The Forgotten Anti-Star Trek
Lexx, created by Paul Donovan, was an international co-production between Canadian, British, and German partners. The series ran for 61 episodes and was even broadcast in France on channels like 13ème Rue and Canal+. At the time, Lexx was promoted as the anti-Star Trek—the show to watch if you were tired of Klingons or the sanitized world of the Federation.
Twisting Science Fiction Conventions
What made Lexx stand out? It turned the rules of sci-fi upside down, openly parodying and mocking the genre while digging into heavier themes. The story followed a crew of fugitives and bizarre beings traveling aboard the Lexx—a massive, living spaceship that could wipe out entire planets. Fleeing tyrannical empires, the crew stumbled into wild, often absurd adventures. The tone was a mix of dark humor, satire, and a thoroughly offbeat visual style.
The Creator’s Take—and Inspirations
Paul Donovan explained to Cinefantastique Magazine (as reported by TVLine) that he intentionally created a version of Star Trek with all the brakes off. He noted:
“In the past, I called Lexx the evil twin of Star Trek. And people completely got it.”
Despite the show’s ironic edge, Donovan pointed to more serious inspirations:
“If I had to name real inspirations, I'd say Alien, Fires on the Plain by Kon Ichikawa, and especially Dark Star, which really had a twisted sense of humor.”
Definitely Not for the Whole Family
Where Star Trek targeted family audiences, Lexx did the opposite. The show featured frequent violence, tossed out any conventional moral anchors, and openly embraced sexuality. It was not a series meant for everyone—a fact that, according to Donovan, he found amusing.
“It's the kind of show people talk about when they complain about violence and sex on television. There’s definitely plenty of gore and twisted stuff in it.”
For those curious about how science fiction could be completely turned on its head, Lexx stands as a wild cult oddity—a show that laughed at the genre’s established traditions, and never played it safe.
