Entertainment
Did Star Trek Ruin Its New Show By Listening To Fans?
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Starfleet Academy has generated plenty of controversy among old-school fans who hate the changes that Paramount has made to Star Trek. It’s common for those fans to blame executives like Alex Kurtzman, who has admittedly done his best to make NuTrek completely unrecognizable compared to what came before. However, some of the new show’s alleged problems have technically been caused by the fandom: after all, the low-stakes, episodic, highly-comedic storytelling of Starfleet Academy is clearly Paramount’s attempt to address what fans hated about earlier NuTrek shows such as Discovery and Picard.
Let’s start with some of the biggest complaints that the fandom (especially older fans) have been making about Starfleet Academy. One criticism I have heard very frequently is that the show’s stakes are way too low for this venerable franchise, as evidenced by plot points like “who will become laser tag captain” and “will Starfleet’s cadets manage to win the prank war?” So far, the most serious plot point has been the cadets keeping Nus Braka from running away with their warp core, which had all the gravitas of scaring away a tweaker before he could snatch your catalytic converter.
Foul Mouths Lead To Foul Jokes
Another complaint (one I have admittedly made myself) about Starfleet Academy is that it has too much humor, and much of it is painfully unfunny: Voyager’s Holographic Doctor makes poop jokes, for example, while another cadet earnestly complains about eating her comm badge. The half-Klingon, half-Jem’hadar cadet master, meanwhile, cartoonishly punches people across the room and screams every line like a drill sergeant having a heart attack. Oh, and the third episode had rival cadets hacking the school’s technology to beam half-naked cadets into public areas, an insanely problematic crime that is presented as just another cheap laugh.
The humor leads into the most persistent complaint about Starfleet Academy: the overly modern language, which has the cadet master referring to a situation as a “dumpster fire” while the chancellor tells her nemesis to “blow it out your a**” during an argument. Characters constantly refer to each other as “b*tch,” and one character straight up insults another cadet by saying that he has a small “fish d*ck.” That same character touts the virtue of “toilet wine” earlier in the episode, and the chancellor refers to the toes on her constantly-exposed feet (is the target audience Quentin Tarantino?) as “little piggies.”
Star Trek Is Still Trying To Make The Grade
Now, I’m not here to defend the modern language; even though I think Starfleet Academy has gotten a little better each episode, there’s still nothing more distracting than hearing 32nd-century genius cadets communicating like 21st-century Redditors. However, the sheer prevalence of the distracting vulgar language left me consistently wondering why the heck Star Trek sounds like this now. Soon enough, I realized the depressing truth: everything wrong with this spinoff is Paramount’s attempt to fix what fans hated about Discovery and Picard, but they are going about it in the stupidest possible way.
Discovery, for example, kicked off the annoying NuTrek trope of having entire seasons revolve around big mysteries, like “who is the Red Angel” and “what caused The Burn?” This was an attempt to modernize Star Trek and give it the kind of mystery box mystique that made shows like Lost so compelling. Unfortunately, the fandom was quite accustomed to episodic storytelling, and the big downside to Discovery’s approach is that if you don’t care about the central mystery, you won’t really care about the various episodes trying to unravel it.
Bursting The Bubble Of Our Expectations
This same mystery box storytelling effectively ruined most of Picard, a show whose tangled first season was about finding the connection between Data’s daughter, synthetic research, computer-hating Romulans, and Borg body parts. Sadly, the mystery was boring from the beginning, which forced all the show’s flaws (like poor characterization and an utter disregard for the lore) into stark relief. The second season was even worse, and the only thing saving Season 3 (which also had a weird, season-long mystery) was the introduction of fun new characters like Shaw and the reunion of the Next Generation crew.
Strange New Worlds tried to course-correct by bringing episodic storytelling back to Star Trek, but they still swung for the fences with the Enterprise crew taking on larger-than-life threats like genocidal time-travelers, hungry Gorn, and even the ultimate embodiment of evil. Starfleet Academy similarly embraced episodic storytelling, but the stakes are lower because our heroes are all snot-nosed cadets rather than seasoned officers. This is a further attempt to make up for the narrative shortcomings of Discovery and Picard, and let’s be real: if these cadets were out saving the galaxy instead of playing laser tag, the grumpier elements of the fandom would dub them all Mary Sues.
