MovieChat Forums > Lexx (1997) Discussion > Is it just me or did this turn into a co...

Is it just me or did this turn into a comedy in the 4th season?

posted 11 years ago by rainman_1985
21 replies | jump to latest

Some people have referred to Lexx as a parody but I never saw it that way. Sure it was quirky and offbeat but never a comedy. Sure Stan was an unlikely protagonist, a weak-willed morally ambiguous middle aged man but so were many of lead characters in Phillip K Dick's Novels.
But the 4th season was a joke. As soon as it showed them arriving on Earth I was thinking, "Jesus, can they possibly go anywhere good with this?" and sure enough they didn't. The 3rd season with the whole heaven and hell as literal planets and Prince as a pseudo Satan was awesome. That shoot out scene in the Prime Ridge episode WAS parody. Supposedly the final episode is one of the best but jeez I'm not sure if I'll make it there if it keeps going like this.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] poem 11 years ago

I still think the first 4 movies is what was really great about Lexx.

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A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] SilentDues 11 years ago

Season 4 doesn't have many remarkable stories and really just seemed too far a departure from prior formulas that kept Lexx an amazing saga.

The four movies were excellent because they were produced like theatrical films, even if the budgets weren't quite up to par with that level (one can observe the third movie as being more a budgeted 'bottle' story), plus the scope of the overall plot involving Kai's defeat of His Divine Shadow.

Season 2 was excellent because we were getting the same space exploration theme, somewhat of a continuation to the movies with His Shadow partly influencing Mantrid, plus the producers not being afraid to inject the same kinda dark humor present in the movies and keep going with a new Zev/Xev.

Season 3 was EPIC because its shorter ep-run allowed for virtually no filler and much bigger budget eps (...albeit "The Key" could be argued as the single exception...), the specific focus on Fire and Water was a very fresh twist, plus Prince made for an actual better foe than His Shadow and Mantrid had.

Season 4, where to start?

The producers returned to the formula of producing 20 episodes and with that, instantly called for the need of filler and budgeted 'bottle' eps. They also over-estimated any potential fan interest to see Earth explored, we'd already gotten a season of specific planetary focus, I think everyone was ready for Lexx to go back to its classic space exploration theme as in the four movies and Season 2 (which it never did). Last lousy quirk being far too much focus on coming off like a parody and poking fun at so much mainstream pop-culture, sure Lexx was known to do this so well before hand, but Season 4 practically became an all-out farce. With the exception of some remarkable eps as I first mentioned ("Vlad", "Moss", "The Game", "Apocalexx Now", "Yo Way Yo"), Season 4 is basically a total failure IMHO.

Superman & The [Red-Blue] Blur = The Man of Steel

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] rcolfer 11 years ago

The third series has been taking a kicking in the episode vote, so I don't think a lot of people would agree that it's EPIC. I found it pretty well humourless, which outweighed any other benefits.

So, in short: go and vote! We NEED to get that thing nearer the finish line.

[–] xII22_loop 10 years ago

I watched it form the very beginning as a kid and it broke my heart to see how it turned from super weird guilty-pleasure sci-fi into this ridiculous comedy in season 4.

[–] doitlikenikita 10 years ago

It might have turned into more comedic territory, but S4's series finale redeems the entire season in a huge way. It's IMO the best episode in the series.

Formerly tomoyocaptor

[–] LoveExposure 9 years ago

I completely agree with you. Season 4 could have been much better if it was shorter and focused on fewer (and better) episodes. I did not mind the earth story so much. At least it was something fresh. There were just too many stinker episodes. I can still enjoy it for what it is. "The Game" is an excellent episode or example. Half of season 4 is pretty much "skippable" though. Yes, probably a failure, as you describe it.

Worst episode is still "White Trash" of season 2, though. ;-)

[–] BParkov 9 years ago

White Trash is one of my favorite episodes! Mostly because of the actor who plays Pa, his stupid way of talking, and all his great quotes. Like his weird comment about Stan's creamy shoulders. Haha. What the hell. And how he thought followers of His Divine Shadow planned to "grind us up and smoke us... or pickle us or sumptin'..." Also just the concept of hicks in space and an entire planet of hicks is fun. It's also always great whenever Stan blows up a planet, I love how life wasn't valued at all on the show.

[–] poem 9 years ago

By the way - do people here think comedy is a bad thing per se ?!

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A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

[–] LoveExposure 9 years ago

No, I don't. Lexx always had comedic elements which were well balanced with sci-fi and maybe also some elements of Horror. That's why the transition to comedy is not a big stretch for me personally. I still think season 4 is by far the worst season for other reasons.

[–] xII22_loop 9 years ago

as a kid who loved watching the original movies and season 1-3.... I was heartbroken when it turned into some sort of comedy parody.

at the time it was like a live action version of those Heavy Metal cartoons /magazine. Which was a welcome change to the super serious Star Trek.

[–] LoveExposure 9 years ago

I think you are right about it. Season 4 is pure sci-fi comedy. Some episodes are very bad and it is the worst season. I did not like the earth story so much, but I thought at least they don't repeat themselves and come up with something new. Season 4 might be the worst but it is also probably the funniest (if you dig the humor). The last episode is really good and a nice end to the series.

If you can't stand season 4 (which I can understand), why don't you just do yourself a favor and skip some episodes (not all are connected to a larger story) or just watch the final 2 - 3 episodes.

I remember the episodes on Newfoundland and in Transylvania were simply awful trash.

[–] doitlikenikita 9 years ago

The Transylvania eps are one of my favorites from the series! And yes, 4x20, 4x22, 4x23 and 4x24 are EPIC and a return to form. 4x21 is bad, though.

[–] LoveExposure 9 years ago

"The alligator pit, the alligator pit!"

;-) Season 4 had its moments... I don't mind the drift into comedic territory and I liked the political incorrectness. But 24 episodes were just too much for the writers to handle. The fish out of the water concept got tired after a while. And to be fair, season 2 also had some *beep* episodes.

I think season 3 with its 13 episodes and continuous structure worked pretty well.

[–] BParkov 9 years ago

There were some nice things about Season 4. Making fun of Americans for one. (I am American by the way, so don't go getting your panties in a twist anyone.) I liked 790's blurb about Earth being a Type 13 planet. And Kai's "It's a book, they contain useful information... sometimes. And interesting stories... less often." Kai in a refrigerator was fun.

But overall, yeah, season 4 was too ridiculous and campy and kinda crappy compared to the previous seasons. I actually didn't like Season 3 much at all either. Good/Evil Heaven/Hell is not very Lexx-like.

When I reminisce about LEXX I always think of Season 2.

[–] acker_jawaka 9 years ago

i thought that at first but they did get better as it went on, the worse thing about it for me was the presedent of the usa, after a while he really started to get on my nerves apart from that.....fantastic stuff, im watching them again now, 2 to go on series 4 and i must admit i enjoyed it more this time.

[–] poem 9 years ago

This show NEVER was very serious.

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You shall have no other Kates before Kate Winslet.