Entertainment
Star Trek's Controversial New Spinoff Is More Popular Than Anyone Imagined
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Starfleet Academy is the latest Star Trek spinoff, and it has proven to be particularly controversial among older fans who are annoyed by how different this young adult show is compared to classic Trek, like The Original Series and The Next Generation. These fans have largely forecasted doom for the new show, with many believing this could be the nail in the coffin for the best sci-fi IP ever made. But the haters have been proven wrong: according to the latest numbers, Starfleet Academy has significantly more viewers than both Strange New Worlds and Picard!
This information comes to us courtesy of Ted Linheart, who keeps track of streaming numbers on his popular substack (Ted On TV). According to him, the first two episodes of Starfleet Academy earned 2.1 million views in the show’s first eight days on Paramount+. This is notably higher than the full season average of views for Strange New Worlds Season 3 and Picard Season 3, each of which averaged 1.3 million views.
A Surprise Star Trek Hit
Obviously, there are some mitigating factors here; for example, Starfleet Academy almost certainly got a bump in views from the first episode because everyone (from NuTrek haters to franchise loyalists) tuned in to see what the new Star Trek show is all about. Time will tell whether the new show can keep up the momentum or if it fizzles out (for example, poor viewership for episode 3 could easily drop this average). Speaking of fizzling out, the third seasons of Strange New Worlds and Picard both had fewer views than previous ones (SNW Season 3 rapidly dropped out of Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming list, for example, and never returned).
On the face of it, however, Starfleet Academy is a bigger hit out of the gate than more established shows like Strange New Worlds and Picard. This is particularly notable because those two shows were created partially as a response to the shortcomings of Discovery: Strange New Worlds is an episodic tribute to The Original Series, for example, while Picard is explicitly a revival of The Next Generation. NuTrek faced resistance from older fans almost right away because Discovery was so different from what they expected, so Picard and SNW were both created to echo the Golden Age of Star Trek.
The Last Thing Anyone Expected Audiences To Love
Judging from these streaming numbers, though, general audiences crave something new from Star Trek rather than something familiar. After all, Strange New Worlds has steadily introduced familiar characters like Kirk and Scotty in an effort to make the show even more like The Original Series, and Picard’s final season was a straight-up revival of The Next Generation. Nonetheless, these NuTrek shows averaged fewer viewers by season than the first two episodes of Starfleet Academy, a show that swapped out veteran officers for a bunch of quirky, foul-mouthed cadets.
This would tentatively prove that Paramount’s major gamble with this new Star Trek show is paying off. Many (myself included) wondered how effective it would be to target younger viewers, which is a demographic that NuTrek has historically had trouble really appealing to. Nonetheless, the network went for it with a show that centers on teenage characters who are obsessed with things like rebelling against authority, winning epic prank wars, and (what else?) getting laid.
Audience Verdict: The Kids Are Alright
The early success of Starfleet Academy seems to indicate that Paramount’s strategy is working and that the new show is generating more views than (on average) recent seasons of shows that have tried (more or less) to tell the kinds of Star Trek stories that older fans will relate to. This leads to a juicy paradox that I alluded to in my review of Starfleet Academy’s newest episode: the new spinoff has veered hard and fast away from standard franchise tropes, replacing them with modern dialogue, lowbrow humor, and youth-centric storylines. The result is completely different from anything Trek has done before, but these streaming numbers reveal that overhauling the franchise may be a good thing.
Paramount is desperate to get more viewers for their original shows, and that desperation has only become keener in the wake of the Skydance merger and the studio’s multiple failed attempts to buy out Warner Bros. Starfleet Academy is different from any Trek that has come before it, but that may not matter in the short-term if it gains enough views to keep the executives happy. In the long term, though, only time will tell if Paramount alienating its oldest fans in the name of attracting new ones will save Star Trek or set its phasers to kill while targeting the entire franchise.
Entertainment
Stuff Your Kindle Day just went live — download 100s of free romance books for your Kindle
FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Feb. 9-13. The new Free Romance Book Blast offers romance books in a variety of subgenres for your e-reader.
Have you got big plans for Valentine’s Day? Cancel them, because a new Stuff Your Kindle Day just dropped.
The Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule has been predictably hectic in 2026. We had a number of free giveaways in January, but February is on another level. We count nine events this month. Not all of them are huge, but between the niche events and massive drops, bookworms are going to be kept busy.
The latest giveaway is hosted by the Indie Author Collective. Be My Valentine is a romance book blast, offering (you guessed it) free romance books from a variety of subgenres. Everything that you download for free is yours to keep forever, so don’t hold back. So what if you’ve already got a huge stack of books waiting to be read. Add to your virtual pile without guilt.
Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We’ve lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.
When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?
Be My Valentine takes place on Feb. 9-13. Recent Stuff Your Kindle Days have only lasted 24 hours, meaning participants have needed to act fast. That’s stressful, so this five-day event is a welcome change. You can take stock of your options, pick your favorites, and download without getting worked up. It’s much more civilized.
Which ebooks are free?
Be My Valentine is all about romance titles. There’s a helpful hub page put together by the Indie Author Collective with filters for major tropes, spice levels, content levels, and representation. Here you can peruse the 100s of options or filter to find something that perfectly lines up with your preferences.
It’s important to note that anyone can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day. Kindle and Kobo readers can download these romance books for free.
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Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?
Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there’s no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don’t count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.
The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal
Why we like it
These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.
Entertainment
How to watch South Africa vs. Canada online for free
TL;DR: Live stream South Africa vs. Canada in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The opening round of games at the 2026 T20 World Cup includes some really interesting matchups, including South Africa vs. Canada. Sure, South Africa will be expected to win this game without too much hassle, but anything can happen in T20 cricket.
Group D is probably the toughest in the tournament, with South Africa, Afghanistan, and New Zealand gunning for the two qualification spots. There’s little room for error in this competition, so South Africa will be looking to start strongly here.
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If you want to watch South Africa vs. Canada in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is South Africa vs. Canada?
South Africa vs. Canada in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 9. This game takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
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How to watch South Africa vs. Canada for free
South Africa vs. Canada in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.
This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.
Live stream South Africa vs. Canada in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free 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 a location with access
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Visit ICC.TV
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Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup 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 every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries
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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 always secure
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Fast connection speeds
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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).
Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on February 9
Tonight marks the Third Quarter Moon, halfway between full and new. We see exactly half of the Moon lit up, with illumination on the left-hand side. So, there’s around a 50% chance of spotting some features on the Moon’s surface, what can you see?
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Monday, Feb. 9, the Moon phase is Third Quarter. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 652% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
But what can you see? With no visual aids, you should be able to see the Mare Imbrium, Copernicus Crater, and the Aristarchus Plateau. With binoculars, you’ll also be able to see Clavius, and the Archimedes Craters, and the Grimaldi Basin. If you have a telescope, you’ll also be able to see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Rima Ariadaeus.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will be on March 3.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says that a complete lunar cycle takes around 29.5 days. This is the time the Moon needs to orbit Earth once. During this cycle, it goes through eight phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the visible portion that is illuminated changes as the Moon travels along its orbit. The varying amount of sunlight reflected off the Moon is what causes it to appear fully lit, partially lit, or nearly dark at different stages. The eight phases of the Moon are:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Stuff Your Kindle Day just went live — download 100s of free romance books for your Kindle
How to watch South Africa vs. Canada online for free