The Naked Truth About NuTrek
Something else that many hated about Discovery and Picard is that both shows were almost shockingly violent and gruesome. Discovery included intimate assault, murder, torture, and cannibalism, all while asking us to root for a Federation that wants to blow up the entire Klingon homeworld. Picard, meanwhile, ripped a beloved Voyager character’s eye out while turning another Voyager character into a murderer; later, we’d find out that Picard thought his father was abusive, that his mentally ill mother ended her own life, and that his evil doppelganger brutally killed everyone from Gul Dukat to General Martok, keeping their skulls as trophies.
Once again, Strange New Worlds walked so Starfleet Academy could run (or should that be warp?): SNW tried to lighten Star Trek’s tone through wildly trope-y stories, including a body-swap episode and even a musical episode. Now, Starfleet Academy has refined that more lighthearted approach, creating a show where the characters are constantly tease each other in the crudest and most vulgar way. Sure, it’s annoyingly modern teen speak, but this broad comedy is pretty much the antithesis of Discovery and Picard’s violent, grimdark storytelling.
The New Star Trek Show Is Finally Perking Up
Now, none of this is meant to be some kind of full-throated defense of Starfleet Academy’s excesses; the show may be improving, but the criticisms about lame storylines and bizarrely modern dialogue are still quite valid. But it’s worth considering that the reason these elements are so present in Star Trek’s latest spinoff is that Paramount has been trying to fiercely course-correct from the earlier failures of NuTrek. Furthermore, they are doing so in an admittedly flawed attempt to give the fans what they want, which is something completely different from Discovery and Picard.
If you’re a “warp core half full” kind of person, this is a reason to be optimistic: Paramount has time to iron out the wrinkles of Starfleet Academy, and it’s somewhat edifying to know these executives are finally (if a bit belatedly) listening to the fans. But we’re already seeing how course corrections can go too far, resulting in shows that don’t really feel like much like classic Trek or NuTrek. Unless execs like Kurtzman can finally find the sweet spot, Paramount may completely drive away the franchise’s older fans, effectively turning Star Trek’s 60th anniversary celebration into a prolonged funeral.
Entertainment
Hey, maybe dont apologise for cheating in front of the entire world?
Winning your first individual Olympic medal is a moment worth celebrating. It’s a colossal achievement beyond most people’s wildest dreams. It is not, however, an opportunity to confess to cheating on someone and attempt to win them back in front of the entire world.
On Tuesday, Sturla Holm Lægreid won his first individual Olympic medal in the 20-kilometre individual biathlon in the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Shortly after winning, Lægreid gave an interview to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, divulging that he had been unfaithful to his now ex-girlfriend and that he had told her one week ago. The confession exploded on social media and even the most cursory glances at the comments reveal that the internet is almost unanimously not on his side.
“Six months ago I met the love of my life — the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. Three months ago I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her,” Lægreid said, breaking down mid-confession.
“I had the gold medal in life, and I am sure there are many people who will see things differently, but I only have eyes for her,” he continued. “Sport has come second these last few days. Yes, I wish I could share this with her.”
Why share this very private information with the world, you may well be wondering? Lægreid later elaborated on his reasons for doing so in an interview with Norwegian newspaper VG.
“My only way to solve it is to tell everything and put everything on the table, and hope that she can still love me,” he said.
“I’ve done that for her, and now for the whole world. I have nothing to lose,” he added. “I want to be a good role model, but I have to admit when I make mistakes.”
Lægreid didn’t stop talking, though. In yet another interview, he said he had not received a response from his ex-girlfriend. “I haven’t got any reactions from the girl that I mentioned,” he said during an Olympic press conference. “I’m happy because maybe she hasn’t seen it, maybe she will see it at the right time. I hope I don’t make anything worse for her.”
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“I hope there’s a happy ending in the end,” he said.
Firstly, she has almost certainly seen it. Secondly, there’s a high risk that going public in this way will make the situation worse for her. Thirdly, expressing the hope of a “happy ending” now puts additional pressure on his ex. And commenters are commenting.
“This is emotional manipulation packaged as a grand gesture,” reads one comment on the BBC Sport Instagram Reel of Lægreid’s follow-up interview. “The happy end is: she won’t forgive him!” declares one comment on the same post, which received over 15K likes. “If guilttripping were olympic, he’d win gold,” writes another commenter.
TikTokkers have started posting. Podcasters too.
“It’s hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world. I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it.”
