After a two-month break, “Catfish: The TV” show has returned with the 11th episode of their 4th season, which is actually the 50th episode of the series.
This episode revolves around Tiana and James. Definitely deserving of the 50th episode placement, this episode brings twists and turns that even sent twitter-verse into frenzy when it initially aired.
Catfish fan, Twitter post:
So the #Catfish episode "Tiana & James" just might be the most messy and entertaining one ever!
— sam. (@itsbluuapple) July 22, 2015
Tiana, a 21-year-old girl from North Carolina, reaches out to Nev and Max. She tells them of James, who is a 24-year-old, who also lives in North Carolina. She goes on to tell them that they met over 3 years ago on Myspace (that site is still running?!). When they began talking Tiana lived in Washington and even though they live in the same state now, they have never interacted outside of texting and talking on the phone (of course, James’ camera was “jacked” every time Tiana tried to video-chat with him).
When she told James that she was thinking of moving to North Carolina, James expressed excitement and even talked about marriage with her. However, Tiana has now been there for 5 months and every time she tries to set up an in-person get together James never shows.
Next step, Nev and Max skype with Tiana and find out she has a 3-year-old daughter named Journi. However, because James “doesn’t like kids,” Tiana has not told James about Journi, and planned on doing so when they finally met in person.
With James not wanting to show his face and Tiana hiding her 3-year-old daughter, Nev and Max predict this meet-up will be a “train wreck,” and it seems as though they are right.
The Catfish crew makes their way to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet with Tiana.
Tiana tells Nev and Max that she has made plans with James numerous times, and even when he tells her he will be there, he never shows up. When questioned why she puts up with it, Tiana expresses her emotional attachment to him and even shares a loving voicemail James had left her apologizing for “neglecting her.”
Now for Nev and Max to start snooping…
They first reverse-lookup the pictures James has sent Tiana of “him.” Immediately links pop up that indicate the pictures weren’t of James, but of a YouTube rapper who goes by the name “Klassified” or “Tipsy Twist.” The guy in the pictures has videos of him talking (which means he has a full functioning webcam), therefore, they figure they can get Tiana to listen to them and see if the videos match James’ voice.
After further snooping, through Facebook they figure out that “Tipsy Twist’s” real name is Gregory Johnson, which doesn’t mat the “James Sloan” name that Tiana knows.
They also find someone they think is the real “James Sloan,” who is a 50-something-year-old white mechanic (which James told Tiana he was). And just as Max says, this guy is literally who you would picture when you would think of a “catfish” luring in a young woman.
They meet up with Tiana and her friend, Aisha. They go through their snooping results and determine that the guy in the YouTube videos that match the pictures Tiana has of James does not match the voice that Tiana heard over the phone. They show the pictures of “James Sloan,” and as everything begins to match up except what he looks like, Tiana is “pissed.”
Now for the real fireworks show…
Tiana, her friend Aisha, Nev and Max go to meet up with James (who is 10 minutes away at work…yes, only 10 minutes this whole time). While driving up to the car shop, Aisha recognizes the place and explains that the place is owned by her “baby daddy’s cousin, Ricky G.”
Immediately, Aisha flips out as Trez walks out, who is Aisha’s “baby daddy.” Completely confused (probably not as much as Nev and Max are at this moment), Tiana begins questioning Aisha, thinking she was in on it the whole time. She feels there is no way that James could have been Aisha’s “baby daddy,” without her knowing.
Aisha storms off to the car upset that the man her best friend has been professing her love for the past 3 years, wound up to be her ex, whom she has a 7-year-old son with.
Meanwhile, Trez explains he set up the fake account because he liked Tiana but didn’t want the “mess” that would come with Tiana being best friends with Aisha (his ex).
The next day, Nev and Max find out that Aisha and Tiana are not talking. However, Tiana is still interested in hearing what Trez has to say about the whole mess he has caused.
Sitting down, Trez lists all the reasons he “loves” Tiana. Nev and Max then take it upon themselves to reveal to Trez that Tiana has a kid. Trez, surprised, explains he obviously doesn’t want to get invested into any more children, as he already has “around 8, biologically and non-biologically.”
He apologizes to Tiana, even getting her to laugh, but Tiana is rightfully reluctant when it comes to forgiving all his lies. They decide to “take it one day at a time.”
Two months later, Nev and Max find out that Tiana never met up with Trez after that, considering the lies that filled their relationship. In addition, Aisha and Tiana have not talked since the whole debacle, because apparently Tiana believes somehow Aisha was behind the whole thing.
Definitely, one of the craziest, complex “catfish” the team has encountered to date.
Catfish fan, Twitter post:
https://twitter.com/cthagod/status/618977703614619649