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Built-in FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channels on smart TVs are increasingly prevalent among manufacturers of televisions and streaming devices, aimed at enhancing revenue and attracting more customers. The Google TV platform offers Freeplay, LG TVs are equipped with LG Channels, and Roku TVs showcase the Roku Channel. Samsung, recognized as one of the most dependable smart TV brands according to Consumer Reports and rated highly for customer satisfaction, was a pioneer in launching a FAST service through Samsung TV Plus.

Introduced in 2015, it enables owners of Samsung smart TVs to watch almost 700 live TV channels and access over 1,000 movies and TV shows on demand without any cost. This service is preinstalled on all Samsung smart TVs manufactured since 2016. It can also be accessed via Galaxy devices, Samsung smart monitors, and other Samsung gadgets. Here’s how you can enjoy Samsung TV Plus and what it provides.

### How to access Samsung smart TV free channels

If you possess a Samsung smart TV that was launched post-2016, the Samsung TV Plus app will be preloaded on your television. You simply need to launch the app to begin viewing the available live TV channels and on-demand content. There are no fees, subscriptions, requirements to input payment information, or the necessity to create a Samsung account. All that’s needed is an internet connection, and you’re all set. The Samsung TV Plus app features an intuitive interface similar to other streaming platforms, with various sections, top-ten lists, content categories, and more. Additionally, it offers AI-driven personalization, adapting to your viewing trends and engagement habits.

The live TV segment encompasses well-liked channels for anime, national and local news, films and music, reality shows, sports, children’s content, and more. You can find the complete list of live channels on the Samsung website. More than 100 of these channels are exclusive to the service, unavailable on other FAST platforms. Regarding the on-demand selections, you’ll find an ever-evolving array of TV shows and movies. For instance, in December 2025, Samsung TV Plus is streaming films like “Die Hard”, a holiday classic, “Step Up”, “Now You See Me”, and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”. The FAST service is also showcasing the first season of the Prime Video post-apocalyptic thriller “Fallout” until December 25.

**Robert Downey Jr. Turned Down An Oscar-Winning Sci-Fi Film Following Iron Man**

Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” is not just one of the sci-fi films endorsed by Neil deGrasse Tyson, but it also enjoyed tremendous popularity with the general audience. The film secured seven Oscars out of 10 nominations, including Best Director, Cinematography, and Visual Effects, grossing nearly $725 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). The plot revolves around two astronauts who face debris during a mission and must devise a plan to survive and return to Earth. Sandra Bullock (Ryan Stone) and George Clooney (Matt Kowalski) headline the film. Initially, however, Cuarón had a different pair in mind for the project.

Robert Downey Jr. was first approached to co-star in “Gravity” alongside Angelina Jolie. While “Gravity” was released on August 28, 2013, Cuarón filmed the project in 2011. At that time, Marvel was busy producing “The Avengers,” the inaugural crossover movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. played a pivotal role in this film after establishing himself as the face of the still-nascent MCU in “Iron Man” (2008), the movie that launched Marvel’s universe, with RDJ’s portrayal being crucial to that triumph. The sequel, “Iron Man 2,” debuted in 2010, a year preceding the commencement of “Gravity.”

The actor would have needed to balance both Cuarón’s film and the first “Avengers” outing if all parties had permitted him to shoot both concurrently. However, the conflicting schedules were not the primary reason Downey Jr. declined the role of Matt Kowalski. The actor clarified in a conversation on The Howard Stern Show, years after “Gravity’s” release, that the real challenge lay in the limitations of filming the space movie as Cuarón envisioned.

**RDJ on Being Comfortably Uncomfortable**

“Everyone ends up doing what they’re meant to do, and sometimes, someone has a motorcycle accident, and then the person who takes over the role [nails it], and you think, ‘I couldn’t have pictured anyone else in that role,'” RDJ shared with Stern in an interview in October 2022. He noted he was brought on board early in the project, even before Jolie was cast. He connected well with Cuarón and appreciated the concept. Stern pointed out that Downey Jr. had previously mentioned his inability to work within the cramped confines required by the “Gravity” sets. It was then that the actor elaborated on the filming experiences Cuarón was seeking, which he found uncomfortable.

“What I can let you know is I went in to do a test with a new kind of multi-spherical camera setup they were experimenting with for the CGI,” RDJ remembered. “I’m the type of person who can be comfortably uncomfortable pretty easily. I went in the morning to do that testing, and we lasted about 20 minutes. I asked, ‘This is insane; how much longer will it be?’ They replied, ‘It’ll be another two to four hours.’ I said, ‘No way!'” The actor further mentioned, “You’ve got to set boundaries. You’ve got to exit before you lose it,” implying that claustrophobia might have played a significant role in his decision to walk away from the sci-fi film.

**Cuarón Confirms RDJ Would Not Have Thrived in Gravity**

In a separate instance, Cuarón recounted a similar narrative to The Hollywood Reporter in 2014, discussing Downey Jr.’s withdrawal from the film, though the director provided less context than the actor did during his conversation with Stern. “It became increasingly clear that, as we started to hone the technology, that was going to be a significant hurdle for his performance,” the director explained. “I find Robert to be incredible if you grant him the latitude to fully breathe, improvise, and adapt. [However] we experimented with one of these technologies, and it just wasn’t suitable. After that, we [went through] a week pretending nothing was amiss, and then we conversed and concluded, ‘This won’t work. This is challenging.'”

Stern inquired if RDJ would have participated in the movie had he known that “Gravity” would explode in popularity and that he could earn the $70 million Clooney did, but the actor remained firm in his choice. “Any one of us can get something, but we can’t have everything,” RDJ finished.

Bullock received a nomination for Best Actress, ultimately losing to Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), while Clooney did not receive a nomination for Best Actor. After passing on “Gravity,” Downey Jr. went on to star in numerous MCU blockbusters, including several sequels in the “Avengers” series. He will still be featured

extend the lifespan of your equipment with some fantastic applications. Now that the Steam Deck has established its position in the market, numerous applications have been launched to enhance the handheld’s gaming experience. The question arises, which applications are genuinely worth utilizing? Well, that’s exactly our purpose today: We’ve compiled a list of the top five applications every Steam Deck gamer ought to install on their device. From consolidated game launchers to game streaming applications, BGR has your needs covered.

how radiation present in the CEZ could influence the evolution rate of animals, humans, and vegetation. A significant factor contributing to the CEZ’s status as a center for these hypotheses is the dramatic surge in animal and plant life following humanity’s departure from the region, which remains contaminated nearly 40 years on.

As time progress, scientists have grown increasingly eager to explore the potential evolutionary consequences that might be unveiled in the CEZ. A 2025 study has delved into the possible impacts of radiation on both plants and animals, shedding light on how these organisms have reacted to prolonged radiation exposure. Although there have been notable findings of genetic damage overall, there also seem to be adaptive responses that have been observed. Given that Chernobyl is frequently regarded as one of the worst nuclear catastrophes globally, researchers have consistently monitored the aftermath of the disaster.

Moreover, another 2024 study highlighted distinct genetic variations between dogs living inside versus outside the CEZ, yet the researchers indicate that we have merely begun to explore the potential for witnessing rapid evolution in real-time.