The problem with televised declarations of remorse is that they expose the wronged party to the court of public opinion, a court that has already delivered its verdict. And yeah, it’s not looking good for Lægreid.
By opening this story up to the press and social media, Laegreid has invited further attention to the already painful situation. VG, for one press outlet, said it “has been in contact with Holm Lægreid’s former girlfriend. She wishes to remain anonymous in this matter, a request VG has accepted as she has not sought publicity regarding a private matter.” VG later reported that Lægreid’s former girlfriend had provided a written statement: “It’s hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world. I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it,” she wrote. “We have had contact and he is aware of my opinions on this.” When asked by VG, Lægreid declined to comment on her response.
Perhaps Lægreid thought this would come off as a romantic gesture to grovel for forgiveness at the expense of his own reputation. For all we know, he may have exhausted all other private options for communicating his remorse. I’ve heard tales of guys who’ve been blocked by all means of communication, so they resort to trying to contact their exes on Vinted or via transferring small sums of money (we’re talking pennies) over bank transfer along with the word “sorry” as the payment reference. These acts of desperation are almost always unwanted. And in many cases, they are intrusive and manipulative.
This private pain has now been turned into public internet fodder. But, what about the woman who might be sitting at home nursing a broken heart, who now has to deal with the additional pressure to react, respond, or even acknowledge his apology?
If this woman were to take him back, she would also face the judgement of large swaths of the internet which is currently imploring her to not give him another chance. Conversely, she may also be judged if she chooses not to respond further. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Whether he wanted to or not, Lægreid may have added to this woman’s pain and has placed her in a difficult, public position.
It’s only been a week since she learned of his betrayal and this woman could still be processing hurt feelings. Even if she were to take him back — heavy emphasis on the ‘if’ here — it would probably take a hell of a lot longer than one week for her to reach a point of even considering that.
Let the record state: it is perfectly acceptable — and dare-I-say advisable — to ignore this gesture. We all make mistakes in life and some of those inflict real emotional pain on people. But these are sensitive conversations which should happen in private, behind closed doors. You can’t force someone to forgive you. Send her an email instead. And if she doesn’t respond, you need to respect that silence.
Lægreid later released a statement expressing regret for his confession:
“I deeply regret that I brought up this personal story on what was a festive day for Norwegian biathlon. I am not quite myself today, and I am not thinking clearly,” he wrote in a statement published by VG.
“My apologies go to Johan-Olav, who deserved all the attention after the gold. It also goes to my ex-girlfriend, who involuntarily ended up in the media spotlight, I hope she is doing well. I can’t change this, but I will now put this behind me and focus on the Olympics. I will not answer any further questions about this.”
I hope that this woman has turned off her phone and gone to a spa with some supportive friends. It’s time to log off.
Entertainment
How to watch CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju online for free
TL;DR: Live stream CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Concacaf Champions Cup regularly throws up shock results, but you’d expect the big clubs from Mexico and the U.S. to progress through the first round. That’s not going to be totally straightforward for CF Monterrey. They drew 1-1 Club Xelaju in the first leg of their first-round matchup, so they’ll need to produce a strong performance at home to progress.
If you want to watch CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju?
CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on Feb. 11. This fixture takes place at the Estadio BBVA.
How to watch CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju for free
CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.
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This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.
Live stream CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK (or somewhere else with access)
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Visit YouTube
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Live stream CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju for free
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream the Concacaf Champions Cup before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for YouTube?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to eight simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream CF Monterrey vs. Club Xelaju in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
Moltbooks real risk isnt AI. Its your data.
There has been a lot of hype around Moltbook, the Reddit-like social media platform for AI bots where humans aren’t allowed to post. But how, exactly, does it work? Should we worry about agentic AI taking over the world, or should we worry about our data?
In this video, Mashable producer Teodosia Dobriyanova spoke to AI ethicist Catharina Doria who talked us through the latest AI hype, the importance of AI governance and data protection, and why she believes the internet is going to move on from AI-generated content into something way more human.
If you’re unsure about the latter, just look at 2026 social media trends. Instead of AI content, there is a return to analogue, to offline activities, and mundane realism in most aspects of life — offline dating, tactile experiences, or the resurgence of early 2000s tech.
No. 15 Virginia tops ice-cold Florida State for fifth straight win
Jason Pierre Jr. leads SMU past slumping Notre Dame
