ON THE
WEB
 Lexx, the television
series, is for people with a sense of humor. Clearly meant for the
children of the Trekkie generation, Lexx follows the off beat
adventures of four misfits who have stolen the most powerful weapon in the
two universes. Lexx was shown abroad before being imported to
America, but has now caught on in the U.S. Despite the Sci Fi Channel's
airing the episodes out of order, the show, which airs on Fridays at 10PM
as part of Sci Fi Prime, has a growing number of viewers. For those who
can't get enough of the Lexx on the TV, there is the
Internet.
The official Lexx sites are run by
Salter Street; the producers of the series, and by the Sci Fi Channel in
the U.S. and the U.K. Other official web sites include Space Cast,
the Canadian channel that carries the show, and the official Lexx
Fan Club. Sprawled out behind them is a forest of fans with web sites
dedicated to the show. These fans have proven themselves dedicated enough
to use the power of the Internet to save their favorite Friday night
entertainment for another season. In August 2000, Lexx creator Paul
Donovan sent E-mails out to the fans on the Internet. The letter spoke of
the possibility the show may not survive for a fourth season. Die hard
fans began working hard to prevent this and on September 7, 2000 were
rewarded with an announcement from Salter Street- Lexx would go on.
On the World Wide Web, it never came to a halt.
LexxMania
Lexx has a large number of web sites
dedicated to it, and each has a lot to offer. Most sites are about
Lexx the series as a whole, and cover multiple aspects, including
the four movies which began the Lexx story. Others focus on the
characters, Zev, Xev, Stanley, Kai, 790, and even the Manhattan size ship
itself, the Lexx, who is considered by many to be as much a
character as the rest of the cast.
 For those new to Lexx, or just new to Lexx on
the web, the first places to visit are the official sites for the series.
The Sci Fi Channel runs a site at http://www.scifi.com/, and has recently
renovated the site. It is now more fun, and has more options. The pages
devoted to Lexx are focused on season three, and less on the series
as a whole. There are plenty of pictures and information to be found on
each character and episode. In addition to Lexx, the Sci Fi website
has information about other series, such as Farscape, First
Wave and The Invisible Man. Sci Fi has a sister in the United
Kingdom, also called the Sci Fi Channel, at http://www.uk.scifi.com/. The current
web site is a temporary one; as Sci Fi U.K. is building a bigger, better
one. It is still worth a glance, if for no other reason than to see the
newer version when it comes online.
Salter Street, the company that produces
Lexx, has two sites. Lexx.com is dedicated entirely to
Lexx. It's a fun place to visit, with a sense of humor not unlike
the show. Salter Street runs another site for the company as a whole at http://www.salter.com/. The site
includes Lexx, but also showcases other series produced by Salter
Street. The two sites share an online store which offers posters, music
and T-shirts. Both have good graphics and are entertaining. However, the
Salter Street site has the best synopsis of Lexx available on the
web.
Another official site for Lexx is
Space Cast the Imagination Station out of Canada, which can be
found at http://www.spacecast.com/. Like the
Sci Fi Channel this site is currently focusing on Season three. Its
content is comparable to its American contemporary, however, it has an
extra page about the show that's worth a look. It also offers free
Lexx desktops for your computer.
The Lexx Fan Club - http://www.lexxfanclub.freeuk.com/;
was started by Emerald and Pat, who also runs another site - Pat's
Michael McManus Tribute at http://www.michaelmcmanustribute.cjb.net/.
The fan club, which is completely run by fans, is a must for all
Lexx fanatics new and old. Others who help run the site are Black
Lady, Cat, Steph, Bugbomb, Charmaine, Jen, and Burntime. It has a lot to
offer, even if you choose not to join, although joining is worth the
investment. Membership includes a membership card and two sets of post
cards from both season two and three. A magazine is published twice a year
and fans are welcome to contribute. A newsletter by both E-mail and snail
mail (Postal Service) is also part of the benefit's package. A member of
the fan club also has access to a 'members only' website with up to the
minute information and special offers. In the end, the site is worth a
visit, but being in the fan club is even better.
Pat's second endeavor is the previously
mentioned site Pat's Michael McManus Tribute, dedicated to Michael
McManus - the actor who portrays Kai on the series. Pat began her site
after meeting the Lexx cast at a video signing in June of 1999.
Eventually, with the advent of so many sites for Lexx, it evolved
into a tribute to the actor Michael McManus, whom she admires. It is full
of information about the actor, including his filmographies and his
resume. Pat, who hopes to travel across Canada and the U.S.A. one day,
says she enjoys working on her web site because, "The website gives me a
new medium to be creative with..."
