Aaron Carter’s Mom
Claims Pop Star’s Ex Took Money From His Accounts
Melanie Martin Denies Allegation

Published
February 26, 2026
1:00 AM PST

A clip of Natalie Nunn clocking Claressa Shields‘ boxing moves during her match against Franchón Crews-Dezurn has internet users crackin’ UP.

RELATED: Claressa Shields Explains Heated Weigh-In With Franchón Crews-Dezurn As The Internet Reacts To Papoose Poppin’ Off (VIDEOS)

More On The Clip Of Natalie Nunn Clocking Claressa Shields’ Boxing Moves During Match Against Franchón Crews-Dezurn

On Monday, February 23, a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, took to the platform to share a clip from the stands at Shields’ match against Crews-Dezurn. Furthermore, the clip was captioned, “Natalie Nunn was taking notes at the Claressa shields fight…”

Additionally, it showed Nunn intently watching Shields while recording her jabs against Franchón Crews-Dezurn. The clip ultimately gained 1.7 million views and even caught a reaction from Shields, who appeared amused by Nunn.

Peep the clip and Claressa Shields’ reaction below.

Internet Users Are Crackin’ Up As Natalie Nunn Reacts

Internet users were crackin’ UP in reaction to the clip in TSR’s comment section.

Additionally, even Natalie Nunn stepped in to provide more context:

“😂😂😂😂 🤦🏽‍♀️ I had money on the fight”

Furthermore, Chrisean Rock even dropped a reaction to the clip:

More On Claressa Shields’ Boxing Match Against Franchón Crews-Dezurn Match

As The Shade Room previously reported, Claressa Shields and Franchón Crews-Dezurn faced off at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday, February 22. Ultimately, Shields defended her heavyweight champion title and won the match at a reported 100-90 score.

Afterwards, Shields continued to make headlines as she and Papoose stepped out to celebrate her big win.

RELATED: Victory Night! Claressa Shields & Papoose Hit The Club After She Defeated Franchón Crews-Dezurn & Retained Heavyweight Title

Ray J has sparked concern after sharing now-deleted messages about allegedly being targeted, accusing someone of “trying to kill” him.

RELATED: REPORT: Police Called To Ray J’s Los Angeles Home For Domestic Violence Incident Allegedly Involving Female Suspect

Ray J Shares Now-Deleted Messages About Allegedly Being Targeted, Accusing Someone Of “Trying To Kill Him”

On Tuesday, February 24, Ray J took to his Instagram account to share a now-deleted reel with his more than 2.9 million followers. Furthermore, Ray J shared a clip of his face close-up in the camera’s view. Over the clip were various text captions, which read:

“I DONT EVEN TALK ABOUT YOU!! – until you try to illegally bribe and bully me!! — now you trying to kill me! , drugging me and setting up traps!! – I have kids too.!! — SMH — my family from MISSISSIPPI! – YOU CAN NEVER TEAR DOWN THE BLACK CULTURE!! Or me!! Or my mom or my sister or GOD!!! … JAYZ LAWYER CANT HELP YOU H@E… I ready to WALK YOU DOWN H0E… YOUR LAWYER IS SCUM! —HE DON’T KNOW ME BUT I KNOW HE REPRESENTS LYERS AND CON ARTISTS LIKE YOU AND YOUR WHOLE GIG!!!”

Furthermore, the post also featured a message where Ray accused his target of stealing from him and his family.

Peep the concerning post and the caption he included alongside it below.

Ray J’s Messages Sparked Concern

Social media users shared concern for the singer in TSR’s comment section.

To note, about an hour after Ray shared the post, he wrote in his comment section:

“My momma said chill – I ain’t even started yet”

His Now-Deleted Messages About Allegedly Being Targeted & Accusing Someone Of “Trying To Kill Him” Arrived Amid Reports Regarding Kris Jenner

It remains unclear who Ray J’s message was intended for. However, it arrived amid new reports regarding Kris Jenner. As The Shade Room previously reported, in October 2025, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner hit the singer with a lawsuit. This was for his appearance on TMZ in May of that year, where he said he would believe it if the Kardashians were “being charged for racketeering.”

The following month, Ray J reportedly hit Kim Kardashian and her mother with his own lawsuit, per The Shade Room. He reportedly accused them of violating a previous order forbidding them from speaking about his and Kardashian’s 2003 NSFW tape. Ray reportedly argued that he’s owed $1 million in damages and seemingly wanted to reiterate that the tape was not leaked against Kardashian’s will.

