ganglia: Lexx or Dark Skies, which came first?
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I watched a video of the first episode of a sci-fi TV program called ‘Dark Skies’ and it has alien life forms which can attach themselves to human brains as parasites and control their behaviour. They are called ganglia. This surprised me because in Lexx 1.3 Eating Pattern there is the same type of alien life form.
Did the makers of Lexx get the idea from Dark Skies, or did the makers of Dark Skies get the idea from Lexx? Or did both of them get the idea from a previous program or film?
The ideas are so similar that something must have gone on.Also, in Dark Skies there is a cloud of particles which has something to do with the alien intelligence. This is very similar to the cloud of particles summoned by His Divine Shadow in 1.1 I Worship His Shadow.
According to the information on my video covers both the first episode of Dark Skies and Lexx came out in 1996.
Rockham.
Err… I think both of them got the idea from lots of other places..
If you want to nitpick it can probably be traced back to [i]The Puppet Masters[/i] by Robert A. Heinlein. And he probably got the idea from a type of fluke in real life that controls ants from inside their brains. Anyway, the brain parasite is now a common sci-fi element used by many writers (including me [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] ).
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Lee P. Sherman, code name DalekTek790
Whovian, Froudian, Lexxian, etc.Yeah, the Beans don’t need to scavenge.
Off topic, but on the Amazon website there were reviews comparing Lexx to Farscape as if Lexx was some sort of imitation.
1. Lexx came out before Farscape,
2. Not to belabor the obvious, but Farscape sux. Lexx dosen’t.
quote:
Originally posted by Hypatia:
[b]
Off topic, but on the Amazon website there were reviews comparing Lexx to Farscape as if Lexx was some sort of imitation.1. Lexx came out before Farscape,
2. Not to belabor the obvious, but Farscape sux. Lexx dosen’t.[/b]
lol, hypatia…yeah, a lot of early farscape seemed to have similar themes to lexx…and valdron’s most excellent fiction regarding lexx meets farscape seemed to me an oblique reference to that…i have to admit to a residual fondness for farscape, although losing xhann was a big mistake…to me, the two will be forever linked as they were two exciting new shows introduced at the same time by u.s. scifi, and in fact following each other, so i still love farscape,but i have to admit, it seems to have lost it’s focus, while still garnering ,to my mind at least, undeserved greater popular acclaim…anyway, the ganglia theory is widespread since ganglia is in fact a collection of nerve cells (nerves being the tails, or telephone wires if you will, from the central “brain” or nerve cell) another instance of real science being the ‘scientific’ departure point for the ‘fiction’ in science fiction [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] love fx
Yes, [i]Farscape[/i] sucks. It’s like the Henson people had a bunch of weird puppets laying around and threw together some lame plot to get them all on camera. And those puppets aren’t eveb that good. I mean, [i]The Dark Crystal[/i] was made 20 years ago, and its aliens looked realistic. But the ones on [i]Farscape[/i] just look like puppets.
[i]Lexx[/i] and [i]Farscape[/i] both belong to the same sci-fi subgenre. It’s what I like to call the Star Trek Ripoff Subgenre. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Here’s a sample-
Andromeda
Battlestar Galactica
Blake’s 7
Crusade
Farscape
Lexx
Red DwarfThere are more, but I can’t think of them at the moment.
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“Exterminate!” -Dalek warrior, [i]The Daleks[/i]: Episode 4-[i]The Ambush[/i]
“Feel the power of the dark Crystal!” -skekTek the Scientist, [i]The Dark Crystal[/i]
“I will love you forever!” -drone #790, [i]Lexx 1.1: I Worship His Shadow[/i]
I have to agree with me old mate Dalektek(waves hi)and Hypatia, Farscape Sux, there is nothing original about it, it seems like an almagation of different Sci-fi series from Buck Rogers with a mix of Babylon 5 and a pinch of Fraggle Rock (and not forgetting a little idea being stolen from Planet of the Apes), the puppets don’t work in this day and age and are not convincing at all, stick to the muppets Mr Henson.
Lexx from the start was fresh and original and although it did call on a few idea’s it’s overall premise was nothing like we’d seen before.
I tried Farscape and it just didn’t capture my imagination at all, in fact I think if anything it is close 2nd to Andromeda for being the worst Sci-Fi on our screens.
