into an advantage. The crew leaves Riva to await the tribe representatives. Production Howie Seago, who is deaf, approached the show's producers with the idea of a deaf mediator. The initial idea came from his wife, who is a fan of Star Trek. The writers originally wanted Seago's character to learn to speak after his chorus is killed, but Seago was opposed to the idea, as it could perpetuate the practice of forcing deaf children to speak. The producers were understanding of his concerns and wrote a new draft. Reception Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club rated the episode B- and wrote that the episode is "often painfully earnest in its philosophical meanderings, and it's nearly impossible to watch without snickering in places, but it's also thoughtful, sincere, and, if you can stop rolling your eyes long enough, inspiring." Tor.com gave it 4 out of 10. References Star Trek The Next Generation DVD set, volume 2, disc 2, selection 1 External links "Loud as a Whisper" at Ex Astris Scientia "Loud as a Whisper" rewatch by Den of Geek Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 2) episodes 1989 American television episodes