Entertainment
The Most Hated Star Trek Episode Is Incredibly Important For The Franchise's Future
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
For the most part, audience reception to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been quite positive thanks to the talented cast, solid writing, and insanely high production value. However, for many Star Trek fans, this show has had one misstep: the musical episode “Subspace Rhapsody.”
Admittedly, this episode pales in comparison to more successful musical episodes like Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Once More With Feeling” and the songs could be a little (okay, a lot) catchier. Still, I believe fans should nonetheless respect this controversial episode because it proves that the writers of sci-fi’s best franchise are still willing to take creative risks.
As longtime Star Trek fans know, the franchise hasn’t always exhibited the creativity that went into the musical episode of Strange New Worlds. For example, early episodes of The Next Generation recycled scripts written for a canceled Original Series sequel show which would have introduced new characters like Decker and Ilia. Those characters were later recycled for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and later inspired the characters of Riker and Troi in TNG.
The franchise has had some other derivative moments, of course. Deep Space Nine (a personal favorite) has long been accused of ripping off Babylon 5, and Star Trek: Nemesis is a lame retread of The Wrath of Khan. Speaking of Wrath of Khan, its nebula battle sequence was taken and recycled for episodes of The Next Generation and even Picard.
Star Trek has a long history of being derivative. Strange New Worlds’ musical episode is a refreshing reminder that the franchise is still capable of surprising us.
That didn’t keep many fans from wringing their hands about everything from the plot to its lyrical execution. Like a true geek chorus, most of these annoyed fans joined their voices to make a singular pronouncement: “Star Trek shouldn’t have a musical episode.” These fans have a very fixed idea of what the franchise should and shouldn’t do, and like a poorly-trained targ, they are always waiting to pounce on any episode or film that deviates from what they imagine Star Trek should be doing.
However, this is the kind of myopic view that does more than hold the franchise back. If such fans had their way, the franchise would have died decades ago.
The Next Generation is considered the best Star Trek show by many older fans, but not only was this series very different from The Original Series, it didn’t reach true greatness until it was free of the influence of franchise creator Gene Roddenberry.
In turn, Deep Space Nine became the true greatest Trek show ever made by explicitly ignoring the storytelling restrictions of previous shows. Those including Roddenberry’s ban on creating conflict between characters.
Even though I can’t hum a single tune or remember a single lyric, I admire Star Trek’s first musical episode because it proudly ignores all the rules. Historically, Star Trek has been held back by fans who want nothing more than to slingshot around the sun and return the franchise to some imagined golden age (like the ‘90s).
Star Trek would never have survived if the writers hadn’t been willing to take risks, and Strange New Worlds’ writers have realized a powerful truth: Star Trek can be anything. I should never again be held back by cranky fans who are unwilling to put down their TNG DVD sets and admire a franchise that has finally remembered the wisdom of James T. Kirk: “Risk is our business.” Strange New Worlds is ready to lead us into a better, brighter, and bolder future, one episode (and, yes, one song) at a time.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
