By 2017, the international economy has dropped and society has turned into a totalitarian police state, devoting all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted offenders fight for their own lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, by which"runners" try to neutralize"stalkers" and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.