Just a quick query ... has anyone developed, or is in the process of developing an EVO plug that uses the Lexx universe(s) or the Blake's 7 universe? I've been thinking that the ships and/or universe should have some representation on the platform! Maybe Lexx would be better as a Nova plug - blowing up stellars and all. Any information or encouragement would be welcome. If there ain't any out there at the moment, I might actually get off my bum and try to do it myself.

Cheers

M.

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All power to you.

Blake's 7 was IMHO the best SF series ever as far as characterisation and plot are concerned.

Lexx is IMHO the best SF series ever as far as strength of concept, range of ideas and quality of effects are concerned (though doubtless the next new show will outdo the effects).

BTW, is there anybody else who thinks Farscape is a kind of imitation Lexx for younger viewers???

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M A R T I N • T U R N E R

I would agree with you on all three counts. The strength of Lexx is that it doesn't have to take any backward steps from what it is to suit commercial free-to-air sensibilities - that and the really strong and engaging story arc through season 3. B7 will always remain a favourite because the characters were always presented as complex (even the big baddie Servilan). That, and the fact that it was the first TV sci-fi to paint a gloomy vision of galactic government, and without presenting the rebel alternative as the formulaic good guys (who end up dead in the finish rather than winning the day). I don't know; maybe it's just me, but I feel that it played nicely into Australian sensibilities and the fate met by some of our culural heros such as Kelly, and Laylor and Garibaldi (instigators of the Eureka Stokade uprising).

I've been toying with the idea of a B7 plug for a while now. First thought of creating a Liberator-style ship. Sort of a cheat - really fast with great shields and armour but no room for outfits and minimal cargo - to make play more mission oriented. Then I thought some of the other ships, space stations and stellars would make a great addition (or even a total conversion plug). Then reality set in about how much time it would take to do this - time I really should be spenting on finishing the PhD thesis. Similar story with a Lexx plug. Hey, doesn't everybody want a ship which is a giant bug the size of Manhattan, and has enough fire power to blow up planets?

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Originally posted by Martin Turner:
**All power to you.

Blake's 7 was IMHO the best SF series ever as far as characterisation and plot are concerned.

Lexx is IMHO the best SF series ever as far as strength of concept, range of ideas and quality of effects are concerned (though doubtless the next new show will outdo the effects).

BTW, is there anybody else who thinks Farscape is a kind of imitation Lexx for younger viewers???
**

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I can't believe how many of you remember B7 !!! In fact, I suspected I was the only person watching. This isn't just the EV/EVO/EVN center, but a nest of SciFi knowledge as well.

Interesting how much the Lexx and B7 plots are similar. Also interesting, how much the Lexx and the EVGE Marauder are similar (the Marauder was first).

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Originally posted by MichaelSas:
**Just a quick query ... has anyone developed, or is in the process of developing an EVO plug that uses the Lexx universe(s) or the Blake's 7 universe? I've been thinking that the ships and/or universe should have some representation on the platform! Maybe Lexx would be better as a Nova plug - blowing up stellars and all. Any information or encouragement would be welcome. If there ain't any out there at the moment, I might actually get off my bum and try to do it myself.

Cheers

M.
**

AFAIK Blake's 7 has not been shown in the US, at least in this corner of it, so I don't know enough to comment on it - in fact don't recall even hearing of it. From the discussions here it would seem to be a good basis for developing a plug.

LEXX has some interesting concepts, but I find the show rather boring, probably because I don't really care for any of the characters. There would be some technical problems in putting the LEXX in a plug, but the universe(s) could serve well as a setting.

Farscape might also be a good basis for constructing a plug, though not necessarily trying to copy the situation and characters in the show. ( How could Farscape be a toned-down copy of LEXX when it was released at least a year earlier? Similar situations, it's true, but then we could say that both shows are copies of ST:Voyager - and all these shows are copies of the Odyssey

And mention of Voyager leads to thought of another Roddenberry-designed series which might offer possibilities for plug-making, the Andromeda universe. In fact, the basic plot of Andromeda lends itself really well to the EVO conventions - a single ship against the galaxy.

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Joe Burnette
"I find that humans can be divided into only two meaningful categories: Decent Humans and Sonsofbitches; both types appear to be evenly distributed
among all shapes, colors, sizes, and nationalities." -- Keith Laumer

About which came first.
I couldn't find any exact dating, but the Lexx website went up in May 1997, while the Farscape website went up in 2000.

Was Farscape really released before '97?
We first started getting it in 2000.

I'm not really sure I see any similarities with Star Trek Voyager - things like the organic ship, and just the whole decor, plus the on-the-run theme which goes through both of them. There are some episodes which are also eerily similar (Your worm is your friend...).

