XPost: rec.arts.startrek.current.rec.arts.startrek.fandom, rec.arts.tv, can.arts.sf

Ai/LLM reviews of STNG- Loud as a whisper

google Gemini

"Star Trek: The Next Generation - Loud
as a Whisper" is a unique and thought-provoking
episode that delves into themes of communication,
disability, and the power of empathy. It introduces
a compelling guest character and explores how
overcoming personal challenges can
lead to innovative solutions.

Plot Overview:

The USS Enterprise-D is tasked with a crucial
diplomatic mission: transporting a renowned
mediator named Riva to the Ramatis star system
to resolve a centuries-old, deeply entrenched
planetary conflict on Solais Five. Upon beaming
down to meet him, Captain Picard and his away
team make a surprising discovery: Riva is deaf
and communicates through an extraordinary
"Chorus" of three individuals (the Scholar,
Adonis, and a Woman) who telepathically
interpret his thoughts, emotions, and intentions.
Each member of the Chorus represents a facet
of Riva's complex personality – intellect, passion,
and harmony.

During the initial interactions, Lieutenant La Forge,
who uses a VISOR to see, finds an unexpected common
ground with Riva, recognizing the parallel between
Riva's reliance on his Chorus and his own dependence
on technology to perceive the world. This moment
highlights the episode's central idea of turning
a perceived disadvantage into a unique strength.
As the peace conference on Solais Five begins,
tragedy strikes: an assassin, representing
one of the warring factions, brutally kills
Riva's entire Chorus, leaving him isolated
and unable to communicate. Riva becomes
withdrawn, frightened, and traditional
medical interventions prove useless.

Counsellor Troi and Data attempt to help
Riva overcome his profound loss. Data
diligently learns various gestural languages
to establish basic communication,
while Troi gently encourages Riva to embrace
his "disability" and use it as an advantage.
Ultimately, Riva experiences a profound shift.
He decides to return to Solais Five alone,
not as a conventional mediator, but as a teacher.
His new approach is to teach the warring factions
sign language, believing that by learning to
communicate directly with him in a new way,
they will also learn to communicate more
effectively and empathetically with each other,
fostering genuine peace. The episode concludes
with Riva beginning this arduous but hopeful
process, as the Enterprise departs, confident
in his unconventional yet powerful
new method of mediation.

Strengths:

Unique Premise and Character: Riva is a truly unique
and memorable guest character. His method
of communication and his journey through grief
and rediscovery are compelling.

Theme of Communication: The episode brilliantly
explores various facets of communication – verbal,
non-verbal, empathic, and the challenges of misunderstanding.

Portrayal of Disability: It offers a thoughtful
and respectful portrayal of deafness, focusing
on adaptation and unique abilities rather than
just limitations. The parallel with La Forge
is particularly strong.

Picard's Empathy: Captain Picard demonstrates
exceptional empathy and patience in his
interactions with Riva, highlighting
his compassionate leadership.

Data's Learning: Data's immediate and practical
response to Riva's communication challenge
(learning sign languages) showcases his
problem-solving skills and desire to understand.

Powerful Resolution: Riva's decision to teach sign
language as a means to peace is a truly insightful
and moving resolution, reinforcing Star Trek's core
message of finding common ground.

Weaknesses:

Pacing (Minor): The initial setup and the "Chorus"
explanation might feel a little slow for some viewers
before the central conflict and Riva's personal journey
fully take hold.

The "Chorus" Concept: While unique, the Chorus
as a plot device could be seen as somewhat fantastical,
even for Star Trek, making the setup a bit less grounded
initially.

Limited Conflict on Solais Five: The warring factions
on Solais Five are not deeply developed, serving mostly
as a backdrop for Riva's mediation. The assassin's action,
while impactful, feels somewhat abrupt.

Visuals: As an early TNG episode, some of the visual
effects and set designs show their age.

Overall Impression:"Loud as a Whisper"
is a powerful, insightful, and emotionally
resonant episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
It stands out for its unique central character,
its thoughtful exploration of communication
and disability, and its ultimately hopeful message
about finding new ways to bridge divides. Despite
some minor pacing issues and early-season visual limitations,
it is a highly recommended and significant entry
in the series, showcasing TNG's ability to tell
humanistic and philosophical stories.

Rating: 8.2/10

ChatGpt

Here’s a refined review of **“Loud as a Whisper”**
(TNG S2E5), grounding the analysis in the chakoteya
transcript and extensive commentary:

---

## 🌟 Premise & Innovative Concept

The Enterprise transports **Riva**, a deaf mediator
who communicates through a three-person telepathic
*chorus* representing facets of his soul
(**passion**, **logic**, **wisdom**).
This unusual setup is abruptly shattered
when assassins kill his chorus, forcing
Picard, Troi, and Data to find new ways
for him to communicate. ([filmscoremonthly.com][1])

---

## 👍 Strengths

* **Authentic Representation & Bold Casting**
Casting deaf actor Howie Seago brought rare
1980s authenticity. Seago advocated for
key changes—like having Data learn sign
language rather than making Riva
speak—which enhanced representation
and narrative power ([reddit.com][2], [screenrant.com][3]).

* **Powerful Emotional Core**
The shock of the chorus’s violent death
is deeply affecting—Riker even cries
out—disturbing in a way that the usually
controlled TNG rarely achieves ([markwatches.net][4]).

