Most Dangerous Game

A desperate man with a looming terminal diagnosis takes a risky deal to make sure his pregnant partner will be provided for, signing on to what he thinks will be a paid challenge. He expects to be the hunter, but the situation flips and he ends up fighting to survive against wealthier adversaries who treat the event like sport. The show follows his physical struggles, the moral choices he makes to protect his family, and the strain that secrecy and fear place on his relationships. Tension comes from narrow escapes, shifting loyalties, and the constant pressure to keep hope alive while the stakes grow higher.

The series was created by Nick Santora, Scott Elder, and Josh Harmon, and it premiered on Quibi in 2020. It’s a contemporary take on Richard Connell’s 1924 short story "The Most Dangerous Game," and after Quibi shut down the show became available on other platforms, including The Roku Channel.

The series didn’t secure major awards like Emmys or Golden Globes, and it wasn’t a big awards contender during its initial run. Still, central performances, especially the antagonist work, got attention from viewers and genre outlets even without formal accolades.

As one of the more talked-about titles from the short-form Quibi lineup, the show prompted conversations about updating a classic hunt narrative for modern audiences and about how episode length affects tension. Christoph Waltz’s casting as the sophisticated, ruthless organizer drew particular notice, and the series is often referenced when people discuss Quibi-era experiments.

Audience scores landed around a 6.95 out of 10 based on user votes, reflecting mixed to generally positive reactions. Viewers praised performances and the high-concept premise while some critics called out pacing and the constraints of short episodes. Major themes include survival under pressure, the moral cost of desperate choices, class differences in who can treat violence as entertainment, and the lengths someone will go to protect family.