Go Fish

[Randy Giles]

The first time I saw this episode - a couple of years ago on FX - I *hated* it. I watched it again sometime later because it happened to be on - still hated it. When I bought Buffy on DVD, I skipped over this episode. Now I'm going through my Buffy DVDs once more and I decided I'd watch it. Now I really love it.

On TV.com, which allows users to review and rate episodes of shows, "Go Fish" is one of the more lower rated episodes. Lots of fans hate it, which I obviously get, but I was wondering what you guys thought.

Yeah the episode is dumb - but lots of stuff about it I liked after the third viewing. Firstly, I noticed Sarah was EXTREMELY hot in this episode. I mean damn. Her hair, the clothes, and it's her pre-anorexic days. Then you have Xander in a Speedo and the girls' reaction (and his reaction to seeing them seeing him). Cordelia had a ton of hilarious scenes in this episode, with the best one being when she thought the fish monster in the pool was Xander. I thought this episode was funny enough to save it from being absolutely terrible - and actually I even liked the fish monsters themselves, they're one of the better designed monsters of the season.

So what do you guys think? Hate it? Always loved it? Grown to love it?

[Tranquillity]

The dude from prisonbreak, wentworth miller, is in it. The scene with xander in his speedo is funny too, but it would never be a favourite.

I had a similar experience with Doublemeat Palace recently. Like you i hated it, hated it, avioded it fro a long time, watched it, found it hilarious.

[Lyri]

'Go Fish' is one of those eps that's always in limbo with me. i never know whether i love it or hate it. there are some hilarious scenes in it, like Xander's reaction to the girls, and his awful belly flop into the water, and Cordy's 'we can still date. But I'd understand if you wanna see other fish'
then there's the image of Xander in a speedo...Hott! and Wentworth Millar!! Majorly Hott! and Shane West is in there too, another hottie.
but then there are things like, the swim team are actually turning into fish monsters. and they 'really love their coach' and feeding the nurse to the monsters.
when we did the 'top 10 worst eps' thingie for the anniversary, this ep was on my list, but i've watched it again since then, and it's not really as bad as i thought it was.

[jesterjay]

i've always totally dug this episode - it's not bad at all...and those monsters were super cool. "Three times a fish guy" is a hilarious line that I sometimes use in every day speech.

[VisionGuy]

I actually like this episode. It has one of my favorite Cordelia lines.

"Well, you can go out to the parking lot and practice running like a man."

[SpuffyisEternal]

The very first time I watched it I found it a little corny but then the second time I realized that one of the guys was Shane West so I watched it another time and I actually liked it. lol.

[blakelovesbuffy]

It's not one of my favs but there's not one episode of Buffy that I hate. I totally agree, it's a really funny episode & even though the plot sounds cheesy, it's actually not that bad. I hated that one guy but when Buffy broke his nose...that was awesome lol

[MarsGirl]

I like this episode; always have. Yes, the episode was funny, but it was also disturbing how those guys turned into fish monsters. (Fish are creepy, heh.)

[blakelovesbuffy]

ITA. When they shed their skin, the look of it just gave me chills. Very disturbing.

[spuffy]

I think with Wentworth Miller on it, it just has to be a favourite... I love the guy! I agree with you but I always loved it!

[Lyle]

Go Fish was just an average episode to me. Only seen it once (I'm watching Buffy for the first time) and it had some boring parts but also a few entertaining moments. The only things I specifically didn't like were the whole story behind the monsters (thought it was sorta confusing) and when Willow and Buffy talked about why the team would use steroids, which seemed more like part of an antidrug commercial then a convo between 2 high schoolers. So I didn't think it was terrible, it's just not one of the better episodes (Becoming was 10x better and comes right after, so maybe that's why people don't like Go Fish that much).

[Randy Giles]

Oh, this episode also features a Mustang, which also adds to its "awesome" factor. :D Even though I'm not a huge fan of that particular year...

But anyways.

[StuckinTraffic]

I don't HATE Go Fish, but it's not an ep I look on fondly. I don't skip it when I'm watching the eps in order. I do watch while I'm doing other things, tho, like it'll be playing in the background while I'm checking my email or cooking dinner....I'm not actively watching it. The ep has some great comedic moments, my favorite being the part where Xander walks in to the pool area and the girls all check him out......from the legs up. LOL!

