 Keith DeCandido , in a 2012 review for Tor.com , gave the episode a score of 7 out of 10 . He said that the majority of the guest cast were " pretty nowhere " , but that the backbone of the episode was Lenard portraying Sarek , " one of the most beloved recurring roles in the franchise 's history , and this episode is a beautiful illustration of why " . He called the telepathy plot " dopey sci @-@ fi stuff " , but praised the direction of Landau in — among others — the concert scene , which he called a " tour de force " . He said , however , that the standout part of the episode was the interaction of Stewart and Lenard , who he referred to as " two great actors at the absolute top of their game " . He said that " Stewart simply owns the mind @-@ meld , a turbulent , raw scene that leaves the character of Sarek completely exposed , and Stewart sells it amazingly . At that point , the plot contrivances are forgotten , as you realize that the whole episode was worth it to watch this amazing scene " . 
