Celeste Talbert, the long-time star of the daytime soap opera
The Sun Also Sets, is targeted by her ambitious co-star Montana Moorehead; Montana connives to replace Celeste as the star by promising sexual favors to producer David Seton Barnes. To make the audience hate Celeste's character, Montana and David come up with a plot in which she will accidentally kill a young, homeless deaf-mute, played by the newly cast Lori Craven. Despite the objections of head writer Rose Schwartz and Celeste herself, the scene plays out, but is interrupted by the latter's recognition of Lori as her real-life niece. Network honcho Edmund Edwards sees potential in the relationship and makes Lori a regular cast member, hoping to boost the show's declining ratings. Montana and David seek to further unnerve Celeste by bringing back Jeffrey Anderson, an actor whom Celeste arranged to be fired from the show decades before, after his romantic relationship with Celeste went sour. Bitter at being reduced to performing
dinner theater in Florida, Jeffrey relishes the chance to needle Celeste. Outwardly despising Jeffrey but still harboring feelings for him, Celeste becomes unhinged when Jeffrey and Lori seem to be about to begin a romantic relationship, seemingly from jealousy. However, when Lori and Jeffrey are about to enact a scripted onscreen kiss, Celeste stops them by revealing that Lori is actually her daughter by Jeffrey. On camera, Celeste explains that she was responsible for getting Jeffrey fired because of being distraught about the pregnancy. She then went home, passed Lori off as her niece, and had her parents raise Lori, all due to pressure from the network. This incites disgust and scorn from nearly everyone on the show towards Celeste. However, the scandal ignites renewed interest in the show, causing the ratings to skyrocket. A board meeting between the staff—including Rose, who speaks out in Celeste's defense—takes place thereafter, where David insists that she be fired, but he is overruled as the situation has not only resulted in positive press for the show, but has generated a lot of public sympathy for Celeste. The next day, after an unpleasant exchange with Lori, Celeste goes to Jeffrey and pleads with him to speak to Lori on her behalf. Jeffrey is reluctant at first, but after Celeste gives him advice on how to approach her and break the ice, the conversation leads to Celeste and Jeffrey embracing. As the two are about to kiss, Montana interrupts them and claims that she and Jeffrey slept together the previous night. Disgusted, Celeste storms off. The dilemma is further inflamed when Rose—who is no longer angry with Celeste—shows her a tabloid newspaper proclaiming that Montana is pregnant with Jeffrey's child. After an explosive exchange, Celeste, Jeffrey, and Lori all complain to the head of the network about the situation, threatening to quit the show. The network decides to shoot a live episode, where the actors will learn their characters' fate while reading their lines from a
teleprompter. It is revealed that Lori's character has "brain fever" and will die; still hoping to be rid of Celeste, Montana improvises and suggests that a brain transplant can save her. Lori is shocked by the revelation, but in character, Celeste plays along, offering her own brain for the operation. Touched by the sacrifice, Lori asks Celeste and Jeffrey not to leave the show, and softens to her newfound parents. Montana, desperate to stop them, reiterates that she is pregnant with Jeffrey's child, but she is publicly ruined by Rose who, with the help of vengeful Ariel Maloney, who wanted Jeffrey for herself, exposes Montana as
transgender, formerly known as "Milton Moorehead", using a high school yearbook as proof. David is shocked and Montana flees the set, screaming in horror. Later, Celeste, Jeffrey, and Lori win soap opera awards while Montana is relegated to detransitioning and performing at Jeffrey's former Florida dinner theater. ==Cast==