6 Ups & 3 Downs From Star Trek: Discovery 5.10 — Life, Itself

For Whistlespeak, I gave a DOWN to a lack of logic in Doctor Culber's 'journey' post-Jinaal, with the caveat that it might all be leading to something bigger. "I was hoping for an answer, but there isn't one," Culber concludes in Life, Itself. For one of the key characters in Star Trek: Discovery, played by a fine actor, such inconclusiveness leaves a lot to be desired.

Perhaps it was just me once more, but I simply did not get what was so mysterious about the impromptu tractor beam solution. Culber has at least some of Jinaal's memories, we find out, so the "why that [memory], why now" could reasonably just be an unconscious association triggered upon his hearing of Booker's plan to go after the portal. On some level, Culber knew that Jinaal's knowledge could help and so felt compelled to do so.

Besides, it is even more important, I think, in the age of rampant conspiracy theories and a general distrust and misunderstanding of science and medicine, for any doctor character in particular to remain a powerful, unwavering advocate for the scientific method, for the need for knowledge and understanding, the search for answers, and the good that can bring.

Culber just seems to 'give up' and surrender to 'the mystery' when the solutions aren't quite as forthcoming as he'd like. Moreover, a lack of explanation should drive him crazy! He's a doctor, and a scientist. Finding the answers is very much the point!