Ep 13. Johnny & Connor

Johnny & Connor is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of Catfish: The TV Show. This episode revolves around Johnny, a 22-year-old guy from Ohio, and his online love interest, Connor from Texas. Johnny met Connor on a dating app and quickly fell for him. They've been exchanging texts and pictures for a while now, but Johnny has never seen Connor's face or heard his voice.

As the episode starts, Johnny shares his story with Nev and Max, explaining how he and Connor connected on the dating app. Johnny tells them that he's nervous and scared of getting his heart broken, but he's ready to take the risk and find out if Connor is real or not. Nev and Max evaluate the situation and decide to take the case.

The hosts start their investigation by looking through Connor's social media profiles and pics. They quickly realize that there are red flags. Connor's pictures only show parts of his face, and his social media profiles are relatively new. Moreover, they discover that Connor has been actively chatting with other gay men on the same dating app, which raises Nev and Max's suspicions.

Next, Nev and Max reach out to Connor and start digging into his backstory. They're initially unable to reach him because he's disabled his social media accounts and phone number. However, after a few attempts, they finally connect with him using an online number. Connor tells them that he's been struggling with insecurities and fears about being gay. He also admits that he wasn't ready to take his online relationship with Johnny to the next level just yet. He tells Nev and Max that he does have feelings for Johnny and wants to meet him, but he's not ready to reveal his identity yet.

Nev and Max delve deeper into Connor's story and discover that he's been catfishing Johnny from the start. Connor tells them that he used fake pictures and a fake name because he was afraid of being outed as gay and losing his family's love and support. Nev and Max are disappointed with Connor's actions but also empathetic towards his predicament. They decide to help him come out to his family and start living his life openly. They also convince him to meet Johnny in person and apologize for his deception.

The climax of the episode revolves around Johnny and Connor's meeting. The hosts help them arrange a date and give each other's gifts to break the ice. The two men finally come face to face, and Johnny is visibly taken aback by Connor's appearance. Connor apologizes for his catfishing and explains his insecurities to Johnny. Johnny listens patiently and forgives him. The episode ends on a positive note, with Connor coming out to his family and Johnny and Connor planning their future together.

Overall, Johnny & Connor is an emotional and thought-provoking episode that sheds light on the struggles that many people face in the LGBTQ community. It also highlights the importance of empathy, forgiveness and acceptance.