10 Most Important Mental Health Awareness Episodes In Star Trek
9. Whistlespeak
We could have chosen from any number of episodes for Doctor Culber and mental health. His journey in that respect was amongst the most detailed of any character in Star Trek. Culber returned from the dead and was permanently displaced in time. In the 32nd century, he became counsellor to the crew, all the while trying to come to terms with his own trauma.
Whistlespeak is apt for several reasons. Like on Halem'no, whistled languages exist around the real-world, often as a means to communicate over great distances or in noisy environments. The episode plays on the notion of distance when it comes to emotional understanding.
Towards the start of the episode, Culber is trying to find answers about his feelings post-zhian'tara from a holographic representation of his grandmother — a person, in reality, almost a thousand years away. By the end of the episode, Culber goes to speak to Booker, unsure if husband Stamets has truly grasped the meaning of his spiritual quest. Booker reassures Culber that his experience is no less valid if it is just for him.
The space of conversation has been reduced down from planet to two friends in a shuttle. In that, Whistlespeak is a reminder that communication is possible no matter the distances involved. All you need to do is check in.