The crew visits a planet devoted to television and finds themselves at the mercy of a fickle audience.
(Originally aired in the United States on April 7, 2000)
Written by Lex Gigeroff
Directed by Paul Donovan
ADDITIONAL CREDITS
Lex Gigeroff -- C.G.
Barbara Schmied -- Slinka
Sandra Keller -- YoYo/Scooge
WHAT HAPPENED
A small spaceship flies through an asteroid field, under fire from another vessel. The pursuing pilot announces, "You're about to be canceled, Liberian. Permanently."
The reason for the attack? The Liberians allegedly faked the ratings on the Poetry Channel.
The pursuit carries the ships to TV World, a small but densely built-up planet. Their chase continues through the narrow streets until a shot hits home and the Liberian ship crashes to the planet's surface. (more
spoilers)
ANALYSIS
It seems that the rules of television are the same throughout the galaxy.
Programming isn't about good writing, great acting, or even critical adulation. It's all about the numbers.
In an increasingly diverse and specialized television market, if a new show doesn't deliver the numbers right out of the gate it isn't long for the airwaves.
In "Lafftrak" the joke is that a box full of heads makes the programming and ratings decisions. Is this any less arbitrary than the real world method of having those heads attached -- at least stereotypically -- to couch potato bodies?
What's it all about?
Television formats are the same the world over. One only has to look at the inexplicable success of Who Wants to be a Millionaire to realize that game shows -- and chat shows, and soap operas, and treacly children's programs -- are global phenomena.
Despite this apparent thematic universality, it is increasingly clear that Lexx is at heart a send up of Americans and American culture. The show's creators have gone on record comparing Lexx's sensibilities with those of The Simpsons or
South Park.
Cultural references and parodies are the bedrock of these shows' humor. Lexx taps into the same comedic current and makes a mockery of Americans from an outsider's perspective.
Whether it's The Right Stuff done wrong in "Lyekka", the profiteering and decidedly unsocialized medicine of "Terminal" or the spacefaring hillbillies of "White Trash", the tropes and tactics of the average Lexx episode translate perfectly, if uncomfortably, to an American audience.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
What caused Kai to wake up? In previous episodes, the crew has had to reactivate him -- why was he able to revive himself automatically?
WHAT WE LEARN
Kai enjoyed balloons as a child.
BLOWED UP!
Disappointingly, the Lexx didn't destroy anything this time out. Mantrid has the opportunity to catch up, and makes the most of it by destroying TV World.
The count after five episodes . . .
The Lexx: two planets, two moons, one space station and one star.
Mantrid: two planets and one space station.
TUNE IN NEXT WEEK
Stan picks up a mysterious disease in "Twilight", and his only hope is the life-giving properties found on the strange little planet Ruuma.
What do you think? Send your comments to the reviewer or editor.
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