Entertainment
New Star Trek Series Just Lost The One Actor Who Can Save The Show
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
One of the few things that even the biggest fanboys and harshest critics of Starfleet Academy can agree on is that Oscar-winning actor Paul Giamatti is the best thing about the show. His Nus Braka has proven to be a downright frighteningly competent villain, one who some have compared to franchise greats such as Gul Dukat. Unfortunately, in a recent appearance on The D-Con Chamber Podcast, Giamatti dropped a major bombshell: that he won’t be appearing in Season 2 of Starfleet Academy.
This is unfortunate because preliminary data suggests that Giamatti’s character may be the only thing that can save this struggling show. Starfleet Academy has consistently failed to make the Nielsen Top 10 list of streaming shows (something that Strange New Worlds once did with regularity), and it regularly fails to make even the Top 10 streaming list on Paramount+. However, the day after the premiere of “Come, Let’s Away” (an episode featuring the return of Giamatti’s character), FlixPatrol reports that the episode landed on the streamer’s list of Worldwide Top TV Shows, and Amazon Channels reports that it held the number one slot on the Top 10 Overall list.
In the short term, this is good news for Starfleet Academy, a show desperately in need of both better buzz and more viewers. In the long term, though, the fact that Giamatti was seemingly the key to audiences flocking to this episode may be the kiss of death for this new Star Trek series. That’s because the Oscar-winning actor recently made it clear that he won’t be returning to the show under any circumstances.
Paul Giamatti recently appeared on The D-Con Chamber Podcast, and he bluntly told hosts (and former Enterprise actors) Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer that he “was not around” for Starfleet Academy’s second season. His use of the past tense is due to the fact that the second season of this new Trek spinoff has already been largely filmed, with only the season finale (which will be personally directed by co-showrunner and controversial executive producer Alex Kurtzman) left to shoot.
Star Trek Is Losing Paul Giamatti
Does this mean that Nus Braka is going to die, possibly at the hands of Holly Hunter’s impossibly chill chancellor? Nope: according to Giamatti (who admitted to his podcast hosts that he “probably shouldn’t” tell them this), the villain is “still alive” by the end of Season 1. He noted that “something could be done with him” if the writers wanted to and expressed optimism that “if it goes another [season], perhaps I will be back around.”
Based on the recent streaming numbers, though, there may not be a Starfleet Academy to come back to. Season 1 hasn’t been able to consistently draw viewers, but the return of Paul Giamatti’s character helped one of the show’s most recent episodes become a Top 10 hit. His inevitable appearance in future Season 1 episodes may be a similar draw for audiences, but the show is going to lose all of these Giamatti superfans when he doesn’t appear in the second season at all.
He Might Just Take Starfleet Academy With Him
Plus, Giamatti might have hit the nail on the head with his doubts about Starfleet Academy getting a third season. While it was originally conceived as lasting four seasons (to match the four-year educational journey of its cadets), the show has not yet been renewed for Season 3. That renewal is unlikely to happen if the streaming numbers don’t improve, and there are already rumors that Paramount has quietly axed the show and that the second season will be its last.
Should Starfleet Academy fade away, Paramount will have only themselves to blame: they were wise to hire an Oscar-winner like Paul Giamatti for their new Star Trek show, but they then failed to feature him in enough episodes to save Season 1. Now, his complete absence from Season 2 may seal the show’s fate entirely. That just leaves one question: when Starfleet Academy dies, do you think Paramount will stuff its corpse into a torpedo tube and fire it off into space, Spock-style?
Entertainment
Snap up the best deals on Monster portable speakers
SAVE UP TO 50%: As of April 28, get the Monster Cube 1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $19.98, down from its usual price of $39. That’s a discount of 50%. Alternatively, get the Monster Ripple Portable Bluetooth Shower Speaker for $24.97, down from its usual price of $39.99. That’s a discount of 38%.
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The warm weather and sunny days of summer are almost upon us, and if you plan on spending a lot of time outside, no doubt you’ll want to take your favorite music with you to share it. Or maybe you just want a way to listen to your tunes in the shower. That’s where a portable speaker comes in handy. Right now, Monster has you covered right now with two deals you won’t want to miss.
As of April 28, get the Monster Cube 1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $19.98, down from its usual price of $39. Alternatively, get the Monster Ripple Portable Bluetooth Shower Speaker for $24.97, down from its usual price of $39.99. That’s a discount of 38%.
The Monster Cube 1 is a waterproof option that’s perfect for listening at home, on the go, or anywhere you want to have some kicking tunes. It’s a compact speaker with 12W output that’s lightweight and portable. It boasts 20 hours of battery on a single charge, and it provides plenty of loud, satisfying audio no matter where you end up: camping, a pool party, or hanging out in the living room where you want to have portable audio.