[SlayerShel]

I actually liked Go Fish... a little silly, but kind of had a fun feel to it. I think the scene with Willow questioning Jonathan is hilarious.

[Your Creamy Coolness]

The first time I saw this episode - a couple of years ago on FX - I *hated* it. I watched it again sometime later because it happened to be on - still hated it. When I bought Buffy on DVD, I skipped over this episode. Now I'm going through my Buffy DVDs once more and I decided I'd watch it. Now I really love it.

On TV.com, which allows users to review and rate episodes of shows, "Go Fish" is one of the more lower rated episodes. Lots of fans hate it, which I obviously get, but I was wondering what you guys thought.

Yeah the episode is dumb - but lots of stuff about it I liked after the third viewing. Firstly, I noticed Sarah was EXTREMELY hot in this episode. I mean damn. Her hair, the clothes, and it's her pre-anorexic days. Then you have Xander in a Speedo and the girls' reaction (and his reaction to seeing them seeing him). Cordelia had a ton of hilarious scenes in this episode, with the best one being when she thought the fish monster in the pool was Xander. I thought this episode was funny enough to save it from being absolutely terrible - and actually I even liked the fish monsters themselves, they're one of the better designed monsters of the season.

So what do you guys think? Hate it? Always loved it? Grown to love it?

Uh her anorexic days?? I don't think SMG is anorexic or was. It happens to us girls as we get older, and boys too...we lose baby fat, plus she started practicing yoga which gives you that long lean look. I prefer her in later seasons, I think she is prettier.

[definition of insane]

I don't think Randy meant that she was actually anorexic...but you gotta admit, end of season 7, she was scarily tiny.

As for the ep...didn't like all of it but it definately had it's moments. How can you go past Xander-speedos-reaction from the girls...that was hilarious!

[Joamna]

Definitely not one of my favorite episodes, I really didn't look forward to seeing this episode on my current re-watch of the entire show, but it isn't that bad really, sure I'm not loving the fish story, but there are so many small funny things that makes up for it, like the Xander in speedos scene or the one where Cordelia thinks Xander ha turned into a fish.. "But I understand if you want to see other fish"

[Your Creamy Coolness]

[QUOTE=definition of insane;444635]I don't think Randy meant that she was actually anorexic...but you gotta admit, end of season 7, she was scarily tiny.
QUOTE]

I do? LOL I didn't think she was scarily tiny. :) But if she was getting to thin, it could have been stress related. Those hours for seven years is liable to make anyone lose weight, plus all the physical stuff she did.

[definition of insane]

Lol. Well true...you don't "have" to....*shakes fist* ;)

So....how about those fish men, huh? I guess it's the hellmouth so you can't just take normal steroids like most people that cheat and stuff.

Do you think if they were tested, it would have shown up? I mean, Angel bit Gabe and didn't like it so would that mean a drug test might have proved they were on something?

[apocalypse]

I've actually never hated this episode, I always thought that, even if the plot was weak, it was really funny. I usually find that the bad episodes of Buffy are usually saved from being totally awful by humour.

[LittleMissLikesToFight]

i am sort of indifferent to it. ill watch it, though its not one i watch intensely, but i wont skip it either.

[JCC]

"Dude, what is that foulness?!"

Ruined the whole episode for me, that line.

[GATEGOD]

lol , the only thing that ruined the ep for me was when we saw the guy's new hand thing rip through his human hand ... ewwyness

[Keanoite]

Personally I love it! for the Cordy line alone! it some really funny moments (Buffy's expression when whatshisname tries it on with her!!)
Although they are not always the deepest of episodes I really enjoy the Xander themed eps...Go Fish, The Zeppo etc...Nick Brendon is brilliant to watch

[Joyce Summers]

Yeah, Xander episodes are great, but Go Fish I admit didn't have the best beastie. But, like yous said, its filled with some wicked one-liners and great dialogue which more than makes up from the creatures from the black lagoon. plus- Xander in Speedos .::squee::. Didn't it say in an interview somewhere that Nick went through hundreds of them, trying to find the perfect one? haha

[Keanoite]

yeah he thought joss was joking when he wrote it and then to his horror he quickly realised he wasn't! but the boy looked GOOD in that speedo!