Earlier this week, TMZ reported that Jenner updated her and Kardashian’s defamation suit against Ray with a declaration page accusing Ray of harassment.

“To say that my daughter and I are being pursued for doing something worse than Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, is a horrific lie,” Jenner reportedly wrote in the declaration. “… [o]ver the past two decades, I have had to watch [Ray J] publicly terrorize my daughter by continually talking, and lying, about her in the press to try and keep himself relevant.”

Jenner reportedly argued that Ray’s actions have caused Kardashian emotional distress.

“My family is of the utmost importance to me. It is deeply painful to watch my daughter experience the stress brought upon her by [Ray J], and her feelings of hopelessness and his harassment will never end,” she reportedly added.

As for herself, Jenner reportedly wrote that she is “deeply angered, insulted, and shaken by the accusations,” and fears Ray’s statements will harm her businesses.

“I took this step because I could no longer bear [Ray J’s] campaign of harassment against my daughter and my family or to watch my daughter cry again over the lies he’s painted about us,” she noted.

TMZ reports that earlier this month, Kardashian also filed her own declaration, stating that she fears her dream of becoming a lawyer will be ruined by the singer.

RELATED: Whew, Chile! Ray J Fires Back In New Lawsuit Against Kim Kardashian & Kris Jenner Over NSFW Tape

Mercury In Retrograde
SURVIVAL KIT

Published
February 26, 2026
12:05 AM PST

Dearest gentle readers, it’s no surprise that in the roughly month-long hiatus between Parts 1 and 2 of Bridgerton Season 4, anticipation has only continued to grow. Netflix’s hit Regency romance series may have said goodbye to a few faces since its initial premiere almost six years ago(!), but as the show’s newly released episodes confirm, even actors who have since gone on to star in increasingly big projects (looking at you, Jonathan Bailey) are still willing to come back right when the show’s titular family is in their greatest hour of need. There’s not much that can be said about Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2 without venturing into serious spoiler territory, but plenty of eagle-eyed fans have already pieced together some clues from the steady trickle of trailers and images released in the gap between episodes. Suffice it to say, Bridgerton‘s return this week brings with it one of the series’ darkest turns yet, but it’s accompanied by the show embracing one of its worst narrative habits — effectively sidelining the main romance in favor of laying the foundation of what’s to come.

What Is ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Part 2 About?

In the aftermath of Benedict Bridgerton’s (Luke Thompson) proposal — to be his mistress, not his wife — Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) finds herself wrestling with what accepting the gentleman’s offer would mean for her future, not just as a maid, but within society at large. Meanwhile, she’s still working for the family under Violet’s (Ruth Gemmill) roof, and the Bridgerton matriarch is starting to pick up on the vibes between her second son and her newest employee. Despite the two doing their best to embrace propriety, they still find themselves hopelessly drawn to each other, stealing forbidden touches behind closed doors. Although Sophie’s potential future as a mistress might be the best she could hope for, given her own station, the possibility of setting society’s tongues wagging isn’t the only thing she might have to worry about; her stepmother, Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), has gotten word of where she’s been working, and won’t rest until she’s forced Sophie to face the consequences for absconding with those (admittedly paste) shoe clips of hers.

As for the rest of the Bridgerton family, Violet’s liaison with Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) continues to develop, although she, too, remains torn about whether she’s actually ready to become more than just a mother. With the support of her husband, Colin (Luke Newton), Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) considers whether it might be time for her to move on from writing her Lady Whistledown column for good. Eloise (Claudia Jessie) continues to clash with Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) over her little sister’s obsession with entering society, just as the last character anyone would ever expect steps back onto the scene with a new title and a desire to restore her disgraced reputation among the ton. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is struggling to properly host the newest guest in her and John’s (Victor Alli) home: his vivacious, outgoing cousin Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza). Oh, and Anthony (Bailey), Viscount Bridgerton, has a lot more on his plate to address than he planned upon his return home — like why his desk is littered with drawings of a mysterious woman in silver, and why Benedict is willing to put the family name at risk by taking a maid as his mistress. And that’s not even getting into the ongoing drama between the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel) and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) as the two longtime friends are forced to reckon with Agatha’s upcoming leave of absence.

‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Part 2 Deepens the Romance Between Sophie and Benedict

Image via Netflix

Whenever Bridgerton does deign to check in on Sophie and Benedict’s ongoing romance, the moments viewers are treated to are definitely worthwhile. Their more intimate scenes in the back half of Season 4 simmer with a different kind of tension; ever since their steamy stairwell rendezvous, it’s not a question of if they’ll find the perfect opportunity to sneak off together, but when. The somewhat forbidden nature of their relationship, courtesy of Sophie’s current position in Benedict’s family home, constantly hovers over their interactions, making even the smallest shared glance between Ha and Thompson feel loaded with meaning. On a more intimate level, their love scenes in Part 2 skillfully walk a fine line between unapologetically steamy and deeply romantic. One only wishes there were more of them (but more on that later)!

What proves most compelling about Sophie and Benedict’s narrative in Season 4’s latter four episodes is that their push-and-pull isn’t rooted in whether their love exists — because it’s very clear how deeply these two have come to care about each other, despite Benedict not knowing that Sophie is his Lady in Silver — but rather in what the right decision for their future is. If Sophie agrees to become Benedict’s mistress, is she consigning herself to a future that’s lesser than what she’s truly worth? If Benedict actually makes Sophie his wife, will they be shunned and forced to live outside of society, risking his family’s name and the success of Hyacinth’s upcoming debut in the process?

Of course, any viewer familiar with Julia Quinn‘s An Offer From a Gentleman, the book that Bridgerton Season 4 adapts, already knows that the perfect legal solution will present itself, thereby paving the way for Sophie and Benedict to have their happily ever after. Before that happens, though, it’s lovely to see the Bridgertons defending Sophie against anyone who would threaten her livelihood or her reputation, ultimately serving as the family she never truly had. Along those same lines, the return of characters like Bailey’s Anthony Bridgerton (now sporting some handsomely rakish facial hair) allows for welcome reunion scenes that double as a reminder of the show’s strongest themes — and the fact that this family will always show up to support each other, no matter what.

‘Bridgerton’ Devotes Too Much Time to Setting Up Season 5’s Romance at the Cost of Season 4’s Love Story

While Sophie and Benedict’s romance in the last four episodes of Bridgerton Season 4 earns a handful of swoonworthy moments, it’s not the primary focus, and it points to a larger problem with the show’s overall narrative structure. In my review for Part 1, I mentioned that the show’s ever-expanding ensemble was threatening to push Bridgerton into overstuffed territory, with some characters earning little to no development compared to others, but what remained to be seen was whether the series would repeat Season 2’s biggest misstep — spending so much time establishing future romances that the present season’s love story pulls the short straw.

Unfortunately, Season 4 does fall into the very same trap. To a degree, some of this preparation is necessary, given that one of Bridgerton‘s upcoming romances begins in a very emotionally fraught place, and the show needs to afford that storyline the time and sensitivity it deserves. The issue arises when one episode is almost completely devoted to putting certain characters in place for a fifth season that may not even air for two more years, given Bridgerton‘s current release schedule. Perhaps if Season 4 had premiered in one batch of eight episodes, this choice wouldn’t have felt so flagrant, but combined with Netflix’s recent split-season release strategy, it’s hard not to weigh how much screentime is being subtracted from Sophie and Benedict’s romance. The story itself is handled as gently as one would hope, and it does result in a stunningly brilliant performance from Hannah Dodd, as Francesca is forced to navigate an unimaginable future for herself. Still, even a 10-episode order for Season 4, rather than eight, might have helped Bridgerton strike a balance between sowing enough seeds for future seasons and properly devoting attention to one of its boldest romances in the present.

Related

Every Major ‘Bridgerton’ Couple, Ranked

How does Benophie compare to the other iconic ‘Bridgerton’ pairings?

There’s also a sense that, as much as Bridgerton aims to push new boundaries and redefine what romance can look like within the strict rules of Regency-era society, it still frustratingly insists on maintaining the status quo for certain characters. In Season 4 Part 1, Violet’s arc as a widow and mother rediscovering her sexuality leads to an irresistible love-after-loss romance, but Part 2 results in a disappointing about-face for that storyline, especially when so much time was spent building up to it — and over multiple shows, to boot. The drama between the Queen and Lady Danbury is stretched to the thinnest and most repetitive version of itself right up to the finale, and others like Eloise or, frankly, either of the Mondriches (Martins Imhangbe and Emma Naomi) have very little to do within the overall scope of Season 4, given the show’s already overloaded cast.