Although not an official site, Splarka's
Lexx Links Page at http://www.goldrush.com/~herd/lexx/
is the best links page for Lexx fans, and can be linked to from
Salter Streets' site http://www.lexx.com/. Well set up and
informative, it includes news, announcements plus an extensive listing of
links to other sites. These links range from the Official web sites for
Lexx to the TV channels that carry Lexx, worldwide.
Additional links include an "Images Only" listing for those who want
pictures of the cast; a "Fans" listing for fan-based sites as well as
additional sites by fans in languages including German and Russian. For
links to sites with articles and interviews, check out the bottom for
"Related Info." All in all, Splarka's Lexx Links is the place to
begin any quest for Lexx.
Cod Piece Kai Ken
 Another good link's page for Lexx fans is Cat's
LexxLinx at http://lexxlinx.cjb.net/. It's fun,
well set up and informative. It rivals Splarka's Lexx Links for
sites to jump to. It must be said, a number of sites listed are not on
Splarka's site and therefore Cat's LexxLinx is as much a compliment
as a rival. Among the most notable of the Lexx sites is Chencha's
Lexx page or Lexx USA at http://www.lexxusa.com/. Chencha, also
known as Leslie, began running her site in February of 2000, shortly after
the series began on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States. "I originally
designed my site to showcase the artwork and fiction generated by the
fans," Chencha said when asked why she devoted herself to creating a web
site. In a short time the site grew beyond art and stories. Now, in
addition to art and fiction, the site has a page for humor. "I enjoy the
creative aspects of building a site, but as for content I'd have to say I
enjoy the humor section," Chencha says. Included on the humor page is the
"Cod Piece Kai Ken Doll," a fan's answer to the need for Lexx toys
and a list of "Things Lexx Characters Wouldn't Say." As Lexx
USA's creator says, this is... "sci fi with a twist-you never quite
know what direction they are going to take you."
Lexxquisite at http://www.intjers.com/ reflects the
enthusiasm of the two ladies' who created it. Sydney and Kaizerin, who
consider themselves "introverted... wallflowers," spent three weeks
planning and designing the site. Sydney admits to "knowing nothing about
web design to creating 75+ pages." in a short amount of time. Sydney added
that they had intended to start simply, but it "snowballed" after they
began working on it. Despite being a new site, it's one place you don't
want to miss even if you're not a fan. Lexxquisite is full of fun
and a couple of surprises. Be sure and catch their reviews of Lexx
episodes which include their own thoughts and ideas.
LexxUS9 International, formerly Matz
Tribute to Lexx at http://fly.to/lexx, has been online since
1997. Matts, a 21-year-old student in computer engineering, built his site
when he discovered there was nothing on the Internet about Lexx. He
says his favorite thing about his website is "the amount of mail (E-mail)
it brings in." The site's creator recently changed the name "because I
felt I needed too." LexxUS9 comes in two languages, English and
Swedish, which gives it a distinctly international flavor. It also has a
number of screen savers, browser skins, desktops and boot screens for
those who wish to Lexxercise their computers. Matts adds, "I know that
some day interest will fade among the audience and then I will abandon the
page. It will always be online though, as a
Lexx-monument."
The Dragonfliers Campaign web site at http://dragonfliers.homestead.com/
was created in August of this year solely for the purpose of saving
Lexx the series when it became known Salter Street may not get the
funds needed to make a fourth season. "Our goal," says Terri, the site's
creator, "was to get the fans mobilized to write letters to large papers
and magazines throughout the US." The site provided addresses, sample
letters, banners and even flyers. In addition, Terri began collecting
money to take out an advertisement in Variety Magazine to generate viewer
interest, and thank the Sci Fi Channel for supporting the show. The
Dragonfliers Campaign to save Lexx was a success. Terri, a
41-year-old mother of two and self proclaimed "champion of underdog
causes," intends to keep the site open "as a reference site for fans
looking to start a similar renewal campaign."
On The Couch
 A must for any list of sites can be found at http://www.bellezephr.com/lexxsessions/lexx.htm under the title of Dr. Delilah's Lexx
Sessions
. The site has many notable
pages to explore, including a recap of the Lexx Unconvention 2000,
held in Halifax, Canada in August 2000. However, the Session Files are the
site's most endearing pages. In her Session Files, Dr. Delilah, a real
life psychiatrist, explores the psyche of the character Kai Last of the
Brunnen-G and every woman's dream assassin. Dr. Delilah, who admits her
discovery of Lexx was "purely accidental," has been a fan of the
show since it was launched in Canada in 1998. Not your average psychiatric
visit, the Lexx Sessions are instead an "analysis that partly
detailed the episodes (my version of an episode guide) and partly allowed
my fantasy and vicarious enjoyment of the episodes... to take expression,"
says the site's creator. When asked what she enjoyed most about her
creation, Dr. Delilah said "I think what I've most enjoyed is having the
chance to create something funny and entertaining for readers."