But because the big wigs see Lexx as too diverse they put predictable rubbish like Farscape before it, because they believe Sci-Fi fans will only stomach a given and tried recipe for a programme, Farscape is just being made with this in mind, it’s what the bigwigs believe works for Sci-Fi fans and just nicks idea’s from everywhere else.
Anyway if you didn’t get the jist of what I was saying then let me sum it up…Farscape is a big pair of smelly underpants!!!, and Lexx rocks.
Squishy——————
Annoyed Squishy[QUOTE]Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[B]Yes, [i]Farscape[/i] sucks. It’s like the Henson people had a bunch of weird puppets laying around and threw together some lame plot to get them all on camera. And those puppets aren’t eveb that good. I mean, [i]The Dark Crystal[/i] was made 20 years ago, and its aliens looked realistic. But the ones on [i]Farscape[/i] just look like puppets.[i]Lexx[/i] and [i]Farscape[/i] both belong to the same sci-fi subgenre. It’s what I like to call the Star Trek Ripoff Subgenre. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Here’s a sample-
Andromeda
Battlestar Galactica
Blake’s 7
Crusade
Farscape
Lexx
Red DwarfThere are more, but I can’t think of them at the moment.
Sorry Dalektek to bring over from our other post (wink, wink) but this is more like it, I really enjoyed reading your post, please keep it up matey.
Nicely done!!!
Squishy——————
Annoyed SquishyDalektek; I wouldn’t go so far as to call Lexx a Star Trek ripoff, as it’s too origenal.
I would have written along post about the differences, but you and Squishy are getting along and thats enough.
Crossing my fingers, Hypatia
quote:
Originally posted by Hypatia:
[b]Dalektek; I wouldn’t go so far as to call Lexx a Star Trek ripoff, as it’s too origenal.I would have written along post about the differences, but you and Squishy are getting along and thats enough.
Crossing my fingers, Hypatia
[/b]
I reckon that Star Wars has more in common with Lexx than Star Trek, HDS seemed a lot like good ol’ Darth (only more evil), and the Death Star being similar to Lexx in it’s overall threat.
The heretics being like the rebellion, and the empire being like the divine order, and where Star Wars have the clone wars, Lexx has the insect wars…but the similarities are not close enough to say that Lexx was a rip-off of Star Wars, because Lexx had some many other idea’s that went beyond and in some ways were better than Star Wars, and that’s why Lexx will always stand head and shoulders above the likes of unoriginal trash like Farscape.
The concept storyline for Star Wars was ground breaking (as were the effects), and it just oozed class from the beginning, Lexx (for my money) is the only other Sci-Fi programme with that fresh take.
Other movies have been original, but only Star Wars and Star Trek remain the giants of the Sci-fi film genre, if Lexx had the chance to go big , then I’m sure it would be counted alongside those greats amongst all fan’s of Sci-FI.
Squishy——————
Annoyed Squishy
quote[quote]Off topic, but on the Amazon website there were reviews comparing Lexx to Farscape as if Lexx was some sort of imitation.[/quote]
This situation largely came about since in the US, SciFi showed Farscape before they took up Lexx Series 2, so many Americans assumed that Farscape came first, especially the ones who liked Farscape and wanted to slag off Lexx as an inferior copy.
quote:
Originally posted by Cat:
[b] This situation largely came about since in the US, SciFi showed Farscape before they took up Lexx Series 2, so many Americans assumed that Farscape came first, especially the ones who liked Farscape and wanted to slag off Lexx as an inferior copy.[/b]
well yeah, movies were on showtime way back when, but farscape did start april 99, whereas lexx and farscape were packaged together as fridaynight lineup at the end of 99…being one of those annoying people who reads credits, i was aware that lexx was older and that farscape (coincidentally) seemed to have similar themed episodes…the sex changes of the crew particularly comes to mind…and although farscape’s was cute, lexx was much better…i think love grows was the first eppy we saw here…you all know how out of sequence everything was, but in this case that episode really got my attention, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad move
They first showed [i]Lexx[/i] on American sci-fi on January 19, 2000.
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Lee P. Sherman, code name DalekTek790
Whovian, Froudian, Lexxian, etc.
quote:
Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[b]They first showed [i]Lexx[/i] on American sci-fi on January 19, 2000.[/b]
don’t recall the actual date, only that it was winter 99/00,i remember the build up and discussion began around december or so…
quote:
Originally posted by Hypatia:
[b]Dalektek; I wouldn’t go so far as to call Lexx a Star Trek ripoff, as it’s too origenal.I would have written along post about the differences, but you and Squishy are getting along and thats enough.
