Ep 14. Derek & Kristen

Derek and Kristen's story is a typical one in the digital age - two people become friends on social media, start chatting and exchange pictures, and eventually fall in love. However, there's one major wrinkle to this love story: Kristen has never seen or spoken to Derek outside of their online chats.

This is where Nev and Max come in. The two hosts of Catfish: The TV Show are contacted by 24-year-old Derek, who is head-over-heels for Kristen despite never having met her in person. They've been talking for eight years, and he's ready to make the leap and meet the love of his life face-to-face. The problem? Kristen has never agreed to meet him, and Derek suspects that she may not be who she says she is.

Nev and Max arrive in Silver Spring, Maryland, to meet with Derek and hear his story. A quick internet search reveals several red flags about Kristen's online profile - her pictures look professional, she doesn't have any social media accounts outside of the one where she talks to Derek, and she doesn't have a phone number or email address. Despite all of this, Derek is convinced that Kristen is the real deal and that they have a genuine connection.

The hosts agree to help Derek get to the bottom of Kristen's identity, but it's not going to be easy. They start by looking up the IP address associated with her online profile, which leads them to a town in Pennsylvania. However, when they try calling the number listed for Kristen's address, it turns out to belong to an elderly woman who has never heard of Derek or Kristen. The hosts are stumped, but they're determined to keep digging.

Next, they try to track down the photographer who took some of the professional-looking pictures of Kristen. Nev and Max drive to the photographer's studio and find out that the photos were taken for a modeling portfolio - but the model's name wasn't Kristen. The photographer says that he was paid for the shoot by someone named Kelly, who claimed to be Kristen's agent. Derek is devastated by this news, but he's not ready to give up just yet.

The hosts decide to confront Derek with the evidence they've gathered so far, telling him that they don't believe that Kristen is who she claims to be. Derek is crushed, but he still wants to meet the person he's been talking to for eight years. Nev and Max suggest that they try reaching out to Kristen one last time to see if she'll agree to meet Derek in person. To their surprise, Kristen responds to their message and agrees to meet with Derek.

The moment of truth arrives, and Derek and Kristen finally come face-to-face. It's an emotional reunion, but Kristen isn't who Derek thought she was - she's actually a woman named Jenny, who created the persona of Kristen to escape from her own life. Jenny is apologetic and explains that she never intended to hurt Derek, but she was afraid to reveal her true identity because she didn't think he would accept her. Derek is understanding, and the two of them part ways on good terms.

In the end, Derek is heartbroken but grateful for the closure. He admits that he never should have let himself fall in love with someone he'd never met, but he doesn't regret the time he spent talking to Kristen/Jenny. The experience has taught him a valuable lesson about the pitfalls of online relationships, and he's ready to move on with his life.