Another site, for anyone in love with the
character Kai, is The First Kai/Michael McManus Tribute at http://members.tripod.com/lexxkai/main.html.
Deejay, the site's creator, began working on it two and a half years ago.
It was, "Michael McManus' brilliant portrayal (of Kai) and the complete
lack of sites about him made my decision." Loaded with everything you
could want or imagine about Kai or the actor who portrays him, The
First Kai/Michael McManus Tribute is a must for any fan. The fan
fiction, artwork and poetry are excellent and well worth reading. Deejay,
who hopes to implement an episode exchange in the future has the best
assortment of Kai pictures on the web. On the whole the site's creator
believes it has all been worthwhile. "I've met a lot of fun people, gotten
an autograph and made a few lives a little bit better. One letter I
received was from a very ill girl who thanked me profusely for sharing her
obsession as the character of Kai made her life easier to deal
with."
Paul, of Paul's Lexx Files Page at http://www.staples1.freeserve.co.uk/,
admits he created his Lexx web site out of "boredom." He adds, "I
was new to the Internet and computers, I thought it would be fun to do."
Online since January 1999, Paul's Lexx Files contains a number of
articles about the series, particularly the four movies, from as far back
as 1998.Paul admits, "I only truthfully enjoyed the original four movies,
I could write a book on what I don't like about the other seasons, but I'd
upset a lot of people." The site also has its share of interesting fan
fiction. Paul, who works in the nursing community primarily with the
disabled, gets a lot of pleasure from knowing how many people visit his
site. "I'll continue with the site as long as (people) visit and continue
to mail me."
Captured for Prosperity
Holosapien, a professional web designer in the
United Kingdom, has two web sites, Lexx-The Dark Zone Stories at www.holosapien.com/lexx/lexx.htm
and Holosapien's Tribute to Kai/Lexx at http://www.holosapien.com/lexx/.
As the title suggests, the sites showcase Lexx. However,
Holosapien's Tribute to Kai focuses exclusively on the character
Kai, Last of the Brunnen-G. The site's creator says, "I wanted to create
the largest vidcap (video capture) archive so others could enjoy it..."
The site, which has been online since February 1998, does indeed have the
largest vidcap archive of Lexx known. The site's newest feature is
a vidclip (video clip) archive. Holosapien admits the archives are not yet
complete, he hopes, "To add every episode in the vidcap archive as well as
clips from each one in the vidclip archive." The site's creator, an
aspiring musician with plans to release a CD soon, has always been a fan
of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Holosapien, whose interests range
from Gothic horror to anthropology, says the "feedback" he gets from the
other Lexx fans is what he enjoys most about his
efforts.
At 25 Maria of M.G. and Fi's Lexx Crazy
at http://www.lexxcrazy.narod.ru/ is
a single Russian woman who has come a long way in her view of computers.
Maria studied as a culturologist at St. Petersburg State University and is
a big fan of Lexx, admits she once thought of computers as evil.
Now she works as a designer in a local newspaper. She began the
website when her companion and co-creator, Fiona, wrote some funny fan
fiction about Lexx. She decided then she would make the two of them
famous. The site itself, although in Russian with some English, is worth a
visit. Clearly set up for pure fun, the site sports a cartoon page and a
Lexx comic, which Maria illustrates herself. A visitor will also
find some Lexx episodes you will never see on TV. Maria credits
Lexx for her learning web and graphic design. She also hopes to
have the chance to practice her skills by changing her site sometime in
the future.
 Granamyr's Caption Insanity, a page of
the Granamyr's Lair, at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/1179/,
is more than a Lexx site. Granamyr's Lair as a whole is fun
and adventurous. Laura Eppich, the site's creator, became a Lexx
fan by accident after seeing part of "Rated Lexx" on the US Sci Fi
Channel. As a member of Mindprobe, the US Sci Fi Channel's daily online
Trivia Game, she developed an interest in the character Kai. The site's
Caption Insanity derived from visits to the Sci Fi Channel's Caption This.