Crossing my fingers, Hypatia
[/b]
One of the advantages of Lexx is that it has very few aliens. Most of the beings that the crew come into contact with are humans who are the descendents of humans who spread out into the universe long ago. This means that the writers of Lexx do not have to come up with new types of aliens each week which in other sci-fi programs seem mostly to look and sound like Americans but with different types of bumpy heads.
Lexx is not action adventure and allows the development of the relatively few characters. The interaction between Stan and the very different Zev/Xev is especially interesting.
One thing I like about Lexx is that it really does look like far far into the future, with the merging of bio-technology and mechanical engineering. HDS is the most sinister adversary that I have seen in any story.
Rockham.
quote:
Originally posted by Annoyed Squishy:
[b] …if Lexx had the chance to go big , then I’m sure it would be counted alongside those greats amongst all fan’s of Sci-FI.
[/b]
AMEN! And Farscape sucks, yes! And Andromeda is boring. I was giving up on tv when I was introduced to Lexx. It’s the first fresh thing I’ve seen on the tube in a LONG time. When it’s gone maybe I’ll quit tv and get a life. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
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– Aurora
quote[quote]One of the advantages of Lexx is that it has very few aliens.[/quote]
Lexx Laws:
1. There shall be no rubber-faced aliens.
[url=http://thedarkzone.org/faq/faq_show.cgi?id=12]The Lexx FAQ[/url]
quote:
Originally posted by Cat:
[b] Lexx Laws:1. There shall be no rubber-faced aliens.
[url=http://thedarkzone.org/faq/faq_show.cgi?id=12]The Lexx FAQ[/url][/b]
They also said there’d be no time travel. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/img]
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Lee P. Sherman, code name DalekTek790
Whovian, Froudian, Lexxian, etc.
quote:
Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[b]
They also said there’d be no time travel. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/img][/b]
…And nobody’s traveled through time yet…
–Aleck
quote:
Originally posted by Aleck:
[b] …And nobody’s traveled through time yet…–Aleck[/b]
NEVER LET THE FACTS STAND IN THE WAY OF THE TRUTH [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]
The first two seasons took place millennia after mankind had conquered space. That’s why humans from Earth have colonized all those planets like the Cluster, Brunnis, and Nook. There are also terran animals like mice and butterflies all over the Universes. And individuals refer to 20th Century humans like Buckminster Fuller.
Then we have the fourth season, which takes place in the year 1919-20 on Earth. Somewhere along the line they went back in time.
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Lee P. Sherman, code name DalekTek790
Whovian, Froudian, Lexxian, etc.
quote:
Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[b]The first two seasons took place millennia after mankind had conquered space.[/b]
Not according to Salter Street. As I’ve said before, when putting together the copy for the video releases (box copy, sales sheets, etc.), Salter was adamant about us *never* referring to [i]LEXX[/i] being set in the future. In fact, it was one of the only things they were extremely anal about. Why? Because it’s *not* set in the future. Unless you happen to know more about LEXX than Salter Street, which is unlikely, it ain’t set in the future.
I mean, how did all the humans end up colonizing other planets in the [i]Star Wars[/i] saga, when it states in the beginning of every film that it takes place in the long past? Or did *they* time travel as well?quote[quote][b]And individuals refer to 20th Century humans like Buckminster Fuller.[/b][/quote]
When did they refer to Bucky Fuller? I need a specific quote here. And I don’t mean an homage that may have been planted in there by Paul D., I mean calling Bucky by name, quoting him, etc.
quote[quote][b]Then we have the fourth season, which takes place in the year 1919-20 on Earth. Somewhere along the line they went back in time.[/b][/quote]
The action of the fourth season is set in the near future of Earth. There was a flashback to 1919 at the beginning of the first episode, but the rest of the action is set in the very near future. And they didn’t go back in time. It’s not supported anywhere.
–Aleck
[QUOTE]Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[B]The first two seasons took place millennia after mankind had conquered space. That’s why humans from Earth have colonized all those planets like the Cluster, Brunnis, and Nook. There are also terran animals like mice and butterflies all over the Universes. And individuals refer to 20th Century humans like Buckminster Fuller.Then we have the fourth season, which takes place in the year 1919-20 on Earth. Somewhere along the line they went back in time.
