On a distant island, reality show contestants battle for bragging rights and a slot on next week's episode. They've perfected their dramatic roles and are prepared to do whatever it takes to win. There's the take-no-prisoners Marine sergeant, the gay hairdresser, the ruthless lawyer, the brainy poet. But one player refuses to compete--Gloria Hamm, a sullen dental hygienist, voted least likely to win by the show's crew.

The higher-ups are desperate for ratings and sensational twists to trump the plots of seasons past. But the producer--haunted by personal tragedies all too real--is losing...