Catfish has given us many hilarious stories over its eight seasons and 154 episodes. But which are the best ones?
Here are some of the wildest moments from some of the show’s finest episodes, some containing potential spoilers. Warning: these might contain spoilers!
1. Artis & Jess
Catfish stories often focus on relationships; however, some of the best episodes take an unconventional and deceitful approach that still resonates today. One such episode features an intriguing tale of revenge and identity theft that continues to make waves today.
Paris Roxanne is a young woman who comes to discover that her ex-partner, Shelly Chartier, is an identity theft catfish who used Nev and Max as bait. After discovering this shocking truth about Shelly Chartier, Paris turns to Nev and Max for help, only to realize she has also been catfished by them! Resulting in one of the most unpredictable and enjoyable episodes ever of this show!
Catfish is a perfect example of Catfish done right. April and Dean met online and eventually spent seven years exchanging messages, but when they met for real, things weren’t as romantic as expected – in fact, April’s “Rosa” turned out to be Jose, an impersonator with impressive vocal capabilities who could pass for female. It was an eye-opening tale that showed us there are indeed monsters out there!
Another classic, this episode proves that anyone can become a victim of catfishing – even your grandma! Mike meets a charming woman named Caroline whom he believes to be in love with him but when confronted by Mike she reveals it has all been an elaborate lie and Lucas is the perpetrator behind all of it! A genuinely entertaining and shocking episode that made clear not all catfish are created equal.
2. Gemini
MTV’s hit reality show Catfish excels at catfishing. Since its premiere in 2012, this show has exploited the drama and deception associated with online dating to deliver some unforgettable and strange episodes – hosted by Nev Schulman and Max Joseph as catfish detectives, they have witnessed everything when it comes to hopeless romantics and people getting taken advantage of on the internet – but there have been episodes that stand out from all others for all of the wrong reasons.
One of the more surprising episodes of Catfish included Gemini, who asked Nev and Kamie for help uncovering his identity. Unfortunately, Gemini turned out to be a serial catfisher caught by Spencer from another Catfish host series, thus serving as a great reminder that you should always meet any potential online love interests face-to-face before embarking on any romance-oriented interactions online.
Another great Catfish episode involves Laura. After meeting someone online and falling for him, Laura reached out to the show after meeting their future husband in person, only for it not to be who it seemed at first! Her “lover” turned out to be creepy with serious psychological issues.
This episode of Catfish is both riveting and heartfelt, following Jeff and Megan, who met via Tinder. After moving across the country together, however, their romance took an unexpectedly tragic turn when Megan discovered Jeff was married with children he didn’t know about – only for them to reunite after discovering they’d both made mistakes along the way.
3. Spencer & Katy
Season 5’s Spencer & Katy episode stands out among many great Catfish episodes over time and is among its finest moments. Spencer from Knoxville wasn’t the first person to think they were dating a celebrity online, but his tale went viral due to how deep into it he went. Additionally, his online conversation was with someone named Harriet who had an odd sexual preference (she preferred women).
Nev and Spencer also showed amazing chemistry during this episode, quickly getting to know each other while exchanging banter that always proves entertaining.
Another thing that made this episode so riveting was its incredible ending; we still discuss it today!
Falesha seeks out Nev and guest host Machine Gun Kelly (lol) to assist her in finding out who her husband had been cheating with, eventually leading them to Geralyn, who has been using photos stolen from Falesha on various dating apps, tempting Falesha into turning into gay, to gain more “notches in her belt.”
Nev and Max soon realized Geralyn was an extreme sociopath. They took her to court, where it was revealed she had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims while also engaging in fraud and money laundering schemes. She eventually got arrested and sent to prison, with this episode becoming one of the most compelling in show history – showing just how far some individuals will go to take advantage of others online.
4. Fake Russett
Over six seasons, MTV’s Catfish host Nev Schulman and co-host Max Joseph have assisted hundreds of people in discovering whether or not their potential soulmates are who they claim they are. On their travels, they’ve encountered everything from cheating and lying, fake engagements, prison stints, and even dead bodies, yet no situation seems too extreme for this duo to handle.
Danny sought Nev and Max’s assistance in finding Rosa, an attractive stranger he’d been communicating with online for three years. It turns out ‘Rosa’ is Jose, who can perfectly imitate Rosa’s voice, one of Catfish’s most shocking revelations ever.
Rarely is a ‘catfish’ the person they claim to be, but in this episode, it indeed happened. YouTube star Andrea Russett noticed her fans discussing a suspicious person on social media and hired Nev and Max from Nev’s team of investigators to look into the matter; unfortunately, things did not go according to plan!
In one of Catfish’s most chaotic episodes, a group of women confronted serial Catfisher Lucas with a Charlie’s Angels moment. What could have been an extremely dubious encounter turned out to be just another catfishing scam, complete with Carmen, Antwane’s cousin with an intense hatred towards Antwane, and her lengthy revenge plot against Antwane – making this episode must-watch viewing for anyone who has experienced being betrayed online.
5. Lucas & the Hordes
One of the more memorable episodes of Catfish that highlights how unconventional dating shows like Catfish really are is “I am Katy Perry!” In this episode, Spencer convinces himself he’s talking to Katy Perry over the phone, and they’re set to get married soon; but, once the team investigates further, they discover it all was just an elaborate hoax!
Catfish episodes often reveal that an alleged catfish doesn’t live up to his or her reputation, and this one is no exception. Savenia contacts the show, claiming Dylan believes her to be someone he had been conversing with online for some time – however, soon enough, it becomes evident that Savenia may not be who she claims she is! Catfish always proves surprising; soon, it becomes obvious that Savenia doesn’t represent who she claims she is!
April and Dean were one of the more heartbreaking pairings from Season One of Catfish. After meeting online and conversing for seven years before ever meeting face to face, Dean ghosted April multiple times before leaving for days at a time before Nev and Max finally caught up with her, the truth became even more shocking than anyone could imagine.
Lucas stands out as an unforgettable character in Catfish. A doctor, Lucas uses alchemy to treat ailments and relieve suffering in any way he can. Additionally, Lucas remains calm under pressure, evidenced when surrounded by hundreds of rats while creating his most complex alchemical substance, an unforgettable scene that displays his resilience and resilience despite having endured such tragedy in his past life.
