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How A Star Trek Convention Turned Fans Against An Episode Before It Aired

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

Star Trek conventions have been an essential part of the fandom for over half a century. Fans love these events because they get to mingle with other like-minded nerds and meet their favorite stars. The stars love these events because they get plenty of under-the-table autograph money from people who basically worship them. Finally, Paramount loves Star Trek conventions because these events help advertise the franchise, keeping fans watching their favorite shows and (what else?) buying a starship load of merchandise. 

On one occasion, however, a Star Trek convention backfired for Paramount. Months before the Voyager episode “Twisted” aired, Robert Duncan McNeill and Robert Picardo dunked on it at a fan convention. This led to months of speculation about just how bad the episode really was, and more than a few fans made wagers as to whether “Twisted” would see the light of day. While their employers would likely have wanted the actors to keep their mouths shut, McNeill and Picardo were effectively vindicated: when “Twisted” aired, it quickly proved itself as one of the worst episodes of Season 2.

TFW You Get The Script

“Twisted” is a bizarre episode in which Voyager gets stuck in a weird energy field that somehow changes the layout of the ship. This leaves our heroes wandering around, trying to return to important areas like engineering or the bridge. Everyone keeps ending up back at the holodeck and can’t figure out what they should do. Eventually, Tuvok decides they should do nothing, since all of their attempts to solve the problem have made things worse. Janeway and her crew hang back and do nothing, safely passing through an energy field that they speculate was an alien lifeform trying to communicate with them. 

Like many of Star Trek’s worst stories, “Twisted” was a bottle episode that was made to save money. It was also originally filmed for Season 1 but wasn’t shown until Season 2. That led to an interesting situation where Voyager actors Robert Duncan McNeill and Robert Picardo discussed the making of this episode at a Star Trek convention several months before it aired. While their exact comments are sadly lost to history, Picardo would later claim that “Twisted” is the worst episode of the entire series. Eventually, the fandom learned about them badmouthing the episode, and this led to even more rumors and speculation.

This Episode Was Hated Months Before It Aired

Based on their comments, some fans thought the episode was so bad that Paramount would scrap it rather than air it. The fandom spent months morbidly wondering if the entirety of this hated episode would end up on the cutting room floor. There were other rumors that the episode had to be entirely rewritten by showrunner Michael Piller and that director Kim Friedman couldn’t understand the wonky story, requiring both rewrites and reshoots. Because of all of this, “Twisted” had a bad reputation long before it was ever broadcast.

Arguably, that reputation was well-earned. “Twisted” has a 6.9 rating on IMDB. That’s not the worst (it has a higher rating than the episodes before and after it), but it’s far from the best the show had to offer. Plus, there were some kernels of truth among all the myths and speculation. While Piller didn’t rewrite the script, he did hate a storyline involving Neelix being a jealous boyfriend, and he tried to fix that with the subsequent episode “Parturition.” Also, while there is no evidence that director Kim Friedman didn’t understand the story, she did have to shoot five entirely new scenes because of the very short script.  

Is “Twisted” as bad as Robert Duncan McNeill and Robert Picardo made it out to be? Not really. But it’s a cheap, slow-paced, and extremely underwhelming episode where the solution to the dilemma of the week is to literally do nothing. The result is a boring and ultimately forgettable sci-fi adventure. We may not agree with Picardo that it’s the worst episode of Voyager ever made, but this subspace stinker is easily in the Top 10 of terrible Star Trek stories.


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Im watching the Miami GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races live. Watch the Miami GP for free with the Prime Video app.


Watch the Japanese GP for free with a 7-day trial

We know the new F1 regulations are not for everyone. A lot of fans and drivers would like to go back to the way things were, but you can’t deny that we’ve had some exciting racing this season. And after missing the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs due to regional conflicts, we’re desperate to see some racing at the Miami GP.

Kimi Antonelli leads the standings coming into this race weekend, but George Russell is only nine points back in second. The Ferraris are third and fourth right now, but McLaren showed some promise in the last round. All eyes will be on Norris and Piastri as they look to challenge Mercedes at the front of the grid.

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.

When is the Miami GP?

