Lexx - The Dark Zone

I love this show. It is Science Fiction for adults. By that I mean that it has a sense of humor, which can be appreciated by adults. It is sexy, in a nice way, not pornographic. Xenia Seeberg is terrific as Zev Bellringer. Her facial expressions are priceless and show that she is a truly talented actress, not just another pretty face (and body). The rest of the cast is superb. Kai has the coolness of a Mr. Spock, and Stanley Tweedle is all that the name would imply. The special effects can be spectacularly elaborate or comically cheesy when appropriate. LEXX, the most powerful weapon of destruction in the two universes, is the most entertaining Science Fiction program on the planet.

My husband and I first caught Lexx during a marathon on the Sci-Fi channel in 2000. Up until that point, Sci-Fi's ad campaign was so wretched that neither of us bothered to watch the show. Although the episodes in the marathon didn't make a lot of sense (Sci-Fi aired the Season 2 episodes out of order) we were hooked by the black humor, the funky music, and the show's overall stylishness.

I think the show was a lot smarter than most people realize.

In a nutshell, Lexx is the American Red Dwarf. Fans of Red Dwarf know that the British creators once tried to sell the show to a US network ... and failed. Attempts at Americanizing Red Dwarf included adding more sex and "adventure" to the show while keeping the jokes and action squeaky clean. It didn't work. But Lexx succeeded where Red Dwarf failed by being hip and gritty.

Of the first four Lexx movies only the first and fourth are truly must-see material. The middle episodes feature fun cameos but don't really advance the plot ... they've always felt like filler designed to stretch out the production budget. But the first and last movies are sci-fi gems. Funny, sick, and slick all at the same time, they really solidified the mood of the show.

Episode for episode, Season 2 IS the heart of Lexx. The season offers up the most spot-on humor and the most interesting plots. The season bore a few misses (the hillbilly episodes mainly) but the shows are consistently enjoyable if you appreciate the bizarre. The running gag in which every new character introduced dies by the end of each episode never turns stale. The main characters grow with the plot throughout the season. There's even a thoroughly enjoyable MUSICAL episode toward the end (my favorite Lexx episode).

Season 3 was a complete misfire. I'm surprised Lexx survived to see a fourth season ... that how weak Season 3 is. A plot that should have lasted two episodes is stretched into an entire season. All of the character growth seen in Season 2 is tossed out the window. The episodes drag out via poor pacing, asinine logic, and de-emphasized humor. And the season only got worse as it went along. I didn't enjoy Season 3 when it aired, and it still sucks on DVD ... especially when compared to every other incarnation of Lexx.

Season 4 was a worthy successor to Season 2 and a return to form. It's a shame that the fourth season based several plot threads on the third season because, ideally, viewers should be able to skip Season 3 altogether. While the fourth season isn't as strong as the second, it comes pretty damned close. I was skeptical about the "Lexx comes to modern earth" theme... but through creativity and a keen sense of satire, Lexx's creative team pulled off a plot device that no other Sci-fi show has been able to successfully tackle (re: Battlestar Galactica 1980). There are some episodes that go nowhere (sadly the prison episode, which employs two actors from Red Dwarf, is one of the most disposable episodes) and the characters go through the exact same growth pattern seen in Season 2. But I give the creators props for having the balls to inject caustic anti-American sentiments into the season ... given the post 9-11 culture in which they were released AND the fact that it was the first incarnation of Lexx to be heavily promoted in the US. Sometimes the anti-American elements are too heavy-handed and belie a superficial grasp of US culture, but that's OK. It works more than it doesn't. The creators did a much better job at managing a continuing storyline than they did in previous seasons ... culminating in a truly rousing and tragic conclusion.

I also applaud the creators for ending their pet project decisively. Sure, there MIGHT be another Lexx someday, but the conclusion of Season 4 didn't leave any loose ends or nagging issues.

Warts and all, Lexx stands as one of the most interesting and innovative sci-fi shows ever attempted. I have a feeling that this show will grow more popular with the passage of time.

Most science fiction deals with characters who are altruistic or malevolent, and have stories that are simple, with good guys defending against bad guys. "Lexx" is different, in that it explores the amoral side of humanity not by showing these usually undesirable traits not just in minor characters, but in the main characters, in the crew of the Lexx itself. There is a Dark Man, an unemotional and undead assassin, defender of the crew. But then there are the half-lizard nymphomaniac, the unintelligent "dirty old man" (who somehow became the Captain of the Lexx through an accident), the robot head driven by love-psychosis, and the sentient, organic Lexx itself, a living ship and slave to the Captain who, if unchecked, would be content in destroying or feeding on organic life in the form of other space ships or entire planets.

The questionable desires of the crew are usually left unfulfilled in the episodes, and morality and good win out in the end over immorality and evil, but not before a thorough exploration of self-indulgent natures and evil.