There’s no question that the future of Bridgerton is assured; it’s already been confirmed to return for a fifth and sixth season, and any Bridgerton romances beyond that are likely still being plotted out. Season 4 also drops plenty of intriguing breadcrumbs that could breathe new energy into the series’ ongoing drama, including a late-stage twist for Lady Whistledown that has even Penelope reeling in shock and the surprise reemergence of a society pariah that genuinely prompted a gasp from this reviewer. Four seasons in, however, Bridgerton still hasn’t really figured out how to solve its worst habit, which the biggest constraints of streaming television render even more glaring. Sophie and Benedict’s romance is sprinkled with just enough steam and swoon to satisfy, but it should’ve been given ample room to utterly sparkle.

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Release Date

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December 22, 2020

Network

Netflix

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Directors

Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson

Writers

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Abby McDonald, Sarah L. Thompson, Daniel Robinson, Oliver Goldstick, Leila Cohan-Miccio, Azia Squire, Sarah Dollard, Eli Wilson Pelton, Janet Lin

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• 

  Luke Thompson

  Lady Violet Bridgerton

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  Ruth Gemmell

  Benedict Bridgerton

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Pros & Cons

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• Yerin Ha remains an absolute gift to this series as Sophie’s Cinderella story reaches a satisfying ending.
• Familiar faces return, both to add stability and potentially shake up the narrative.
• Hannah Dodd delivers her best performance yet as Francesca navigates an unimaginable tragedy.
• An interesting twist surrounding Lady Whistledown infuses new energy into Penelope’s storyline.

• The last four episodes devote so much time to setting up Season 5’s love story at the cost of Season 4’s romance.
• Violet’s most promising storyline comes to a disappointing conclusion.

Alongside the steady rise of streaming, fantasy television has also beautifully evolved, allowing countless stories to go beyond the restrictions of even network television. With this new freedom, fantasy TV has been able to deliver richer character development, deeper world-building, and much more cohesive storytelling. There exists quite a stunning list of fantasy epics that, whether through tightly constructed limited-series arcs or sprawling narratives, feel specifically designed for this thriving era of streaming.

Amazing fantasy watches, such as the character-focused show Merlin, with its enthralling slow-burning arcs of wizardry and friendship, and the creature-driven series Grimm, which is thrillingly ideal for one sitting, are two perfect streaming viewing experiences. Compiled on this list of fantasy shows that embody this recent era of masterful television—series that not only see success on streaming platforms, but feel as though they were built for them from the very beginning.

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1

‘Lucifer’ (2016–2021)

Image via Netflix

This once network television show, and now a streaming success, gradually became a true bingeworthy character study. Lucifer follows the Devil, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), who is bored with his position in hell, and goes to Los Angeles to run a nightclub, only to unexpectedly become a police consultant.

Lucifer may have begun as a beloved network television series, but once cancelled and picked up by Netflix, the show instantly thrived on the streaming platform. The series was able to transfer its underrated TV success and expand it, which quickly proved that its character arcs and overall story were best experienced through continuous watches. Streaming allowed the show’s deeper storylines to truly shine, working so much better for on-demand watching. Lucifer also received a higher budget, fully embracing its streaming-era revival on Netflix, making it feel so much more like a cinematic experience that proved to be better suited for binge-watching.

2

‘Lost Girl’ (2010–2016)

Image via Showcase

Lost Girl is an underrated good time that deserves a lot more attention and credit for its very bingeworthy storytelling that matches this vast streaming era quite nicely. The Canadian series centers on the butt-kicking succubus Bo (Anna Silk) as she navigates life as a creature who feeds on human sexual energy while trying to discover her origins.

Lost Girl isn’t the best hit fantasy series there is, but truthfully, it is one of the most addictive watches to ever exist. It’s perfect for a binge bender, as its serialized narrative with season arcs featuring missing artifacts, and ending Fae wars makes it ideal for continuous viewing. Lost Girl is the perfect mesh of long-term mysteries and standalone monster installments that is capable of keeping audiences thoroughly invested even when watching multiple episodes back-to-back, cementing its place among the rest of the series that feel practically built for streaming.

3

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

Though originally aired weekly, Avatar: The Last Airbender proves to be much more suited for the streaming shelf. The fantasy animated series is set in a world where most of the Earth’s population wields one of the four elements and follows Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen)—the last Airbender—and his friends’ journey to save the world from the tyrannical force known as the Fire Nation.

