Plot summary

Thirty-three year old Toronto-based geologist Damon Pierce has made the decision to apply for one of the four spots on Red Rover, a one-way mission to Mars. While the purpose of the mission has not been well defined in what the four will actually do on Mars, its centerpiece will be a reality television show, the network which is the actual sponsor of the mission. While being a geologist will probably be an asset for the mission in whatever they may be asked to do, Damon, probably unlike every other applicant in wanting to do something great for themselves and/or society, just wants to restart his life in believing he having nothing to live for on Earth in being a proverbial pushover. Damon's scientific approach to work is in direct conflict with his superficial boss, Brad. And while he had every intention of marrying her, Damon's longtime girlfriend, Beatrice, who he's known for twenty years, instead broke up with him a year ago. Making matters worse with that situation, Beatrice and her new yogi boyfriend Mark have forced Damon into the less desirable basement suite - the "dungeon" - in the house Damon and Beatrice own, while Beatrice and Mark have the bright upper suite, they who now want to push him out of the house entirely by buying him out. The only thing that Damon has a true heartfelt passion for is taking his metal detector down to the beach. It is on one of those metal detecting sessions that Damon meets offbeat musician Phoebe, from who he learned about Red Rover in her most recent side job of passing out flyers promoting the mission, that job paying the bills. Phoebe helping Damon with his Red Rover application leads to Damon having a new appreciation both for Red Rover as his possible life and for his existence on Earth he hoping with Phoebe, who ends up being as lost a soul as him despite her outwardly more self-assured look on life.—Huggo