True, the low-budget nature of the series may make it ideal for viewing in late night hours as an alternative to infomercials, but the series is nothing if not imaginative. Other series have cropped up since, with similar themes of a powerful space ship crewed by fools and lechers, but "Lexx" is definitely unique in that its flawed characters are so familiar that they become endearing.

The quote in my title, from Season 3, should be enough for you to rush out and find a copy of this great series. "Lexx" is the perfect embodiment of the 90s--the overlooked stepchild of the 80s--blending deadpan humor, dark themes, playful if not gratuitous sexuality, a healthy dose of cynicism, and some surpisingly deep & challenging themes of morality, all wrapped up with a childish grasp of fantasy & some of the coolest steampunk contraptions you've seen since HG Welles The Time Machine.

If you've seen any posters, you've probably realized that the major draw is the eye candy: the drop dead gorgeous Xenia Seeberg ("Xev") who in at least 1 episode saves an entire planet by asphyxiating someone with her bosooms (now that's the kind of feminism we can all appreciate), but if you swing the other way there's also the beefcakey Michael McManus ("Kai") who's a cross between Edward Scissorhands, Spock and a Navy Seal because he can kill you with a toothpick. Rounding out the troupe is their captain "Stanley H. Tweedle" (Brian Downey) who is the goofiest, most unqualified captain since Cap'n Crunch. There is also a hilarious disembodied robot head "790" suffering from considerable gender confusion.

But if you're expecting just a brainless, campy romp, you'll be surprised to see that a lot of these episodes pack some deep, philosophical and artistic power. I caught frequent allusions to classic films and art, such as the Season 3 episode "Gondola" which is a loving nod to the 1944 Hitchcock film "Lifeboat". In another episode, "Tunnels", art fans may recognize sets that are recreations of M.C. Escher (the artist known for drawing impossible figures). And the season 2 episode "Lafftrak" is the greatest (and I'm pretty sure the only) scifi homage to Three's Company, General Hospital & possibly a Van Halen video (Hot for Teacher?). Another fantastic episode to watch for is Season 2 "Brigadoom" which is a MUSICAL based on (any guesses?) Zeigfeld's 1947 "Brigadoon". And that's not all; there are some great scenes when the action, comedy and campiness take a break and we get some fascinating dialogue on spirituality, reincarnation, fatalism and the meaning of life. And of course the novel concept of the antihero (a ship full of outcasts who are either amoral, immoral or just plain zombies) was beautifully and charmingly presented here.

Also don't be fooled by the dated 90s cgi. Although the computer special effects may sometimes seem cheezy by today's standards, the actual sets and locations are impressive. A co-production between Canada & Germany, "Lexx" flew all around the world to find the right locations such as the deserts of Namibia, locations in Thailand, and of course the companies' home bases in Nova Scotia and Berlin.

This series had everything. Good stories, good action, great eye candy, surprisingly excellent acting, and just the perfect vibe of the 90s. As we entered the new millennium, our taste for scifi & fantasy turned to more serious, disturbing dramas like Battlestar Galactica and Lost. I consider "Lexx" to be the last and most potent dose of 90s awesomeness before the end of an era.

A final note: if you're on the hunt for the best copy of Lexx (which unfortunately is not available on blu-ray as of today 20 years later), look for the original Canadian DVD release on Acorn Media (2002) or Alliance (2012). Newer releases by Echo Bridge appear to be squashed down to fit on fewer discs and that sorta kills the video quality which is already in need of remastering. The entire 4-season series should span 19 discs, so beware of squashed cut versions that cram the whole show onto 9 or fewer. Also I've read that there's censorship on the American releases, Echo Bridge & Syfy (sexual jokes and some totally gratuitous but much appreciated nudity). Jeepers, someone needs to release this on blu-ray already! I've been petitioning The Criterion Collection to get their butts in gear but they just keep telling me to get a life. Pfft. One way or another, get your hands on this series and have a blast.

This is my favourite TV sci-fi to date! Totally different to your usual Star Trek, this tv programme doesn't take itself seriously Star Trek fashion and the humour is entertaining.

What makes this so great is its originality. This is the virtually the opposite of every cliche you see in sci fi. For example....

1) Stanley Tweedle. He is a coward, but oddly endearing in a way, you have to feel sorry for him. His antics are also ridiculous! He is also the commander of the Lexx and he's definitely no cowboy Captain Kirk.

2) The Lexx. No flash chrome coloured starship, but a gigantic, insect spaceship that eats its prey! It also behaves as though its alive - because it is!

3) 790 robot head. Has more of a personality than Data, in love with Zev, how's that for originality???

4) Kai, the 2000 year old dead Brunnen G 'anti-hero'. His attitude toward Zev is completely the opposite of how a 'normal' hero would behave toward her! And also Zev, being part cluster lizard...

Having only recently found out there is a Lexx series on the net, we've yet to see it here in NZ. This will be the third time the original series has been aired this year! I look forward to seeing it in the (hopefully) near future...