the pilot that acted as a prologue to the Season 2 premiere opening with the rebellion in Silo 17, Yost likes to keep the audience on its toes. There is plenty of opportunity to reveal flashbacks of the early days of the silos (including the conception and construction), and the challenge for the writers will be to balance the present-day struggles with everything that led to this point. The finale proves that this community is desperate to discover the truth behind their living conditions, and drip-feeding a few revelations makes us hungry for more.

In mid-April 1999, production designer Christopher Hobbs lost a nights sleep to the creation of several enormous pyramid-shaped jellies. Each one contained over 150 packets of Rowntrees lime-flavoured jelly cubes, was topped with a single red cherry rigged to vibrate on demand, and naturally had been designed in homage to the work of Spanish surrealist sculptorJoan Mir.The jellies were to furnish a banquet table at Gormenghast Castle, a labyrinthine location from the mind of writer-artist Mervyn Peake which was being brought to life for a landmark BBC adaptation of the first two novels in his 1940s Gormenghast trilogy. They were one tiny background element in a web of painstaking design from theGormenghastart team. The sets were dotted with references to 20thcentury artists Max Ernst and Paul Klee, as well as filmmakers Luis Bunuel and Federico Fellini. Spot the painting, sort of thing, explained director Andy Wilson in this behind-the-scenes interview. We were trying to make an artists vision of the world.In that, the four-partGormenghastadaptation excelled. The castle sets, which filmed almost every sound stage at Shepperton Studios in the spring and summer of 1999, were rich with ideas, atmosphere and detail. From the soon-to-be-burned-down library to the attics, rooftops, hall of Bright Carving and cat room, watching the series was like touring a surrealist exhibition.Peopling that exhibition wereGormenghasts characters, oddities created by Peake in his absurdist satire on class, nobility and ritual. Castle cook Swelter, family childminder Nannie Slagg, brainless royals Cora and Clarice, Dr Prunesquallor and his long-necked sister Irma, as well as the ruling family Lord Groan Lady Gertrude, Lady Fuschia and the infant heir Titus were played by the cream of the British stage and screen. Christopher Lee, Celia Imrie, Zoe Wanamaker, Richard Griffiths, Stephen Fry, Spike Milligan the collected cast would fill every portrait frame hanging on the walls at BAFTA twice over.In what seemed like the only allowance made to mainstream appeal, the handsome Jonathan Rhys Meyers was cast in the lead role of Steerpike, the novels unbeautiful kitchen boy whose ascent through the castle threatens the old regime. (In fact, director Andy Wilson described Rhys Meyers as looking exactly like a Mervyn Peake drawing of Steerpike, so even his good looks turned out to have been instrumental in the overall goal of evoking Peakes vision.)With a high-calibre cast, beautiful costumes and a bigger budget than most BBC four-parters could dream of (reports ranged from 6 million to 10 million), as well as a pre-publicity campaign that saw Rhys-Meyers Steerpike on the front of magazines and the sides of buses,Gormenghastwas set to become a BBC Two drama showcase for the new millennium. And so it was, for episode one, drawing a healthy audience for the channel of 4.2 million. By the next episode though, that number had almost halved to 2.4 million, and dwindled from there. Despite praise for its design and cast, the adaptation was quickly labelled a flop.What made viewers turn away? The story, said some, and the unlikable characters. Then-ITV controller of network drama Nick Elliott described the adaptation as emperors clothes time when speaking toThe Guardianin 2000. There was no serious content in terms of narrative or people you take seriously enough to want to watch. I have to admit I turned off.One argument is that not enough had been done to soften Peakes spiky, satirical and lets face it, bizarre and slow, story for a broad audience that needed characters to root for. Steerpike was an antihero just as US prestige TV was being born, but unlike Tony Soprano or Stringer Bell, he came from the world of fantasy, a genre thats historically struggled to be taken seriously for adult audiences on UK television.The creators ofGormenghastseem to have had something of a hold-your-nose attitude to the fantasy genre themselves. As director Andy Wilson explained in this featurette. Theres no magic, theres no zapping, theres noStar Wars, theres no zap guns or poufs when people turn into frogs. Its all very realistic and the characters have a very realistic set of emotions.Thats one take on it. Another might be that Peakes cerebral satire of arcane ritual, child emperors and fusty passed-on tradition was neither realistic enough nor fantasy enough for its audience. Simply put, it fell between two stools and a pre-Game of Thrones TV audience didnt quite know what to make of it. Had there either been magic and zapping, or had the characters not felt as though theyd walked out of a queasily adult take on Alices Wonderland, perhaps viewers would have got it, but then of course, it wouldnt have beenGormenghast.BeingGormenghastseems to have been the adaptations real problem. Peakes ensemble characters may sound like theyre out of Dickens, but theres none of Dickens appealing sentimentality in play here. These characters are vain, greedy, stupid, self-serving and callously insane, as befits this class satire. AsDownton AbbeyandThe Crownhave shown, audiences love a ruling-classes drama, but they prefer nostalgic ones where the ruling classes are winsome and put-upon and trying their best to stem the tide of crude modernity. A royal family drama that starts with a labouring mother pushing out an infant and then demanding Bring him back when hes six and turning back to her albino raven and roomful of white cats isnt going to warm anybodys cockles about the good old days.Gormenghastwas very much not a good old days drama. It was weird and absurdist and political and loftily ambitious. Despite the relatively big budget and dedicated work from the art team, it still struggled to evoke the scope and depth of Peakes vast creation. Hoping for mainstream success with the first screen adaptation of these 20th-century-crisis novels was in all likelihood, a folly. The planned TV version announced in 2018 would probably have fallen at the same hurdles.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!But what a folly the 2000 version was. Unsettling and visionary, it may not have won over audiences hearts and minds, but it stands as a monument to audacious artistry from the kind of creators who cared about every last detail on screen, from the castle walls to the banquet table jellies.