Entertainment
Star Trek’s Best Writer Just Threw Fans Under The Bus
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Arguably, the greatest current Star Trek writer is Tawny Newsome: after voicing the hilarious Beckett Mariner on Lower Decks, she began writing for Starfleet Academy, all while working on a new, live-action Trek comedy. Newsome is a powerhouse writer who helped SFA craft its recent tribute to Avery Brooks, but she ruffled more than a few fandom feathers on a recent podcast appearance. That’s because she basically threw the fans under the bus by implying that anyone criticizing Starfleet Academy is simply hating on the show’s younger performances.
Recently, Tawny Newsome conducted an Ask Me Anything on YouTube, and she discussed the criticism that Starfleet Academy had been getting. “The side of the fandom that enjoys tearing these shows down … they exist. Which is fine,” she said. “But there is something different now with this show, because our cast is so young. And I just want to say: really think about who you are tearing down.”
Calculating Who To Blame For Star Trek’s Failures
Taken at face value, Newsome seems to be conflating most (if not all) criticism of shows like Starfleet Academy. That is, anyone who is “tearing these shows down” is also trying to tear down its young cast. However, this reaction doesn’t make any logical sense because almost all major criticisms of the show focus on failures at the writing and production level.
As someone who is deeply entrenched in NuTrek criticism (having contributed many thousands of words to it myself), I can confidently say most critics and even outright haters of Starfleet Academy focus more on the writers than the actors. Sure, you can find the occasional person taking potshots at, say, overweight characters, but even those critiques are limited almost exclusively to the older actors. The general consensus about Starfleet Academy’s young cast seems to be that they are very talented and would simply benefit from better writing and direction.
You’ll Eat What Trek Gives You, And You’ll Like It!
Why, then, is Tawny Newsome deliberately conflating criticism of the show with criticism of its young actors? The simplest explanation is also the saddest: this looks like a very transparent attempt to silence any and all critiques of Starfleet Academy. That show’s biggest defenders will now use her words to argue that anyone who criticizes this new Star Trek spinoff is someone who must hate its young, diverse cast and is therefore not worth listening to.
This is doubly disingenuous because very few NuTrek critics are interested in “tearing these shows down” for the fun of it. For the most part, these are passionate Star Trek fans (usually on the older side) who want the franchise to return to its former glory. For such fans, Starfleet Academy would be a much better show if it focused less on embarrassing Zoomer humor and more on just giving us a good Star Trek episode. “Series Acclimation Mil,” for example, very nearly ruined its touching tributes to Avery Brooks and Deep Space Nine with lowbrow d*ck and fart jokes that were downright embarrassing to watch.
Naked Hypocrisy From Paramount
Using Newsome’s logic, my criticism of this episode’s lowbrow jokes is tantamount to me trying to tear down the cast of Starfleet Academy. But it wasn’t the youthful cast that filled this episode with weird potty humor; it was the middle-aged Newsome, who wrote it! In this sense, her recent podcast comments take on a kind of self-defensive tone, with her instantly demonizing any and all criticisms of the very show she works for.
Tawny Newsome’s words are already pretty offensive to fans like myself who genuinely want NuTrek to improve. However, what is more concerning is the idea that she might speak for Alex Kurtzman or other powerful figures at Paramount when she dismisses all criticism of Starfleet Academy as some inexplicable hatred for its young actors. The biggest hope among many critics is that the new show will get better over time, but it seems clear that the show will never improve if everyone involved with its production is busy making excuses and generally throwing well-meaning critics under the bus.
Paramount To Fans: It’s Always Your Fault
At the end of the day, all that will matter to Paramount is the numbers. Starfleet Academy has already been renewed for a second season, but the series has proven to be controversial among fans and quickly fell out of the Top 10 ranking on Paramount+. This is despite it being a well-marketed new Star Trek show. Should viewership get low enough, the show might get prematurely canceled, like Discovery and Lower Decks before it.
For Starfleet Academy skeptics, this is the ultimate Kobayashi Maru: if you watch the show and complain, then you are criticized for tearing down the series and its actors, and everyone will ask, “why are you watching if you hate it?” But if the show gets canceled, you’ll get blamed, with fans saying the series could have succeeded if you and other haters had simply sucked it up and watched. For NuTrek critics, Tawny Newsome’s words are a sobering reminder of the Paramount mentality: no matter what negative thing happens to a new Star Trek show, it will always be your fault for not blindly liking it!