I don’t believe Time Travel is a plausible scenario in the Lexx universe, what appears more likely (due to the time prophet’s words of it has happened before and it will happen again) is that time is a circle and that Lexx reached the point of the circle where time began again during their 4000 year old sleep.
It would seem that Stan and the crew are not aware of time begininng again, but I have a feeling that Mr D is using the concept of ‘Cause and Effect’ in his writing, it could well turn out that the crew plays a part in what happens in their future, maybe accidently helping the Divine order to become so powerful, except at the moment the crew don’t realize that they maybe shaping their own future’s.
Squishy——————
Annoyed SquishyI meant 2020. In the episode [i]Brizon[/i], Mantrid explains his trap in which he placed a simulacrum of himself in a “Buckyball.” He actually said Buckyball! That’s a name for a geodesic spheroid (specifically a buckminsterfullerene molecule) named for its inventor: Buckminster Fuller. If [i]Brizon[/i] took place in the distant past, which is what you’re implying, then Mantrid wouldn’t know who Bucky Fuller was, and his space ship certainly wouldn’t be named after him.
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Lee P. Sherman, code name DalekTek790
Whovian, Froudian, Lexxian, etc.‘Tho I suppose that this subject has been argued to death, I don’t think Lexx went back in time because the Lexx ‘laws’ say that won’t happen. I think that when you figure that earth is part of the Lexx cosmos (billions and billions of Mantrid drones) the confusion go’s away.
quote:
Originally posted by DalekTek790:
[b]I meant 2020. In the episode [i]Brizon[/i], Mantrid explains his trap in which he placed a simulacrum of himself in a “Buckyball.” He actually said Buckyball! That’s a name for a geodesic spheroid (specifically a buckminsterfullerene molecule) named for its inventor: Buckminster Fuller. If [i]Brizon[/i] took place in the distant past, which is what you’re implying, then Mantrid wouldn’t know who Bucky Fuller was, and his space ship certainly wouldn’t be named after him.[/b]
…Or, conversely, it could be that Paul D. figured that no one would know what a Buckyball *was* and slipped in a reference as an homage to a great scientist, leaving it for people to find out on their own. Like a pop culture reference for science geeks (or, like the winks at [i]Alien[/i] for the film geeks). If Mantrid had said, “this was designed by scientist Buckminster Fuller,” you’d have a stronger case.
Also, by insisting that LEXX took place in the distant future, you’re ignoring that Salter Street emphatically states that it does *not* take place in the future (except for the 4th season, which is in our immediate future). If we are to believe Salter Street (since they haven’t steered us wrong yet, it would be — ahem — [i]arrogant[/i] to do otherwise), Seasons 1-2 took place in the distant past, over 4000 years ago.–Aleck
[This message has been edited by Aleck (edited August 23, 2001).]
I like to think of Lexx as fiction. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Seems like some of the Beans, in interviews on the S2 DVDs, said that it’s storytelling, not science. Lex or Jeffrey said that many things are left unexplained and that the viewer is free to fill in the blanks however they like. Please don’t grade me on this -I didn’t take notes! Lexx is a refreshing change – I don’t expect logic, just a wild ride! Don’t get me wrong – these theories and debates are interesting to read.
quote:
Originally posted by Aurora:
[b]I like to think of Lexx as fiction. [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
Lexx is a refreshing change – I don’t expect logic, just a wild ride! Don’t get me wrong – these theories and debates are interesting to read. [/b]
too true dearie! [img]http://www.sadgeezer.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
quote:
Originally posted by Annoyed Squishy:
[b]I tried Farscape and it just didn’t capture my imagination at all, in fact I think if anything it is close 2nd to Andromeda for being the worst Sci-Fi on our screens.
Squishy[/b]
I’m going to have to stop you there. Andromeda is not the worst sci-fi on our screens. At least not if you live in the UK. We have something called Cleopatra 2525. Its about a teenage girl from our time who wakes up in the year 2525 after her boob job goes wrong.
The name Cleopatra I associate with a well-educated and intelligent swarthy woman, but this girl is a dizzy blonde. She is a stripper and in one episode she does a strip, despite the show going out at 7 pm. She wears suspenders.
It is a rip-off of different sci-fi shows, except that it doesn’t seem to make any sense. Running up walls to escape being blasted is a common theme and so is falling down the inside of buildings. There seems to be a sub-lesbian theme there like Xena Warrior Princess which is why I watch it.
Rockham.
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You see what you miss if you don’t stay alert?
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