The Miami GP is the fourth race of the 2026 F1 season. Here’s the full schedule from the Miami International Autodrome:

  • Practice 1 — 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET on May 1

  • Sprint Qualifying — 4:30-5:14 p.m. ET on May 1

  • Sprint — 12-1 p.m. ET on May 2

  • Qualifying — 4-5 p.m. ET on May 2

  • Race — 4 p.m. ET on May 3

It’s possible for fans to follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Miami GP for free

I’ve been a member of Amazon Prime for some time. I happily pay up for the fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. I can’t say that I watch Prime Video all that often. I occasionally watch live soccer, but that’s about it. That was until I found this hack for F1.

It is now possible to sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by accessing this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel this automatic renewal at any time.

By cancelling ahead of the renewal, you can watch the Miami GP this weekend without actually spending anything.

I already pay for Amazon Prime, so I understand the argument that I’m not actually watching for free. But I was going to be a member whether I could watch F1 for free or not. Anyway, Amazon Prime offers a 30-day free trial period if you’re new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can truly watch select races for free this season.

If you’ve already used this method to watch a race this season, you’ve got other options to consider. I suggest you go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.

It’s also worth noting that the best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product. If you’re planning on upgrading to something from the Apple lineup, you could gain access to Apple TV for a good chunk of this season.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026


Best Apple TV Deal


Apple TV

7-day free trial

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Best Apple One Deal


Apple One

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R-Rated, 80s Heist Thriller Is James Caan's Most Overlooked Masterpiece

By Robert Scucci
| Published

Though writer-director Michael Mann is best known for 1995’s Heat, there’s another film in his catalog that is just as daring, and a little rougher around the edges. 1981’s Thief, his feature film debut, is now considered a classic, proving its staying power over the decades. It tells a slow-burn story involving the planning and execution of an elaborate diamond heist, but its tension comes from the inner workings of the crime syndicate orchestrating it, and the man trying to pull off one last big score before going legit.

In 2026, Thief sounds like any other heist flick, but it endures because it’s not beating you over the head with the heist itself. Vaults get broken into, and loyalties are betrayed, but what really makes this such an engaging watch is witnessing the planning more than the execution. The buildup is just as strong as the payoff, and that’s what makes you want to stick around.

Kind Of A True Story

Thief 1981

Based loosely on Frank Hohimer’s 1975 memoir The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar, Thief centers on Frank (James Caan), a safe-cracking expert and ex-con who uses his “legitimate” business ventures as a front for his criminal activities. He’s in love with Jessie (Tuesday Weld), and plans to settle down with her after explaining the true nature of his work. As luck would have it, his most recent score gets ripped off when his accomplice, Gags (Hal Frank), is thrown out of a window, and the money is stolen. After some investigating, Frank traces Gags’ murder to Attaglia (Tom Signorelli), a plating company executive who operates similarly to Frank, but at a much higher level.

As it turns out, Attaglia works for another crime lord named Leo (Robert Prosky), who has seemingly limitless resources thanks to his organized crime ring. In so many words, Leo’s racket is essentially a union for criminals who carry out heists, report their earnings, and wait for their cut. Leo, who benefits most from this operation, provides protection by supplying the infrastructure they need to get the job done. Basically, he operates like any other company ever made. Wealth is generated by frontline employees, and then they fight over the scraps their boss is kind enough to toss their way.

Thief 1981

Frank, wanting to settle down and start a family, reluctantly teams up with Leo because he has needs that can’t be fulfilled through conventional means. Jessie cannot conceive a child, and Frank’s criminal record prevents them from adopting. Leo, with his deep pockets and endless connections, can get him a baby off the black market, along with a home, a car, and just about anything he could imagine needing. The problem is that Frank is a lone wolf, and he doesn’t want to continue this lifestyle if he can score big and move on.

As Frank tries to distance himself from Leo, he also does what he does best: cracking safes. The best moments in Thief aren’t the heists themselves; it’s the biblical amount of planning that goes into them. The film goes deep into safe-cracking semantics, supply lists, timing, and getaway logistics, and this is where it really shines. Watching a group of guys plan a diamond heist while Frank suspects the police are tailing him is just as compelling as the heist itself.

Heists Are Loud As Hell In Thief

Thief 1981

While I’m far from a credible expert in diamond thievery, I couldn’t stop laughing at the actual safe-cracking sequences in Thief. The opening sequence that establishes how seasoned Frank is, as well as the final score, are louder than God himself as he hammers and blowtorches his way through massive vaults to secure the goods.