Entertainment
Shop the best Presidents Day TV deals from TCL, Samsung, Hisense, and more
Table of Contents
The best Presidents’ Day TV deals at a glance:
If a TV is on your tech upgrade list, Presidents’ Day weekend is proving to be a great time to snag a deal. While it’s not traditionally the best time to upgrade, we’re seeing plenty of massive discounts on models from 2025 — including some of our favorites from TCL, Hisense, and more.
I did some digging into Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart‘s Presidents’ Day sales (which are all now live) to uncover all the best TV deals to shop this weekend. Recommendations are organized by retailer and size to make it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you want a budget-friendly pick for your bedroom or a massive screen for your living room, there’s a deal waiting to be added to your cart.
Shop the best Presidents’ Day TV deals on top brands below. Oh, BTW, if you’re not sure what to do with your old TV, you can recycle it at most Best Buy stores at no cost.
Best Presidents’ Day 43-inch TV deal
$179.99
at Best Buy
$299.99
Save $120
Why we like it
Hisense is one of our favorite TV brands for its premium features at budget prices. For instance, this QLED 4K TV with built-in Alexa, Dolby Vision HDR and DTS Virtual X audio for less than $200. It may not wow you like more upscale models, but the 43-inch QD6 is a well-rounded budget TV that’s great for bedrooms, smaller living rooms, or apartments. Plus, if you’re used to a regular old LED TV, you’ll definitely notice a difference from the quantum dots.
Best Presidents’ Day 55-inch TV deal
$279.99
at Amazon
$459.99
Save $180
Why we like it
It’s not the most advanced TV in Amazon’s Fire TV lineup, but the 4-Series is the most popular. It was redesigned in 2025 with an extra slim bezel that brings your content front and center and a new quad-core processor that speeds up navigation and load times. It also features 4K UHD picture quality with support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Sound, Omnisense technology for ultra-personalized experiences, and the wildly smart Alexa+. At $279.99, it’s down to its lowest price ever by a long shot, beating its previous low by $80.
Mashable Deals
Best Presidents’ Day 65-inch TV deal
$529.99
at Best Buy
$999.99
Save $470
Why we like it
The TCL QM6K checks all the boxes you want in a new TV, from impressive picture quality to a smooth streaming interface to a killer price tag. Its mini LED backlight allows for a wide and accurate color spectrum with deep contrast — even in bright rooms. Our friends at CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) dubbed it the “best TV under $1,000” last year and its current discount makes it an absolute steal. At $529.99, it’s just $32 away from its lowest price ever (from Black Friday). Mashable’s own TV expert says it’s “mind-blowing it doesn’t cost more than it does.”
Best Presidents’ Day 75-inch TV deal
$996.99
at Amazon
$1,999.99
Save $1,003
Why we like it
Combining mini LED backlighting with a 165Hz refresh rate and Dolby Atmos, the Hisense U7 is a force to be reckoned with. It also features an AGLR-Antiglare low-reflection panel, up to 3,000 nits of brightness, and HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG, and Dolby Vision IQ. Translation: it looks brilliant, with deep contrast and shadows in any lighting scenario. It’s designed to be the “ultimate mid-premium” TV in Hisense’s 2025 lineup and this Presidents’ Day deal knocks it down almost into budget territory at under $1,000.
More Presidents’ Day TV deals at Amazon
43-inch TVs
50-to-55-inch TVs
65-inch TVs
75-inch TVs and up
More Presidents’ Day TV deals at Best Buy
43-inches and smaller
50-to-55-inch TVs
65-inch TVs
75-inch TVs and up
More Presidents’ Day TV deals at Walmart
43-to-50-inch TVs
65-inch TVs
75-inch TVs and up
Entertainment
Get more reading done with 20% off the like new Kindle Paperwhite
SAVE $29: As of Feb. 13, get the Like New Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB) for $114.99, down from its usual price of $143.99. That’s a discount of 20%.
$114.99
at Amazon
$143.99
Save $29.00
Looking to get more reading done? Now’s the time to invest in something to help you do just that: a Kindle, which you can take anywhere to get a few pages in, anytime. And thanks to this Amazon deal, you can get one for a great low price, just in time for Stuff Your Kindle Day.
