A group of has-been actors, who once starred in a popular sci-fi TV series, spend their day-to-day lives attending fan conventions and making public appearances. Their show, which depicted a space-faring crew, has long been off the air, but the cast continues to cash in on its cult status. The actors' lives take an unexpected turn when they are approached by a group of actual aliens who have mistaken the TV series for historical documentaries. Desperate and under attack, these extraterrestrials ask the actors to help save their species from the genocidal oppressor, Sarris.

Initially bewildered and reluctant, the cast soon realizes the gravity of the situation. Using the show's old catchphrases and the aliens' real yet familiar looking spaceship, the once-fictional crew must now navigate real-life space danger. The actors rise to the occasion, attempting to play their roles for real, using their limited acting skills to devise strategies and interact with alien technology. The journey forces them to confront the exaggerated personas they've inhabited for years and discover newfound resilience within themselves. Through a series of challenges, they realize that they may be more than the mere characters they once played, but not without several humorous and dramatic twists along the way.