Entertainment
Done With Star Trek? Try These Other Gene Roddenberry SF Shows
By Jennifer Asencio
| Published
After the travesty that has been Starfleet Academy, Star Trek fans are abandoning the franchise and looking for something else to watch. The good news is that if you love Gene Roddenberry’s work, you have alternatives.
Beyond two of his greatest creations, Star Trek’s original series and then later The Next Generation, there is a wealth of ideas that weren’t directly part of the Star Trek universe. Two other sci-fi shows were created from his notes and storyboards. His widow, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, known to fans as Lwaxana Troi and Nurse Chapel, helped produce both series.
Earth: Final Conflict Was Intended As A Film, But Became A 1990s TV Series
Earth: Final Conflict was created by Gene Roddenberry following the cancellation of the original series of Star Trek in 1969. Initially titled Battleground: Earth, it was intended to be a film, but the project never materialized, even after studios expressed interest. This was in great part due to Roddenberry’s scheduling conflicts with Star Trek. Although the show never materialized in his lifetime, it was brought to life in 1997, six years after Roddenberry died.
In Earth: Final Conflict, an alien race called the Taelons have come to Earth offering to help humanity with its problems, especially in the medical fields. We are introduced to William Boone, security for an important public announcement that is interrupted by a business tycoon’s assassination.
As more people die around him, Boone reluctantly agrees to become a Protector for the Companions, a human security agent supported by alien biotechnology. Meanwhile, he is also asked to join an underground resistance fighting behind the scenes for human sovereignty against the Taelons.
The series never paints the Taelons as being entirely good or bad. Many Taelons want to help, while others use humanity as a means to an end.
Earth: Final Conflict was a departure from Roddenberry’s usual fare because the aliens were not always as capable of evil acts as humans, and their interference with human life wasn’t always helpful, even when benevolent. It looked at both the immense potential of alien technology while also highlighting the dark side of interaction with more advanced, intelligent extraterrestrials.
Over the course of five seasons, most clearly at the end of the first season, with the death of an important character that received a bad reaction, fans learned not to get attached to characters, as something always seemed to happen to them. This was in part due to behind-the-scenes issues, including contract disputes and conflicts between actors and producers, leading to serious problems and uneven content.
The last season had the greatest change, as the plot and tone shifted away from the Taelons to the arrival of a new alien race, which ran it into the weeds. Roddenberry wasn’t around to elaborate on his notes, and his vision for Earth: Final Conflict could not continue without him.
Andromeda Is Gene Roddenberry’s Other Space Show
Five seasons is a respectable run, and that success led to another of Roddenberry’s creations being posthumously brought to life. It’s called Andromeda.
Set in the sixth millennium, a much more distant future than Star Trek has ever operated in, Andromeda stars Kevin Sorbo, fresh from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He plays Dylan Hunt, captain of the flagship of the Commonwealth fleet, the Andromeda Ascendant. The ship is run by a sentient AI named Rommie, played by sci-fi legend Lexi Doig.
The Commonwealth, similar to the Federation, has fallen, and Hunt has been asleep for 303 years. When he wakes up, he meets the rest of the main cast, a group of scavengers, led by Earth: Final Conflict actress Lisa Ryder, fighting for survival in the galactic dark age that followed the collapse of the Commonwealth. Over the course of five seasons, we follow along as Dylan Hunt and the crew of the Andromeda fight to restore the Commonwealth.
Like Earth: Final Conflict, Andromeda had its own issues behind the scenes. Mixed-to-negative reviews followed the show throughout its run. An upheaval in production in the middle of the second season led to showrunners changing due to pacing and character issues.
Rather than exploring the potential of a world where “Starfleet” has fallen, the production company, Tribune Entertainment, wanted more episodic content and more focus on the character of Sorbo’s Dylan Hunt character, essentially making it “Hercules in Space.” It wasn’t all bad, though, as each of its five seasons had 22 episodes, and it was nominated for 39 awards.
Gene Roddenberry’s Legacy Endures Despite NuTrek’s Best Efforts To Kill It
Andromeda and Earth: Final Conflict highlight the enduring power and legacy of Gene Roddenberry. Even after his death, his original creative works, aside from Star Trek, were still being produced by his surviving family and estate.
