Discussion of 2.20 "Go Fish" - Aired 5/5/1998 (WB-US)

[Willow Rosenberg]

Season 2, Episode 20 "“ Aired: 5/5/1998
Go Fish

When several members of the Sunnydale High swim team are mysteriously skinned alive, Buffy and the gang take it upon themselves to protect the remaining members, which results in Xander revealing a side of himself rarely seen.

SOURCE: TV.COM

 

[Willow My Love]

See, I thought this episode was kinda lacking. People that turn into fish? Just seemed a little too out there for me.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I don't hate this episode. I watch it whenever I rewatch Buffy, but I'll never pick it and watch it becuse I feel like.

But, gotta love Cordy in this one.

 

[JCoatsworth]

I think it's a pretty entertaining episode. :thumbsup:
Doesn't add too much to the storry though.... or are there scenes that do but I don't remember?😕

 

[GrrArghx]

Lackluster episode to the extreme but can I just say? How fricking adorable is Cander here?!

It's such an underrated 'ship 🙁

 

[Skanky Vamp]

No one likes PSAs hiding as entertainment. PEDs are bad. It was an after-school special dressed as a Buffy episode.

 

[LyteHouse]

Pretty poor episode I must admit, especially being the penultimate story for the season.

Although the last time I watched it was the first time I noticed Prison Break's Wentworth Miller in an early role. XD

He has 'Fat Headâ„¢' syndrome these days though. You know, like Chandler from Friends.

 

[Thursday]

The best thing about this episode? Cander.

I wonder if a lot of hate this episode gets isn't just because it's mediocre--because it is-- but because it's filler jammed in the middle of the Angelus arc, sandwiched between two pretty important episodes. It kind of stands out in a bad way.

 

[BananaBuffy]

Okay, yes--it's a filler. And I went into it expecting something really bad because of what I had heard around the boards or the internet in general. But when I watched it I saw that it wasn't actually that bad. Sure, it's a strange episode that doesn't add anything to the plot but it's still good. Good Willow parts and it's interesting somewhat. And I love seeing Buffy beat up guys who deserve it 😀.

 

[WWGD]

Not an extraordinary episode by any means, but not terrible either. It was a filler amongst great episodes but it was pretty funny.
And the scenes in the beginning when those guys turn into fish people on the beach and you see the smoking skin... I just imagined how bad that must have smelled (the puke smiley is broken 🙁)

 

[Taake]

I'm just gonna say it - Xander in a speedo! (=win) 😀

I actually like this episode, when it first air I didn't (probably because of the lack of Angelus action) and I found it a bit lacklustre as people above me have mentioned... but I rather enjoy re-watching it. I love Buffy in the car with the swim.-team guy, lol. Go girl!

 

[Amethyst]

I thought this episode was weird, not bad though lol The left over flesh when they turned into monsters really grossed me out though eurggh :S

 

[AmazingMrCross]

Gotta be honest, this is not one of my favorites anymore. It used to be. But what's theme here? Jocks are evil but get special privileges? School spirit is taken way too seriously? The coach was a loonybin caricature of the "Do whatever it takes for the win" character. I mean really, he was going to have a swim team made up of fish monsters and he expected people to overlook that because they were good swimmers?

And don't even get me started on the rape overtones. The most repugnant was at the end when Buffy was forced into the pit and the coach told her "They've already had their dinner. But boys have other needs." And of course Buffy's response was a quip. Gross. Shoot me.

The only good things about this episode were a few Xander lines. I always loved:

CORDELIA: You, you, you. What about me? It's one thing to be dating the lame unpopular guy, but it's another to be dating the creature from the Blue Lagoon.
XANDER: Black Lagoon. The creature from the Blue Lagoon was Brooke Shields. And thank you so much for your support!

Poor guy 🙁

 

[wickedtiger86]

I kinda like when Angelus was gonna drink one of the swim team guys and then he was all "Ugh! Fish!" or something to that effect.

Always makes me lol.

 

[Jules]

And don't even get me started on the rape overtones. The most repugnant was at the end when Buffy was forced into the pit and the coach told her "They've already had their dinner. But boys have other needs." And of course Buffy's response was a quip. Gross. Shoot me.

I agree with this, but not only was it here in this scene, but in the scenes with Cam in the car with Buffy and then later with Snyder and the coach. They blamed Buffy for the clothes she wears and how she acts. Sure Buffy has a bit of a rant to Giles etc in the library, but I would be outraged!

I love Jonathan's revenge, its hillarious, especially when Xander dives in.

 

[Jeff86]

This episode isn't too bad. Like the vast majority of Buffy episodes, it has at least a few little things that make it worthwhile. Willow's interrogation of Johnathan where he admits that he peed in the pool is hilarious (and will be referenced in Season 3's "Earshot"), and Cordy saying she'll buy Xander bath toys when she thinks he's turned into one of the creatures is also hilarious. Oh, and then there's this:

Sexy Xander! 😀

 

[AmelRIOT]

I actually like this episode 😛 don't think we had any water demons in show till this plus I like how it made us go off topic and then bam "Becoming" comes and blows us all away 😛

 

[mamarsh18]

Let me just say this is not my favorite episodes ever. People that turn into fish? That is a little far-fetched even for me. I'll watch it when I re-watch Buffy, but it isn't one that I would want to want when I want to watch random episodes.

Though, I did find it funny that Xander tried out for the swim team and made it, and that Cordy was shocked to see Xander by the pool.

 

[Maelstrom]

Go Fish - episode 20

This has to be the most misogynist episodes yet. It is clear that Joss Whedon creates strong women for a reason, and it is also clear that he has to create male characters that are not stereotypical but actually modeled after reality. In this episode, the misogyny is very clear.

Would you stand for such treatment as being told that you are obviously seeking to be touched inappropriately because of the way you are dressed?

---------- Post added at 08:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 PM ----------

There was also "Phases - episode 15" where the werewolf hunter kept making those comments about Buffy being a weak little girl.

 

[SlayerFest]

Would you stand for such treatment as being told that you are obviously seeking to be touched inappropriately because of the way you are dressed?

No, and if I was Buffy I would have punched Snyder (or was it the coach?) in the face. Yeah...me with slayer strength would just be an absolute disaster haha. It was a totally stupid thing to say, but sadly a lot of people have that mentality.