[Joyce Summers]

Totally ! .::sigh::. I admit that may be one of the reasons I've watched the episode a few or more times....okay, so it gives me a tingle feeling that scene. Is that so wrong?! haha

[Keanoite]

not at all!! but I think we should move swiftly on...keep it clean for the under-age!!

[sosa lola]

I never hated it, it was such a fun episode. Johnathan peeing in the pool and Willow trying to act tough was so funny. And right on with the Buffy was so hot in the episode comment.

[gemma1984]

I love go fish! I think it's kinda pointless but that's why I like it. I'ts very and light hearted, like the fun episode before the more serious episode- Becoming.

[Jules]

I like Go Fish. I think it does what the Buffyverse does so well. It takes an everyday problem; athletes taking drugs, and puts a supernatural spin on it. Wentworth Millar is great in this episode. I love his 'Walk me home' line to Buffy. It's nice that she doesn't have to kill the monsters at the end, that they go off into the sea and live fish lives. It's a happy ending as far as the Buffyverse goes.

The humor is good as well. It balances the seriousness of the message very well. Cordy is incredibly funny as always.

Did anyone else notice that the nurse in this episode is the cook in the episode Earshot in season 3? I'm sure its the same person:)

[Legate Damar]

I will agree with the OP in that I didn't think much of it the first time, but enjoy it more every time I go back.

The thing that continues to bother me about this ep is a phenomenon related to the Incredible Exanding Sunnydale phenomenon (it starts out backwater, then ends up with a UC in it) which is the Moveable Sunnydale phenomenon. This is the only episode in which they are within driving distance of the ocean. But by next week, they're back in the desert east of LA.

Finally, I get jealous watching this one. I went to a HS where the only two teams that were any good at all were swimming and wrestling. I was the best swimmer on the team my senior year, and yet was still a second-class citizen compared to the linemen(!) on our (below-.500) football team.

[Blondie Bear]

It's not the ONLY episode. The docks show up fairly often; in "Buffy vs Dracula" they're at the beach; at one point Angel mentions killing fire demons down by the beach. But, yeah, then they pull out for the big shot at the end and it's all landlocked! Hmmm...

[Joyce Summers]

It's not the ONLY episode. The docks show up fairly often; in "Buffy vs Dracula" they're at the beach; at one point Angel mentions killing fire demons down by the beach. But, yeah, then they pull out for the big shot at the end and it's all landlocked! Hmmm...

Yes that was the blooper to end all bloopers. Maybe if the camera had moved ever so slightly to the left....haha.

[Blackloliita]

So today was first time I saw it. It is great episode to me, and not only the fact that Miller & West play in it, but the hiliariousity from Cordelia, especially at the pool. While she thought it was Xander. And that was actually also kind of cute, how she was talking to him. And than the monsters were actually very good designed. I just think the end is bit weird, I mean what if someone would have find them. That could mean that person his/her dead. So to me it was bit unresponsibile to just put them in sea. They could try to find a medecin for it or something imo. And than about the episode yet: la crème de la crème, two of greaaat teenage actors playing in it. Wentworth Miller who is absolutely great in Prison Break and Shane West who is absolutely great in A Walk to Remember, what a great surprise they were in it. The eye can also have something btw ;).

[Lily]

I have a big ole soft spot for this episode, my friend (one of the fellow BtVS fanatics at my high school) and I used to say "Dude, what is that foulness?" to each other CONSTANTLY, it would always elicit a giggle from anyone who watched... good times :)
plus Xander looking buff (although kinda pale) in a speedo is always must see tv for me :D

[ItMustBeBunnies]

I like this episode ok, both Cordy and Xander are funny in this episode, and I did go "aawwww" at that scene when she thinks he turned into a fish monster "we can still date!....or not I understand if you wanna see other fish." Oh I dont thinkk the nurse is the same person as the lunchlady in Earshot.

[JCC]

It's one of those episodes when you're going through the series and you come to it and you're like "Oh Christ, this episode. Lame." then you start watching it and thoroughly enjoy it. :D

[pernilleborup]

I'm not hating it. I loved the little "Jonathan pissed in the pool" thing, but other than that, I don't think it had much value

[Darling]

Ok.. I´m watching S2 again, and tonight I skipped over this episode >.<
I dont know, its so... stupid o.o

[xcutsoflovex]

It's not one of my favorites. And the whole gooey, fish thing is kinda gross haha but it's interesting. I like the concept.