Set in southern New Jersey in the late 1980s, SMUDGE tells the tale of a brilliant, if somewhat odd, young girl nicknamed Smudge, who uses her imagination and her love of science to escape the harsh realities of her upbringing. Smudge spends her days studying nature and observing people to determine whether or not aliens really exist. However, everything changes for Smudge when she meets a local veterinarian and befriends his youngest son Sam.