While the effects on these older shows might be dated and some of the acting iffy in spots, sci-fi fans can still enjoy these hidden gems. They’re better Roddenberry productions than most of what Paramount churned out in the NuTrek™ era, and they’re both free on Tubi.
Entertainment
How to watch France vs. Ireland online for free
TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Ireland in the 2026 Six Nations for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Six Nations is all about unpredictable games between huge rivals. Any team could win any game, and that’s the beauty of this famous competition. That being said, the opening game between France and Ireland feels like a final. You expect these sides to be battling it out at the top of the standings come the final round, so the winner here will gain a significant advantage.
The likes of Antoine Dupont and Louis Bielle-Biarrey will lead the way for the hosts. Ireland will need to rely on the talents of Tadhg Beirne, Dan Sheehan, and Jamison Gibson-Park if they want to secure a massive win under the lights in Paris.
If you want to watch France vs. Ireland in the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is France vs. Ireland?
France vs. Ireland in the 2026 Six Nations starts at 8:10 p.m. GMT on Feb. 5. This fixture takes place at the Stade de France.
How to watch France vs. Ireland for free
France vs. Ireland in the 2026 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on ITVX.
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ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX from anywhere in the world.
Live stream France vs. Ireland from anywhere in the world 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
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Visit ITVX
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Live stream France vs. Ireland for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 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 France vs. Ireland without committing with your cash. This isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream most of the 2026 Six Nations before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services to watch the Winter Olympics, the T20 World Cup, and more from anywhere in 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 the 2026 Six Nations?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 10 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 France vs. Ireland in the 2026 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling online for free
TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 Winter Olympics is showcasing so many incredible sports that we wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to watch. We’re circling our calendar for the Alpine Skiing, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, and Luge. In fact, we’re making time to watch it all.
The busy schedule starts with curling. You know, that strategic sport where players gracefully slide granite stones towards a circular target. The battle for medals is going to be intense in this competition. In the men’s event, Sweden are defending champions but Great Britain and Canada will be confident of taking gold. In the women’s event, Great Britain will be looking to defend their crown against the likes of Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, and South Korea.
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If you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is the 2026 Winter Olympics curling?
Curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics is scheduled for every day of the games, from Feb. 4-22. Curling is held at the Cortina Olympic Stadium in Cortina D’Ampezzo.
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How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free
Curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics is available to live stream for free on a number of services:
These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 Winter Olympics curling from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics curling by following these simple steps:
-
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
-
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
-
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free access
-
Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the curling plus the rest of the 2026 Winter Olympics before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for the 2026 Winter Olympics?
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
-
Servers in 105 countries
-
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
-
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
-
Fast connection speeds
-
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
-
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 the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
ChatGPT caricature trend: What it is, prompt to try it.
Have you ever had a caricature of yourself made? You know those funny drawings you can get made at Disney World or at most boardwalk spots where the artist accentuates your features in an over-exaggerated cartoon-style portrait?
Well, if you missed out on your last summer vacation, AI chatbots like ChatGPT are generating caricatures now and they’re currently all the rage on social media.
Here are a few examples.
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ChatGPT caricature trend prompts to try
Looking to whip up an AI caricature of yourself?
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Just go to ChatGPT and upload a close-up image of yourself. From that point, there’s a few ways to continue. The way most users are generating their caricature is by using this viral prompt: “Create a caricature of me and my job based on everything you know about me.”
However, in order to create an AI-generated caricature from that prompt, the user needs quite a bit of history with ChatGPT so that the chatbot can whip up an image with their relevant interests depicted.
Don’t have that kind of relationship with ChatGPT? That’s not a problem. That just means you’ll have to use a more detailed prompt, providing ChatGPT with a little bit about yourself. Some of the fun that users are having will be missed going this route as the chatbot can’t exactly surprise you with the details it includes. But, you’ll still get a caricature made nonetheless.
While ChatGPT seems to be most users’ choice of chatbots for this, any generative image AI model should suffice in case you want to see what some of the alternatives whip up.
Topics
Artificial Intelligence
How to watch France vs. Ireland online for free
How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling online for free