* **Thought-Provoking Themes*

XPost: rec.arts.startrek.current, rec.arts.startrek.fandom, rec.arts.tv
XPost: can.arts.sf

Ai/LLM reviews of STNG- Loud as a whisper

google Gemini

"Star Trek: The Next Generation - Loud
as a Whisper" is a unique and thought-provoking
episode that delves into themes of communication,
disability, and the power of empathy. It introduces
a compelling guest character and explores how
overcoming personal challenges can
lead to innovative solutions.

Plot Overview:

The USS Enterprise-D is tasked with a crucial
diplomatic mission: transporting a renowned
mediator named Riva to the Ramatis star system
to resolve a centuries-old, deeply entrenched
planetary conflict on Solais Five. Upon beaming
down to meet him, Captain Picard and his away
team make a surprising discovery: Riva is deaf
and communicates through an extraordinary
"Chorus" of three individuals (the Scholar,
Adonis, and a Woman) who telepathically
interpret his thoughts, emotions, and intentions.
Each member of the Chorus represents a facet
of Riva's complex personality – intellect, passion,
and harmony.

During the initial interactions, Lieutenant La Forge,
who uses a VISOR to see, finds an unexpected common
ground with Riva, recognizing the parallel between
Riva's reliance on his Chorus and his own dependence
on technology to perceive the world. This moment
highlights the episode's central idea of turning
a perceived disadvantage into a unique strength.
As the peace conference on Solais Five begins,
tragedy strikes: an assassin, representing
one of the warring factions, brutally kills
Riva's entire Chorus, leaving him isolated
and unable to communicate. Riva becomes
withdrawn, frightened, and traditional
medical interventions prove useless.

Counsellor Troi and Data attempt to help
Riva overcome his profound loss. Data
diligently learns various gestural languages
to establish basic communication,
while Troi gently encourages Riva to embrace
his "disability" and use it as an advantage.
Ultimately, Riva experiences a profound shift.
He decides to return to Solais Five alone,
not as a conventional mediator, but as a teacher.
His new approach is to teach the warring factions
sign language, believing that by learning to
communicate directly with him in a new way,
they will also learn to communicate more
effectively and empathetically with each other,
fostering genuine peace. The episode concludes
with Riva beginning this arduous but hopeful
process, as the Enterprise departs, confident
in his unconventional yet powerful
new method of mediation.

Strengths:

Unique Premise and Character: Riva is a truly unique
and memorable guest character. His method
of communication and his journey through grief
and rediscovery are compelling.

Theme of Communication: The episode brilliantly
explores various facets of communication – verbal,
non-verbal, empathic, and the challenges of misunderstanding.

Portrayal of Disability: It offers a thoughtful
and respectful portrayal of deafness, focusing
on adaptation and unique abilities rather than
just limitations. The parallel with La Forge
is particularly strong.

Picard's Empathy: Captain Picard demonstrates
exceptional empathy and patience in his
interactions with Riva, highlighting
his compassionate leadership.

Data's Learning: Data's immediate and practical
response to Riva's communication challenge
(learning sign languages) showcases his
problem-solving skills and desire to understand.

Powerful Resolution: Riva's decision to teach sign
language as a means to peace is a truly insightful
and moving resolution, reinforcing Star Trek's core
message of finding common ground.

Weaknesses:

Pacing (Minor): The initial setup and the "Chorus"
explanation might feel a little slow for some viewers
before the central conflict and Riva's personal journey
fully take hold.

The "Chorus" Concept: While unique, the Chorus
as a plot device could be seen as somewhat fantastical,
even for Star Trek, making the setup a bit less grounded
initially.

Limited Conflict on Solais Five: The warring factions
on Solais Five are not deeply developed, serving mostly
as a backdrop for Riva's mediation. The assassin's action,
while impactful, feels somewhat abrupt.

Visuals: As an early TNG episode, some of the visual
effects and set designs show their age.

Overall Impression:"Loud as a Whisper"
is a powerful, insightful, and emotionally
resonant episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
It stands out for its unique central character,
its thoughtful exploration of communication
and disability, and its ultimately hopeful message
about finding new ways to bridge divides. Despite
some minor pacing issues and early-season visual limitations,
it is a highly recommended and significant entry
in the series, showcasing TNG's ability to tell
humanistic and philosophical stories.

Rating: 8.2/10

ChatGpt

Here’s a refined review of **“Loud as a Whisper”**
(TNG S2E5), grounding the analysis in the chakoteya
transcript and extensive commentary:

---

## 🌟 Premise & Innovative Concept

The Enterprise transports **Riva**, a deaf mediator
who communicates through a three-person telepathic
*chorus* representing facets of his soul
(**passion**, **logic**, **wisdom**).
This unusual setup is abruptly shattered
when assassins kill his chorus, forcing
Picard, Troi, and Data to find new ways
for him to communicate. ([filmscoremonthly.com][1])

---

## 👍 Strengths

* **Authentic Representation & Bold Casting**
Casting deaf actor Howie Seago brought rare
1980s authenticity. Seago advocated for
key changes—like having Data learn sign
language rather than making Riva
speak—which enhanced representation
and narrative power ([reddit.com][2], [screenrant.com][3]).

* **Powerful Emotional Core**
The shock of the chorus’s violent death
is deeply affecting—Riker even cries
out—disturbing in a way that the usually
controlled TNG rarely achieves ([markwatches.net][4]).

* **Thought-Provoking Themes*