Avatar: The Last Airbender may have been an amazing weekly experience back when it was on air, but with it now sitting on streaming platforms, the series is thriving like never before. While streaming may not have been as prominent during its release, Avatar: The Last Airbender, so iconicly ahead of its time, feels like it was specifically built for modern-day streaming platforms. The show is much better taken in with its new bingable form. Not only does the story seem more cohesive, but it also showcases the growth of its characters and overarching narrative, making it an overall more satisfying viewing experience. Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s success on streaming platforms only proves that it was always meant for binge-watching during this addictive streaming era, despite its network TV origins.

4

‘Merlin’ (2008–2012)

Image via BBC

Merlin is a medieval fantasy reimagining of the Arthurian legend that hosts amazing character development that makes it feel perfectly suited for this era of streaming. The series focuses on a young Merlin’s (Colin Morgan) arrival in Camelot and his sometimes awkward but always touching friendship with Prince Arthur (Bradley James). At the same time, Merlin must make sure he hides an important part of himself from Arthur, all the while discovering an enchanting destiny that demands he protect the dashing prince.

Merlin is a truly magical watch. Despite its 2008 debut, the series’ exploration of friendship and destiny through a complex bond between a forbidden sorcerer and a prince makes for addictive TV no matter the year. The show has quite a few streaming-friendly aspects to it that inspire viewers to watch continuously. With intensely building episodes and high-stakes cliffhangers, Merlin is a steady encouragement for binge-watching. The show’s consistent tone of adventure and humor makes it easy to watch multiple episodes back-to-back, making Merlin the perfect fantasy great for this list of series built for streaming.

5

‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011–2018)

This modern twist on fairytales is often hailed as a fantasy gem that sparked an entire new era for network television. Once Upon a Time centers on bail bondswoman Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), who finds herself in the town of Storybrooke, where fairy tale characters unknowingly live as simple, ordinary citizens of modern time without knowing their true identities due to a powerful curse.

Once Upon a Time‘s serialized nature, featuring family heritage reveals and ongoing curse mysteries, makes it the ideal binge-watch. Its interconnected stories and layered timelines make it downright perfect for back-to-back viewing. The story itself was designed as an ongoing epic, with each season introducing new worlds and more dastardly villains. Each episode frequently ends on an extremely dramatic note, prompting viewers to addictively search for more. While the series debuted on network television, Once Upon a Time‘s complex story threads that pick up in subsequent episodes without requiring any breaks make it perfect for streaming consumption.

6

‘Grimm’ (2011–2017)

Image via NBC

Grimm is a dark crime drama with a fantasy twist that explores folklore and fairytales in an extremely captivating way. The show follows Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), who discovers that he is a “Grimm,” an individual destined to keep the balance between humanity and the mythological creatures known as Wesen.

With a blend of ongoing mythology and case-of-the-week TV good times, Grimm delivers a watch that truly thrives in a binge format. The show’s deeper lore and character arcs are free to fully unfold in a way that perfectly aligns with what is often seen in modern streaming storytelling. Grimm‘s hybrid approach to its storytelling allows for both casual viewership of individual episodes and also rewards marathon fans following the big picture, solidifying the series as a consistently dark and serialized fantasy gem that is perfect for consecutive episode viewing on demand platforms.

7

‘Charmed’ (1998–2006)

Image via The WB

This defining witchy series fantastically blends growing supernatural mythology with captivating episodic storytelling. The ’90s fantasy series icon, Charmed, focuses on three sisters—Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) Halliwell—as they make the discovery that they’re powerful good witches who are destined to fight the forces of evil as “The Charmed Ones.”

The supernatural hit series, Charmed, is a classic that is a seamless fit for modern streaming platforms. The series’ balance of overarching plots and standalone episodes makes for some pretty bingeworthy TV. Continuous viewing of the iconic drama is only rewarded, as viewers are able to fully experience the story’s evolving power-ups and interesting lore that aligns quite well with today’s streaming-friendly format. Charmed may have had network beginnings, but it stands as a fantasy series that truly feels as if it were built perfectly for on-demand success.

8

‘Sleepy Hollow’ (2013–2017)

Image via FOX

Sleepy Hollow is the reimagining of a classic legend that mixes mythology and history, delivering to viewers a truly captivating supernatural thriller. The time-bending fantasy follows Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison), a Revolutionary War soldier, who awakens in present-day Sleepy Hollow, NY, after mysteriously surviving execution centuries ago.

