Revulsion (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Revulsion" is the 73rd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the fifth episode of the fourth season. This is focused on an EMH (Emergency Medical Hologram; The Doctor)-like hologram on another ship, which is dealt with mostly by the Doctor and B'Elanna. In addition, sub-plots run their course on Voyager with other characters. Guest star Leland Orser plays the hologram, Dejaren on a spaceship that is encountered by Voyager. Leland Orser had also played a character on Deep Space Nine.^[1]

The episode, in retrospect, was noted for a possible allusion to male sexual abuse via the hologram.^[2] In contrast to historical examples in Trek history, like Bajoran comfort women, the character of Dejaren has been compared to Gigolo Joe from Spielberg's 2001 film A.I.^[2] However, this may be too broad an interpretation of the episode noting a more basic horror film element.^[2]

The episode is noted as paying homage to the tradition of "trashy science fiction horror" vibe in the Star Trek universe as portrayed by episodes like "Phage", "Cathexis", "Faces", "Projections", "Persistence of Vision", "Cold Fire", "Prototype", "Meld", "The Thaw", "Macrocosm", "Alter Ego", "Coda", "Darkling", "Phantasms", "Dark Page", "Sub Rosa", "Masks", "Eye of the Beholder" or "Genesis".^[1] Star Trek has a history of dabbling in horror such as the technological failure of the transporter in Star Trek: The Motion Picture when its malfunction kills two members of the crew.