Lexx is a bad mushroom trip, Farscape is a good one.
One of the things that makes Lexx distinct from other sci-fi TV shows of the era, and current year scifi as well I suppose, is that underneath the adventuring, bizarre characters and environments, and the humor, there is the extremely bleak message that nothing anyone does actually matters. Throughout the second season we see world after world being destroyed moments after Lexx leaves, in the third season we see that Heaven and Hell are just two planets where people rematerialize a few hours after their bodies are destroyed, and in the fourth season we see that, even when given a second or third chance, these people continue to be fuckups,
even Kai.
Beyond all that is the fact that time is circular, and events repeat themselves so precisely that you can predict the future by looking into the past. There's no escaping even if you were to kill yourself in order to reincarnate, since eventually the universe will reset and you will suffer in the same way all over again.
Trek says that the future is bright, man will continue to grow and perfect himself in a universe filled with friends. Lexx says that the universe is filled with insane people who want to torture and rape you, and there is literally no future at all. If Trek is Asimov, Lexx is Moorcock (not a fair comparison to either author, but there you are).
That’s how you know it’s low-budget sci-fi
Zev had that whole “European art-house" look.
Xev is doing more emoting. I couldn't get past the ridiculous lip and breast implants.
In the late 90s/early 2000s they were really pushing this artificial, bimbo-like look as the new paradigm of hotness, especially in media aimed at adolescent boys. I'm glad that's over.
(Zev is obviously more attractive, anyway. Who would you rather see smile at you?)