As of Feb. 13, get the Like New Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB) for $114.99, down from its usual price of $143.99. That’s $29 off and a discount of 20%. It’s in Like New condition, so you aren’t getting a completely new Kindle, but close to it, as it’s been tested by Amazon, tested and charged, with software updated during testing so it looks and feels new, with the added bonus of getting a discount.
Amazon bills this version as its “fastest Kindle ever”. It has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns than its predecessor, and a super thin design with a larger, glare-free screen so reading is even easier to enjoy no matter where you go.
It has an adjustable light so you can read comfortably in whatever ambiance you choose, going from white to amber to read in the sun or in the dark. Plus, it’s waterproof, so you can take your Kindle to the pool, the beach, or even the bath without worrying about some water ruining your fun.
Mashable Deals
If you’re looking to get your reading on without breaking the bank, now’s the time to do it. Grab your Kindle and save some serious cash by getting it in “Like New” condition.
Entertainment
The best Presidents Day streaming deals: Starz, YouTube TV, Hulu, and more
The best Presidents’ Day streaming deals at a glance:
Starz
$2.99 per month for 3 months
(save $24)
YouTube TV
free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months $82.99/month
(save $46)
While we typically see the best streaming deals of the year around Black Friday, it’s not the only time streaming services offer discounts. Now that Presidents’ Day weekend has arrived, we’ve got our eyes locked on our favorite streaming platforms for any deals that pop up. Several have already landed.
These discounts aren’t technically labeled as Presidents’ Day streaming deals, but they’re live for a limited time around the holiday, so that’s what we’re calling them. While the prices won’t wow you quite like Black Friday, we could all use any savings we can get. If you’re looking to sign up for a streaming service this season, you might as well save some money, right?
There aren’t many, but we’ve rounded up all the best Presidents’ Day streaming deals live as we head into the weekend — as well as some evergreen deals we think are worth snagging. We’ve also included the best streaming device deals in case your TV isn’t as smart as you’d like.
Mashable Deals
Best Presidents’ Day streaming deal
$2.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month)
Why we like it
One of the most slept on streaming services, this Starz Presidents’ Day offer allows you to diversify your movie and TV lineup for only $2.99 per month for three months. It typically costs $10.99 per month, so you’ll save about $24. Not only does Starz have its own original series like Sweetpea and Three Women, but it’s also the first stop Lionsgate theatrical releases make in the streaming circuit. Recent additions include The Long Walk and The Strangers: Chapter 2, while upcoming films include The Housemaid and Greenland 2: Migration.
More Presidents’ Day streaming deals
-
DirecTV MySports — $59.99/month for 2 months
$69.99/month(save $10/month) -
Disney+ and Hulu bundle — $9.99/month for 1 month
$12.99/month(save $3/month) -
NFL Sunday Ticket — $16/month for 12 months
$31.50/month(save $186) -
Spotify Premium — Free for 2 months
$12.99/month(save $12.99/month) -
Sundance Now — $3.99/month for 3 months
$7.99/month(save $4/month with code SN50) -
YouTube TV — free 10-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months
$82.99/month(save $23/month)
Evergreen streaming deals
Streaming device deals
Latest Updates
10:41 am ET | February 17, 2025
FUBO TV DEAL: Save $25 on Fubo TV Essential plans and $20 off Pro and Elite plans.
9:35 am ET | February 17, 2025
MGM DEAL: Save over $20 per year on MGM+. Pay $58.99 per year this Presidents’ Day.
8:47 am ET | February 17, 2025
7:20 am ET | February 17, 2025
STARZ DEAL: Get Starz for $5 per month for three months ($10.99 per month thereafter).
6:15 am ET | February 17, 2025
YOUTUBE TV DEAL: Get a free 10-day trial of YouTube TV, then $69.99 per month for six months ($82.99 per month thereafter).
5:26 am ET | February 17, 2025
PEACOCK DEAL: Through Feb. 18, new and returning subscribers can sign up for an entire year of Peacock Premium (the tier with ads) for only $29.99 instead of $79.99 with the code WINTERSAVINGS.
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Shop the best Presidents Day TV deals from TCL, Samsung, Hisense, and more
