The school swim time have just got into the state semi-finals and the students of Sunnydale are celebrating at the beach. Xander complains about the coldness and moans about the swim team, he is annoyed that the swim team are the current darlings of the school. Cordelia counters hhis claim by saying that she's sick of cheerleading for losers.

Buffy is sitting by herself, watching the waves when she is joined by a member of the team, Cameron. They chat for a bit and Cameron says that he'd like to get to know Buffy better. The moment is spoiled by another member of the team, Dodd, trying to drown Jonathon in a tub of water. Buffy breaks it up but gets no thanks off Jonathon. Gage and Dodd go walk off down the beach, or at least the do until Dodd disappears eaving Gage by himself with a terrible smell. Gage walks off, not seeing in the darkness Dodd's skin lying (steaming) on the beach and a shadowy figure escaping into the sewer.

The next day. Willow is teaching computer class and it's all going well, apart from Gage who is playing computer Solitare with nude ladies on the cards. The bell rings for end of class and Snyder comes in. He asks whether she'll keep teaching the class until the end of the year, and then goes on to 'tell' Willow to change Gage's grades ao that he won't fail. (This goes against everything Willow believes.) It's obvious that Snyder only cares about the team. After class, Willow tells Cordelia and Xander about Snyder and both of them are shock (Xander works really hard for his D's) Cordelia says that winner's always get special privilages. Xander is cross that Buffy isn't hear to back him up, as she is too busy 'being' a swim team perk.Cameron drives Buffy to school and spends the entire journey talking at her. Buffy is bored and tries to escape, when Cameron comes on to her. She tries to brush him off, but he locks the car doors and lunges at her. Buffy 'hurts' him, but the unfortunate scene is seen by Snyder. Oh dear.

Fortuantely for Cameron, his nose is only bruised and his wrist sprained. Snyder doesn't believe Buffy's story, as usual. And they go on about how she dresses.

In the library Buffy goes off on one, but the others aren't really listening, but once buffy realises she tries to change the subject. Giles tells her that human remains were found on the beach - there's flesh, but no insides.

In steam room Cameron is relaxing, he hears a nose but it is only the Coach. Meanwhile Xander is sick of researching and goes on the hunt for something to drink. As he wlaks down the empty corridor, Cameron bumps into him. Xander tells Cameron that he's so glad that he messed with Buffy, and mocks him. Cameron storms off to the cafeteria. Xander is trying to pick a drink when he hears a scream coming form the cafeteria. He runs into the cafeteria, which has been trashed. he sees a steaming pile of flesh on the floor - Cameron, and comes face to face with a huge slimy moster. He screams like a girl.

Back in the library, Cordelia is trying to tdraw the monster from Xander's vague description. Giles looks at the 'photofit' and asks Xander whether he's sure of what he saw. Cordelia mocks Xander and says that he ran like a woman. Willow and Buffy walk in wiht reserach of their own, Gage is going to be the next victim. Cordelia mourns that she's lost the will to Cheerlead. Willow comes up with a suspect, Jonathon. She is told to interrogate him. Cordelia tells Xander to go to the car park and practice running like a man.

The next day, Buffy is i=undercover in the student lounge, watching Gage while pretending to read an upside down magazine. Willow does an interrogation job on Jonothon, (she shines a bright white light into his face) but Jonathon isn't the monster, all he did was sneak into the pool room and pee in the pool. eugh.

Snyder and the Coach walk past Xander, talking about tryouts after school. Xander has a lightbulb moment and decides to try out.

That night at the Bronze, Buffy still 'undercover', but Gage realises and chews her out. He walks out of the Bronze, muttering, as Angel appears behind him and asks if he's talking about Buffy. They walk around corner and Angel attacks. Buffy, walking out of the Bronze herself, hears the screams and rushes to help. She rounds the corner to see Angel spitting out Gage's blood. he vanishes into the night. Gage asks Buffy to walk him home. He asks Buffy is that was what attacked the rest of the swim team. Buffy tells him that Angel is a 'something else' and that there are lots of 'something else's' in Sunnydale.

The next day, Willow, Buffy and Cordelia are at the pool watching practice. One of them even brought popcorn!. They are discussing Angel's actions last night, which leads them to think that maybe steroid's are involved and the monster is attracted to what's in the team's blood. Cordelia sees a gorgeous guy walk in and from the girls POV the camera pans up this lovely male body to reveal - Xander! He explains that he's under ocver (not under much!- Buffy) Cordy's dating someone on a team, not she can die happy. Willow tells the others that Jonathon's not their monster, and that he peed in the pool, just as Xander dives in.

After practice the team are in the steam room, clawed hands try to lift the grate outside the door. Buffy is waiting for Gage outside the locker room when she hears a scream, gage is being attacked by the monster, but he is in pain. He starts to rip his skin off revealing himself to be changing into one of the fish monsters. Buffy tries to fight them but one of them takes a bits out of her. The coach appears and rescues her.

Buffy gets patched up by the school nusre. the Coach doesn't know what is happening to his team. Steroids are brought up again. Willow does some reserach in the school files and discovers that Gage and Cameron have symptoms of steroid abuse. The nurse becomes the next suspect, Willow offers to interogate her and Xander is looking around guy.

Giles and Buffy head into the sewers (to creepy 'Resident Evil' music) to try and find the swim team monsters, they don't find anything but one of the team is watching them.

Back in steam room, Xander asks about steroids. It turns out they are in the steam - a special kind of aromatherepy. By the pool, the nurse and the coach argue about the 'mix' in the steam. The nurse tries to back out but the Coach throws her down a hole into the sewers as a meal for his 'boys'.

In library Xander is very worried, ("One, Two, Three times a fish guy." Sad noises from all)Cordelia is as tactful as ever.Buffy decides to go and have it out with the coach.

Buffy confonts him, but he pulls a gun on her and makes her get into the hole. He explains that she's not fish food, but that his 'boys' have other needs as well. oh dear.

Cordelia and Xander walk into the pool, looking for any other members of the team. Xander goes into locker room. As Cordelia walks along the pool, a fish guy runs out of the locker room and dives into the pool. Cordelia thinks it's Xander. She tells him she'll love him whatever he is. Xander (still human), walks up behind her and taps her on the shoulder.

Giles locks the swim team in the weapons cage. Cordelia and Xander check in but Buffy's still missing.

Buffy, is still in the hole. She laments her reputation - it won't looks any better that she did it with the swim team. Buffy tries to fight the monsters but there's too many. Xander walks into the room above and asks the coach where Buffy is. The Coach goes for his gun but Xander deguns the coach and leans down to save Buffy. (Another White Knight moment) The Coach hits Xander over head with a wrench and accidently falls down the hole, Buffy can't reach him and he's eaten by his 'boys'.

In student longue, the four of them relax. Giles comes over and tells them that the monsters have done a runner. This cuts to the last shot seeing them swimming off into the sea.

Our View

More Xander in Swimming Trunks please! :P Another really funny episode which mocks America's need to win at everything. Imagine Cordelia losing the will to cheerlead! ha ha! And Xander in swimming trunks, it's something we'll keep coming back to. :)

Our Score - 10

The Professional View

Amid the hilarity of one of the series finiest comedy episode, is a really cool and cynical essay on drug-enhanced performance, and the ceaseless search for winners and excellence that the American school system seems hell-bent on.

Their Score -10