Probers, what the members of Mindprobe call themselves, began "ribbing"
the screen grabs from the Sci Fi site. "For some odd reason, Lexx
draws the most cappers (captions)..." Laura states, "but there weren't a
whole lot of Kai screen grabs, so I decided to put up pictures and let
fans send me captions." She dubbed the page Granamyr's Caption
Insanity. Besides the captions, the site also boasts a Lexx
Mindprobe Theme Game, which will soon be joined by a second
Lexx Theme Game. "Granamyr's Lair got started as a place to
put all my 'stuff,' but is primarily a Dragon website." Laura says. True
to her word's Granamyr's Lair has a lot to offer. The site's other
pages, although not related to Lexx contain, some impressive art
and stories by its creator.
Another site, called Kassara's Lexx Page
at www.geocities.com/Area51/Dreamworld/3407
is not entirely devoted to the series. Kassara's Lexx Page is still
in its infancy, but the work she has put into it is obvious and well done.
It includes a link to her own personal site at http://www.Kassara.com/, which, like
her Lexx site, is also under construction. Both pages are
intriguing enough to make you want to come back and see what's
new.
I am the Lexx at http://www.lexx.co.uk/ is an
enthusiastic site. It carries everything from interviews to video clips.
It even contains Lexx movie sounds. Interviews include the actors
Brian Downey, who plays Stanley Tweedle the captain of the Lexx, and
Michael McManus, the two thousand year old assassin Kai. An ample portion
of the site has vidcaps of numerous episodes. John, the fan behind the
site, has been running a Lexx contest. The winner received one of
the shows props as a prize. The Sadgeezers Guide to Cult TV Sci Fi
at http://www.sadgeezer.com/lexx/
is definitely one to add to your favorites. Well set up and full of humor,
the site has an episode page with an excellent review of each show. Be
sure and take the Lexx Purity test to see if you are a Sad Geezer.
Besides the Purity Test, the site has coverage on the various Lexx
Conventions and some information about the makers of Lexx,
affectionately referred to as "the Beans" by fans.
The Darkzone
 A few
more sites which may be of interest include Jason's Faq Page
at
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/1831/FaqAloha.html,
which is dedicated to answering questions fans might not ordinarily ask.
This site is small but its creator, Jason Soeda, readily admits he's new
at building a web page and is steadily working on his site. Lydia's
Lexx Page http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Studio/1867/lexx.html
gives a synapse of each of the four movies that began the Lexx phenomenon.
This site also includes pictures, a link page and a sound page. In
addition there is Grobi's Lexx-The Darkzone http://home.wtal.de/lexx/index1.html,
one of the oldest sites online, run by Sebastian Grobi. Although centered
more on the original four movies, it is a good place to visit with plenty
of information, including songs and videos which can be downloaded.
Neil's Lexx Page http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/4781/
also an older site, is small but endearing and worth a visit.
Lexxplorations at http://www.wordwrights.clara.net/lexx/lexxplorations.html,
is an interesting site to see. Most notable are the reviews of each
episode. Thorough and insightful, these reviews are worth a read. The site
also has four discussion and debate pages, with an in depth discussion of
each character as well as some excellent fan art and fiction.
For episode guides and information visit
Lexx-Epguide at http://www.epguides.com/Lexx/ and
The Lexx-Shakaar Episode Guides at http://www.shakaar.demon.co.uk/episodes/lexx.htm.
The Lexx-Epguide has a list of the cast, guest stars, and a list of
the original air dates for each episode. Shakaar Episode Guide has
a listing of each movie and episode with synopses of the first season.
Another site to visit for information about each episode is The
Heretic's Guide to Lexx at http://www.lexxguide.com/. Although
low on exciting graphics, this site is loaded with information about the
series. The synopses of each episode are thorough and the site's creator
includes his own thoughts with each review.
Among the first sites Lexx fans should
visit is Rachael's Lexx Fact Page: Lexx FAQ at http://www.thedarkzone.org/faq/.
This site has answers to some of the more commonly asked questions about
Lexx. It also answers a few questions that are not so common. Some
questions that can be found here are; "Who makes Lexx?", "How are
the episodes numbered?", and "Who are the Lexx cast
members?".
In addition to these websites, the Internet has
numerous others. If you do not have a web address simply, go to your
favorite search engine and type 'Lexx' into the search box. Every
website available has a links page, so its easy to begin surfing from page
to page. If you go to the official website for Lexx at http://www.lexx.com/ you can link to
Splarka's Lexx Links then sail on into cyberspace.
Author's note: I gratefully acknowledge the
assistance of Leslie 'Chencha' Polland of Lexx USA in the writing
of this article.
Linda G.
Arenburgh |
