The 37's (episode)

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"The 37's"
VOY, Episode 2x01 Production number: 120 First aired: 28 August 1995
←	19th of 168 produced in VOY	→
←	16th of 168 released in VOY	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 168 released in VOY Remastered
←	372nd of 726 released in all	→

Written By Jeri Taylor & Brannon Braga Directed By James L. Conway
48975.1 (2371)
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While investigating the origins of a 1936 Ford truck floating in space, Voyager discovers a 434-year-old Earth airplane on a distant planet. (Season Premiere)

1 Summary
2 Background Information
- 2.1 Video and DVD releases
3 Links and References

[edit] Summary

Still en route to Earth, the Federation starship USS Voyager detects traces of rust in space. Because the absence of oxygen in space prevents iron from rusting, Captain Kathryn Janeway decides to follow the particle trail. They discover an old Earth automobile, a 1936 Ford truck, floating in space. When investigating their find, Tom Paris manages to start the truck,(old Earth cars are his hobby) which promptly backfires and startles everyone. While investigating the truck's AM radio, he discovers an odd radio signal. When Janeway asks Ensign Kim why the signal was not detected, Kim explains that Starfleet vessels only monitor their standard frequencies. AM signals are not within this spectrum because they only travel at the speed of light, too slow for interstellar communications. The signal they have found turns out to be an old Earth distress call, called an "SOS".

The decision is made to follow the signal to its origin, but the planet it emanates from is Class L. The planet's atmosphere is charged with trinimbic interference, making communications on the surface and use of the ship's transporters impossible. So, Janeway decides to land Voyager on the planet. This is the first time Tom Paris, Voyager's helmsman, lands an Intrepid-class ship on a planetary surface.

An away team is sent out to locate the source of the signal and finds an old Earth airplane. Investigation of the plane leads to an alien power source which is powering its AM radio, still sending the SOS. Meanwhile, other members of the away team have found a mineshaft that seems to be the source of the tritanium readings detected by their tricorders. After entering the mineshaft, they find five cryostasis chambers. One of them contains eight Human bodies, although with minimal life signs. When Janeway rubs off some dirt of the stasis chamber containing a Human female, she notices a name tag on her jacket. It reads "A. EARHART" – Amelia Earhart, one of the first female aeronautical pioneers from Earth's 20th century.

When the away team returns to Voyager, they discuss their findings in the briefing room. Because it is thought that the technology which brought the abducted Humans to this Delta Quadrant world might be used to return Voyager to Earth, the decision is made to remove the Humans from stasis. As a precaution, only Human crew members will be present. The exception is Kes, who can easily pass as a Human, as she needs to be present to check their medical status.

When all the Humans are removed from stasis, they wonder about the people who found them. They are told they were believed to be abducted by aliens from Earth in the 1930s, but they only seem to remember the day before. Now, almost 400 years later, Fred Noonan, Earhart's navigator, is very distrustful and draws a revolver, taking the away team hostage. Although Captain Janeway tries to prove the existence of aliens by having Kes show her ears, Earhart does not believe her. She has seen before how people can mutilate themselves. Meanwhile, Commander Chakotay has detected alien lifeforms, and after warning Captain Janeway and learning of the hostage situation, he sends a security team to free the away team. Fortunately, Earhart's curiosity provides Janeway the opportunity to persuade her and the other revived Humans to leave the mineshaft and to return to Voyager so that she can prove to them everything she told was true.

After leaving the mineshaft, they find Tuvok's security team pinned down by alien weapons fire. In this skirmish Fred Noonan is hit but is dragged to safety by Harry Kim. With the help of the away team, the aliens are overpowered. It turns out the aliens are actually Humans as well, descendants from the Humans abducted from Earth in 1937 by the Briori. Back on Voyager, one of them, John Evansville explains to Janeway and Chakotay that the people they revived are the 37's, and are revered by them as monuments to their ancestors, who were held as slaves. They managed to free themselves from Briori oppression, destroying the Briori ship and its technology in the process. Janeway's hope of using the ship to get back to Earth is thus lost. Meanwhile, Noonan has been treated for his wounds by The Doctor. Thinking he will die, he confesses to Earhart his love for her, but takes it back when he finds himself cured. Earhart promises to forget what Noonan said to her.

Since defeating the Briori, the former Human slaves have built a society, by now consisting of over 100,000 individuals and three beautiful cities. The entire crew and the 37's are invited by Evansville to tour those cities. The tour itself is impressive and reminds many Voyager's crewmembers of their home back on Earth.

"Captain's log, stardate 48975.1. Evansville wasn't exaggerating when he said they have a lot to be proud of here. It was an amazing experience, but it's left me a little disturbed."

When Evansville tells Captain Janeway that they are invited to stay and live out their lives on this world, she struggles to make the right decision. In her ready room, she discusses the invitation with Chakotay. Although she is the Captain and responsible for the ship and its crew, she feels she cannot decide for everyone. Perhaps convinced by Chakotay, who likes nothing more than to see the sunrise over the Arizona desert or to swim in the Gulf of Mexico on a summer day, Captain Janeway decides that everyone should decide for themselves whether they want to stay or not. She is willing to risk that Voyager would become undermanned and so force the remaining crew to stay.

At 14:00 hours that day, Captain Janeway informs the crew that those wishing to stay should assemble in the cargo bay at 15:00 hours. In Voyager's mess hall, Neelix tells the 37's he is staying on board because the Captain would be lost without him. To stay or not to stay is also discussed by B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim. Harry is not looking forward to spending his whole life on a starship. There are more people who thought that way according to Torres. While outside Voyager and looking to the blue sky, Captain Janeway is told by Amelia Earhart that the 37's have decided to stay. Although she would have liked to pilot a starship through space, Amelia felt more connected to the Humans on the planet because they were, after all, a part of all the 37's.

While walking to the cargo bay, Janeway and Chakotay speculate on who will stay and who will leave. They hope not to lose any crewmembers such as Walter Baxter or Jarvin. When they both enter the cargo bay after a short hesitation, it is empty – a fact that visibly moves Janeway.

When Kathryn Janeway and her first officer enter Voyager's bridge, she nods to her bridge crew in acknowledgment of their decision to stay. She then orders condition blue and inertial dampers to flight configuration. Voyager lifts off, resuming the voyage to Earth. The liftoff is watched by John Evansville, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan.

[edit] Background Information

This is the first episode in which Voyager lands on a planet's surface.
David Graf later plays Leskit in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Soldiers of the Empire".
This episode was produced in the first season, but was held back to air as the premiere of season two. Janeway states that the year is 2371, which is the same year as the first season. (VOY: "Eye of the Needle")

[edit] Video and DVD releases

UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.10, catalogue number VHR 4010, 2 January 1996.

CIC Video released the four season 1 "hold-over" episodes in their production order, as part of the first season release. This is the second episode in Volume 1.10, which begins with "Twisted". Volume 2.1 begins with "Initiations".