Star Trek: 10 Things We NOW Know About The Holodeck

2. The Most Dangerous Game Of All - TV Movies

Star Trek Voyager The Killing Game Hirogen
CBS Media Ventures

Unusually for a two-part episode, and not to be confused with earlier outings like Caretaker, Star Trek: Voyager's fourth-season serial The Killing Game was aired with both parts on a single night. That means that part one aired, finished, an ad break appeared, and part two began. According to Cinefantastique, Vol. 30, the reaction to this story had a big impact on the evolution of the holodeck.

In The Killing Game, Voyager has been overrun by the Hirogen. Most of the crew is locked in several battle simulations, including a recreation of a French town in the height of World War II. The episodes were presented as a combination of spectacle (lots of explosions) and story, with a particularly chilling scene featuring a Nazi officer convincing a Hirogen Hunter to continue his brutal way of life.

Quoted in the subsequent issue of Cinefantastique, co-executive producer Joe Menosky said:

Because of the success of airing 'The Killing Game' in a single night, the network and the studio were really interested in doing a Voyager movie, a two-part episode that was aired on a single evening.

This led to the TV movie Dark Frontier and also to the later TV movie Flesh & Blood. The expansion of the holodeck into the surrounding corridors inspired the holo-station seen in that later story, which would also serve as a sequel and resolution to the Hirogen arc. 

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Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"