Syfy’s Forgotten 61-Episode Sci-Fi Series Deserves to Be as Big as ‘Stargate SG-1’
When you think of big sci-fi television, Stargate SG-1 is the name that comes up first. It built a franchise around the idea of wormholes, spun off into a fleet of shows, and turned myth into alien encounter. But there was another series on the same network that took the opposite road. Lexx premiered in 1997 on what was then called the Sci-Fi Channel, and it refused to play by the rules of Stargate or Star Trek.
Lexx followed a disgraced security guard named Stanley H. Tweedle, a warrior known as Kai, and a love slave named Zev Bellringer. They rode a sentient spaceship built as a weapon of mass destruction, traveled through the galaxy, and got into raunchy situations no other sci-fi show dared touch at the time. The creators wanted the show to be the direct opposite of its peers, because they felt the genre had grown too serious.
Stanley, Kai, and Zev
Stanley is cowardly and only performs altruistic acts if they directly benefit him. Zev, despite being genetically engineered to sleep with anyone who is willing, is utterly repulsed by Stanley and genuinely falls in love with Kai. Kai, on the other hand, can’t return her affections because he is technically undead and therefore has no emotions. And 790, the decapitated head of a robot, fell hopelessly in love with Zev, despite being a robot head.
The dynamic is absurd on purpose. The creators wanted a show that pushed past the standards of the day, and they found the perfect vehicle in a sentient spaceship that was built to destroy.
Lexx’s Creators Wanted the Opposite of Sci-Fi
Brian Donovan, Lex Gigeroff, and Jeffrey Hirschfield were open about their goal. They wanted Lexx to be the kind of show that people protested for its sex and violence. Donovan said in an interview that he considered Lexx to be “Star Trek’s evil twin.”
“This is the type of TV show that people talk about when they protest sex and violence on TV… There’s definitely a lot of gruesome and twisted stuff that happens. It goes way beyond the standard TV fare in its excess.”
Each episode of Lexx tried to push the envelope. The show felt like it was constantly testing how far it could go.
The Episode That Proved the Point
A key example is the episode “Lyekka.” It features a sentient plant that morphs into the image of a girl Stanley crushed on in high school and devours a trio of astronauts. Before that, the plant lets them live out their deepest fantasies, resulting in imagery that feels like it belongs on Cinemax more than the Syfy channel.
That wild spirit is what makes Lexx worth watching.
The Comparison to Star Trek
| Show | Tone | Core Concept |
|---|---|---|
| Stargate SG-1 | Serious, mythological | Wormholes connecting alien worlds |
| Star Trek | Serious, exploratory | Space exploration and diplomacy |
| Lexx | Raunchy, violent, absurd | Sentient spaceship and flawed characters |
The creators wanted a show that would make people complain about the content, the way protests about sex and violence on TV were framed.
The Numbers Behind the Show
Lexx was a 61-episode series. That is a substantial run for a show that never reached the scale of Stargate SG-1 or Star Trek. The show’s creators were deliberate about its identity.
The show’s willingness to embrace black humor and sexual content set it apart from its peers. The characters were designed to be flawed and unpredictable, and the spaceship itself was a constant presence that drove the plot forward.
The Legacy of Lexx
Stargate fans are mourning the loss of a potential reboot at Prime Video. That loss makes the case for remembering Lexx stronger. Lexx took risks that no other sci-fi show of its era attempted, and it did so with a crew that was explicit about wanting to shake up the genre.
Lexx stands as a reminder that sci-fi television can be anything. It can be funny, gross, and heartfelt all at once. It can be a show that people talk about when they protest sex and violence on TV.
A Show Worth Watching Again
Lexx deserves a second look. Its episodes offer a wild ride through a galaxy full of strange situations, and its characters remain unforgettable. The show’s willingness to push boundaries makes it a standout entry in the history of the genre.
For fans of sci-fi television, Lexx is a reminder that the genre has room for experimentation. It is a show that refuses to be boring, and it rewards viewers who are willing to meet it on its own terms.
See the video the story is built around at Collider.
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