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Mashable Deals
If you’re ready to pick up a speaker for less right now, don’t sleep on these Monster deals, which will keep you tuned in throughout the season and longer with their portability and waterproof features.
Entertainment
The best robot pool vacuum deals to spring clean your pool for swimming season
The best robot pool cleaner deals at a glance:
Stepping into the backyard when you own a swimming pool should feel like a mini vacation. But that’s far from the truth in most cases. Instead of floating carelessly in the sun, many pool owners spend their summer days chasing stubborn piles of sand, leaves, sunken debris, and bugs in their pools. It’s time to hand off the cleaning chore to a robot — and these three robot pool cleaner discounts will help you seal the deal.
With up to $500 in savings, these deals from top robot pool vacuum brands Aiper, Beatbot, and iGarden can help you get your outdoor oasis ready for swimming season while keeping some money in your pocket.
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Mashable’s sister site CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) consistently selects Aiper’s products for its best robot pool cleaners list. The Scuba V3 is one of the brand’s most popular models for good reason. It packs adaptive intelligence, ultra-fine filtration, and convenient waterline parking, and as of April 28, it’s on sale for $500 off — its lowest price to date. The built-in AI camera can analyze your pool and detect over 20 debris types, then navigate directly to it and eliminate it. The V3 can also create autonomous weekly cleaning schedules by analyzing your pool size, the real-time weather forecasts, and cleaning history. It ensures a consistently clean swim with very low manual effort on your part.
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Ideal for pools up to 2,260 square feet in any shape or material, the Beatbot AquaSense is a versatile robot vacuum for your pool with 5,500 gph of suction and three hours of runtime. As of April 28, it’s down to $799 at Amazon — its best price ever. It packs an ultra-fine filter to sift out fine sand and debris, as well as a 2×2 brush system, 200W pump, and three motors to ensure powerful scrubbing along the floor, walls, and waterline. It may not have as many built-in AI conveniences as the Aiper Scuba V3, but its 15 sensors and intelligent path optimization ensure it precisely maps your pool, optimizes the cleaning path, and avoids obstacles. You can also customize cleaning schedules and details in the app.
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If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option, the iGarden KN Series is down to a best-ever price of $399.99 at Amazon. That’s 43% off its list price. Of course, for that price, you won’t get as many bells and whistles as the other pool vacuums on this list. It can run for up to 210 minutes per charge and thanks to three high-efficiency motors, delivers suction up to 17,000 LPH. It packs smart 3D navigation and supports three cleaning modes with LED guidance: green for floor-only, blue for full coverage, and purple for walls a waterline first, then floor. It’s a bit more hands-on than the other robot vacuums, but is still powerful and customizable enough to fit most pools.
Entertainment
Thigh Chafing? These Shorts Keep You Cool and Comfy All Day
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If you’ve ever planned an outfit around avoiding thigh chafing, you already know how frustrating spring and summer dressing can be. Between warm afternoons, long walks and those first truly mild days, staying comfortable isn’t always as simple as throwing on a breezy dress. The wrong base layer can make things worse — but luckily, there’s an easy fix that makes getting dressed feel so much simpler.
That’s exactly where Thigh Society’s Cooling Shorts come in. At $44 (and 15% off your first order), they’ve become the brand’s bestselling style — and for good reason. Designed to feel lightweight, breathable and barely there, they slip seamlessly into your routine just as the season starts calling for easier, more effortless outfits.
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The Cooling Shorts are designed for breathability, stretch and all-day ease. Unlike bulky bike shorts that require layering, they work as underwear and shorts in one, preventing thigh chafing and reducing sweat in a single, lightweight layer that feels like a second skin.
They’re also built to stay put — no rolling down at the waist or riding up throughout the day (a true summer miracle). Wear The Cooling Shorts under flowy dresses and enjoy smooth, no-fuss comfort.
Available in versatile shades like beige, black, almond and more, they’re easy to layer under just about anything. And with a range of lengths to choose from (5-inch to 21-inch), you can customize your coverage depending on your outfit — shorter for mini dresses, longer for maxis or extra protection on especially warmer days.
With more than 12,700 five-star ratings on the brand’s website, reviewers call them “a life saver” during “very hot summers,” pointing to the “super cool, comfortable” fabric. One shopper also loved the “no chaffing” design, saying they “forgot” they even had them on with “skirts and dresses.”
If thigh chafing has ruined your warm-weather outfits, consider this your easy fix. Designed for breathability, movement and everyday wear, The Cooling Shorts make getting dressed feel effortless again. Once you try them, you might not want to wear a dress without them!
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