{"id":5772,"date":"2015-02-23T04:27:42","date_gmt":"2015-02-23T04:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/25-Loud-as-a-Whisper"},"modified":"2015-02-23T04:27:42","modified_gmt":"2015-02-23T04:27:42","slug":"25-loud-as-a-whisper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relivethemajesty.com\/index.php\/2015\/02\/23\/25-loud-as-a-whisper\/","title":{"rendered":"2.5 — \u201cLoud as a Whisper\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

2.5 — \u201cLoud as a Whisper\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plot:<\/strong> The Enterprise<\/em> is summoned to pick up an exceptional mediator, Riva, to transport him to a difficult mediation. The crew is surprised to find that Riva is deaf, and communicates through an entourage of telepathic interpreters. When his attempt at negotiation does not go as planned, Riva and Troi are forced to devise an alternative approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoughts:<\/strong> I believe this is the most unintentionally funny episode of Star Trek so far, edging out \u201cThe Alternative Factor\u201d and \u201cThe Way to Eden\u201d from TOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seems odd that the script refers to Riva as deaf, when the obvious issue is that he\u2019s mute. There\u2019s even a scene in which Picard walks into the room and calls to Riva from behind and Riva reacts. The character’s telepathic abilities make it natural that he would not lean on verbal communication. So why deafness? It seems the actor, Howie Seago, is deaf. According to Wikipedia, the script was prepared after he pitched the idea of featuring a deaf interplanetary mediator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One issue with the script is that Riva is transparently the worst negotiator of all time. (Apparently his race doesn’t age, because how in the world is he old enough to have been instrumental in negotiating the peace between the Federation and the Klingons? And wasn’t that the Organians in \u201cErrand of Mercy?\u201d) He\u2019s got a huge temper, he\u2019s a horndog, and he\u2019s not interested in learning about the conflicts he\u2019s supposed to be resolving. \u201cThe specific issues of the conflict have no relevance.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be difficult to estimate how much of a handicap to effective negotiation Riva’s weird \u201cchorus\u201d entourage would be. It\u2019s just not something that builds trust and rapport. And who can trust a mind reader anyway? NO ONE. In the first scene with the chorus, I wondered whether they bring their little risers with them everywhere so that they can stand perpetually on a stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cracked up when Riva protested that being a negotiator without a voice is not that impressive by comparing muteness to haemophilia, and then reminding the crew about of \u201cthe leaders of Fendaus Five, who were without limbs.\u201d No limbs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, he says \u201cI prefer to arrive with the smallest possible complement\u201d BWAHAHA! You have three interpreters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riker says \u201cOur job is not to police the galaxy.\u201d Isn’t it? Which raises the question. Why is the Enterprise D<\/em> out there, anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This episode is terrible. Making Troi the focus of the plot and that horrible series of seduction scenes does not help. It just reinforces that, as a woman, she\u2019s just there as a sex object in the minds of the writers. But I guess it\u2019s not as bad as \u201cThe Outrageous Okona.\u201d Warp 1.5.<\/p>\n\n\n

http:\/\/en.memory-alpha.org\/wiki\/Loud_As_A_Whisper_(episode)<\/a>