I can see how they both hark back to Blake's 7, which also introduced the theme of an organic ship, although the LEXX and Farscape ships are much more organic that Liberator. B7 also introduced the notion of strong characterisation and fallible main characters who can actually die, and who, in any case, don't get on with each other - also not a characteristic of Rodenderry's rather sanitised universe.

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M A R T I N • T U R N E R

(This message has been edited by Martin Turner (edited 05-05-2001).)

EVGE Marauder? Is that an EV plug or an EVO plug. Either way I would be interested to have a look at it. Does anyone know where it might be available?

Oh, and Blake's 7 was religiously watched by the family - maybe that just shows my (our) age

Cheers

M.

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Originally posted by cruiser:
**I can't believe how many of you remember B7 !!! In fact, I suspected I was the only person watching. This isn't just the EV/EVO/EVN center, but a nest of SciFi knowledge as well.

Interesting how much the Lexx and B7 plots are similar. Also interesting, how much the Lexx and the EVGE Marauder are similar (the Marauder was first).
**

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Hi All,

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Originally posted by Joe Burnette:
AFAIK Blake's 7 has not been shown in the US, at least in this corner of it,

<snip>.
Pity. You have misses out on a really classic piece of BBC sci-fi - much better than Dr Who (though I've always been a big fan of that too, particularly Jon Pertwee's and Peter Davidson's stints as everyone's favourite Time Lord, though impossible to make into a convincing EV/O/N plug)

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**
LEXX has some interesting concepts, but I find the show rather boring, probably because I don't really care for any of the characters. There would be some technical problems in putting the LEXX in a plug, but the universe(s) could serve well as a setting.
**

How can any red-blooded man or woman not care for Zev-Xev and/or Kai the Dead Man! (trying not to be exclusive or narrow-minded here, and of course thinking about poor confused 790 ) Talking about the characters, I do believe that ther is a strong part of B7's Villa in one Stanley H. Tweedle - and sci-fi needs more self centred cowards on the screen!

As for techical issues, from reading the promise list on Nova, most of those issues should be addressed - blowing up stellars etc .

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**
( How could Farscape be a toned-down copy of LEXX when it was released at least a year earlier? Similar situations, it's true, but then we could say that both shows are copies of ST:Voyager - and all these shows are copies of the Odyssey
**

I agree with Martin on this one - Lexx definitely came out before Farscape. There was also a bit of a time gap between seaon 1 and 2 of Lexx which led to the replacement of Eva Habberman by Xenia Seerberg. As for the Odessey, you are talking Homer aren't you? Just that it reminded me of a Manga series years ago (mid 80's) which was titled Ulysses 4000 - a sci-fi update to the basic story of Odesseus where Ulysses pisses off the Gods of the parallel universe of Olympus and has to journey his way back home with almost all of his crew in a god-induced suspended animation (no pun intended). Maybe another plug idea - something which could be more story driven than fight driven?

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**
And mention of Voyager leads to thought of another Roddenberry-designed series which might offer possibilities for plug-making, the Andromeda universe. In fact, the basic plot of Andromeda lends itself really well to the EVO conventions - a single ship against the galaxy.
**

And just in reply to Martin's post - I haven't seen Andromeda yet, but have read the plot summeries on the Sad Geezer web site. While the Star Trek universe tends towards the gun-ho, with little serious conflict between the main characters, Andromeda at least started with some fairly strong lines of antagonism between the main players; maybe a bit Voyager-ish though. From what I've read, it seems to be converging towards a more Roddenbury type of character harmony. I'd be interested to see it once it wends its way to Australian screens.

And here's looking to Season 4 of Lexx - which should be out soon!

Cheers

M.

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If your talking about all sci-fi, Dune 2000 is the best of everything. If your talking about only series shows, Babylon 5 kicks the pants off lexx and blake 7( and Farscape ...although im kinda imbarassed to put that under sci-fi, seeing that its for 7-8 yr. olds).

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"Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"
-Some old wise fellow

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Originally posted by Reborn:
**If your talking about all sci-fi, Dune 2000 is the best of everything. If your talking about only series shows, Babylon 5 kicks the pants off lexx and blake 7( and Farscape ...although im kinda imbarassed to put that under sci-fi, seeing that its for 7-8 yr. olds).
**

Ah, yes, but Babylon 5 already has an EVO plug made for it - I'm interested in things that haven't yet been catered for. Dune 2000 hasn't made its way to Australia yet - at least Free-to-Air, and I don't really know anything about it. Frank Herbert's books are mainly terrestrial though. In what way would they make a good plug (how wouldya do it)?

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Originally posted by MichaelSas:
**Frank Herbert's books are mainly terrestrial though. In what way would they make a good plug (how wouldya do it)?
**

Maybe have it take place during the Jihad? Transporting legions of Fremen in the name of Muad'dib or fighting against them for one of the other powers? But, yes, the story will suffer. :frown:

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Truth suffers from too much analysis.
--Ancient Fremen Saying