With evolving mythologies and serialized mysteries, Sleepy Hollow feels so much more than its network roots; in fact, it feels quite ideal for streaming platforms. Even with a network-level budget, the show’s gothic style and action sequences of magic fights and creature effects were still realized quite nicely. During its time on air on Fox, Sleepy Hollow would sometimes use mid-season breaks, which in the streaming era translates into a continuous flow that makes it easy to invest in watching multiple episodes, marking it as a fantasy watch ideal for streaming audiences.

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Sleepy Hollow

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Release Date

2013 – 2017-00-00

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Network

FOX

Showrunner

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Mark Goffman, Clifton Campbell

Writers

Phillip Iscove, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Len Wiseman

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 54 seconds ago

As a franchise, Star Trek has always faced an interesting creative paradox: it must balance the human storytelling of the present day with the science of the far future. Some writers prefer stories that are driven by hard science, and some prefer those driven by emotion. In The Original Series, these extremes were represented by Spock (who had to explain the cold logic of what was going on) and Dr. McCoy (who constantly espoused the values of passion and emotion).

In the Golden Age of Star Trek, the technical side of storytelling was represented by “technobabble,” the catch-all term for the confusing blather of scientific and technological terms often blurted out by characters like Data. Many fans (even those who prefer stories more in the vein of traditional science fiction) came to hate technobabble because it felt forced and out of place, often disrupting otherwise excellent stories. One of the best examples of this is the Next Generation episode “Pen Pals,” which one iconic Trek director thought was ruined by technobabble.

Reach Out And Touch Someone

In case you’ve forgotten, “Pen Pals” is the episode where Data makes contact with an alien child on an underdeveloped world. He discovers that her world is in danger and implores Captain Picard to violate the Prime Directive in order to save her people. Picard reluctantly does so, and Dr. Pulaski mind-wipes the alien kiddo to prevent her from remembering that time her entire planet was saved by aliens with what she would consider godlike abilities.

The episode was directed by Winrich Kolbe, a Star Trek icon (he dated Kate Mulgrew, for God’s sake!) who directed some of the best episodes of the franchise. For TNG, this includes such bangers as “Darmok” and “All Good Things…”, the series finale. On DS9, he directed some personal favorites, including “Through the Looking Glass” and “The Siege of AR-558.” For Voyager, he directed the premiere episode “Caretaker” and the ambitious two-parter, “Basics.”

They Blinded Us With Science

As his resume indicates, few people understand Trek like Kolbe, someone who quickly developed an instinct for what can make or break a potentially excellent episode. In an interview with The Official Star Trek Magazine, he described “Pen Pals” as “one of those cases where I felt the original script… the first draft, was very, very nice. It was a very personal story.”

He said it was a personal story, so what changed? Winrich Kolbe claims that someone very high up (he couldn’t remember if it was Rick Berman or Gene Roddenberry) “felt we needed more of a technical surrounding story.” The storytelling change was swift: “Suddenly, out went more and more of the character issue, and in came more and more tech talk.”

Putting Star Trek Under The Microscope

Kolbe wasn’t a fan of adding so much technobabble to a very personal story, and he didn’t mince words when discussing what went wrong with “Pen Pals.” He called the infusion of the distracting space lingo “a problem” and said that he disagreed with the prevailing staff assessment “that more technical jargon enhances the stories.” The director believes “these stories should be left alone” and summarized his thoughts on this particular episode quite bluntly: “I think ‘Pen Pals’ could have been a better show than it was.”

Most fans would agree with this assessment; after all, “Pen Pals” is a good episode that falls far short of its potential. Even controversial showrunner Maurice Hurley agrees. According to Captains’ Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, he said the script “kind of got muddled around, mucked up and lost its purity.” He ultimately decided that the finished episode “worked okay,” but he generally echoes Kolbe’s argument that the jargon-ridden additions to this script made the episode far worse than it should have been.

Technobabble Never Left The Franchise

Sadly, the rest of the writing staff didn’t see it that way: “technobabble” became an ever-present feature in the franchise, one that was often used as a writing crutch to explain how our heroes suddenly turn the tables on their enemy. It could often be grating for fans whenever an episode of The Next Generation or Voyager ground to a halt so someone could explain the plot in the most confusing way.

Still, the scientifically accurate (more or less) technobabble of Old Trek will always be preferable to the breezy stupidity of NuTrek, where a single supernova can threaten the entire galaxy!