While this is probably how cracking a safe actually works in real life, my notes while watching this movie describe Frank as “An expert safecracker who’s also the loudest one. It’s a montage meant to showcase how good he is, but he’s so f****** loud that it becomes really funny if you think about it in bad faith.” That said, given how well-connected Leo is and how skilled Frank’s team is, it’s easy to suspend disbelief.

Thief 1981

What’s even more impressive is that Frank is incredibly smart, but he doesn’t have to be the smartest guy in the room. He knows what supplies he needs, travels light, and gets straight to work. For a heist movie, it’s a simple operation that benefits the storytelling, since you don’t get lost in junk science or technical jargon about CCTV and security systems. What you get instead is a group of smart criminals executing at a high level, and the fallout when they get too big for their britches.

Thief has earned its place as one of the best neo-noir films ever made, thanks to its realism and its willingness to show how far one man is willing to go to achieve what he believes is the American dream.

Thief 1981

As of this writing, you can stream Thief for free on Tubi.


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The 1990s Best Supernatural Horror Series Was Too Violent For CBS

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published

In 1995, CBS had a problem on its hands. The network was losing ground against the rise of NBC’s “Must See Television,” and old stalwarts Murder, She Wrote, Rescue 911, and Murphy Brown were losing to the rise of the 90s edgier, grittier content.

CBS greenlit the most creative, daring show of the 1995 television season in its bid to fight back, but American Gothic was too dark, too gritty, and too much for the future America’s Most Watched Network. Turns out, a dark series about a corrupt small-town sheriff engaged in devil-worship was a hard sell to the American public, but today, it’s an incredible one-season cult classic. 

What If The Devil Was The Law?

The star of American Gothic is the villain, Sheriff Buck (he likes to remind people it’s with a “B”), played by future NCIS leading man Gary Cole. Charismatic and charming when he wanted to be, Buck would walk around town coercing citizens into performing small favors for him, little deals here and there, that would help solidify his control over the town of Trinity. The only thing he can’t get is the only thing he truly wants: the young boy, Caleb Temple, played by Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift star Lucas Black, as his heir. 

Standing in Buck’s way is Caleb’s dead sister, Merlyn, played by a young Sarah Paulson, but she’s still Sarah Paulson and is both incredibly creepy (she’s a ghost) and sweet (she’s a friendly ghost). Alongside his cousin, Gail (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II’s April O’Neil, Paige Turco) and the new town doctor, Dr. Crower (Medium’s Matt Weber), they try to fight against the growing darkness of Buck. Notably absent are Caleb’s parents, both dead due to Buck, and his sister becomes a ghost after she’s strangled to death by Buck. In Episode 1. 

Sarah Paulson In American Gothic

American Gothic embraces a combination of episodic storytelling, with the one about the junkyard owner in too deep with Buck as a standout, and the mythology arc of Buck’s influence spreading, festering, and making everything a little bit worse for the residents of Trinity. “Strong Arm of the Law” shows why some residents accept the obviously evil Sheriff when he puts an end to criminal out-of-towners raising chaos. It also includes the single most evil act of Buck’s: he pours out Dr. Crower’s coffee. 

American Gothic Was 30 Years Too Early

As dark and disturbing as American Gothic would get, with the assaults and child murder and all, the show was clearly heavily influenced by Twin Peaks and includes small moments of bizarre, tonally off humor. Buck himself is basically Ray Wise’s Leland Palmer dialed up to 11, Big Jim from Stephen King’s Under the Dome done right, or Andy Griffith’s intrusive thoughts. In 1995, there was nothing like this. 

Unlike most early cancellations of promising, high-concept shows, American Gothic wasn’t undone by studio interference. CBS was hands-off, allowing executive producer Sam Raimi (now it all makes sense, right?) to run with every crazy idea he had.

Proof of that is the assault, the murders, the entire Satanism undercurrent throughout the whole series, any one of which would make a show a hard sell to the general audience. CBS played up Paulson’s performance as Merlyn, using her creepy line-reading of “Someone’s at the door” in ads, but that was a little too effective and terrified an audience in love with Murder, She Wrote and Touched by an Angel

American Gothic never had a chance to finish the story. Attempts at turning it into a movie fell apart over the years, and today, it’s fondly remembered by those who gave it a chance but too often overlooked.

Over 30 years after its cancellation, the dark story of greed, lust, murder, and the occult would be an immediate hit. You can purchase the complete series today on both YouTube and Amazon Prime to see how audiences in the 90s didn’t appreciate how good they had it. 


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