Locations: Miller's Catfish Farm - Greensboro, Alabama

Alton: When I was a kid, there were only three words to describe the cooking of a catfish: deep... fat... and fried. But as I've matured and done a little traveling I've learned that the humble catfish of my youth is a culinary sophisticate, who with but subtle coaxing from the cook, can be converted to a global buffet of... Good Eats.

Alton: This catfish is tasting my hand right now.

Alton: I got another one! Would you look at that! How long did that take, like, thirty seconds? No wonder the kids used to call me “Catfish Brown!” (The camera pans to a sign behind Alton that reads, 'Miller Catfish Farm.') Okay, so the deck was stacked a little in my favor. But, truth be told, catfish aquaculture is that rare case when good economics, good ecology and good eats all align.

Alton: You want to see “U.S.A.” on the country of origin sticker, because catfish imported from Asia... one, they're not the same fish, and two, can be raised in ways that would raise the hair on the back of your neck!

Alton: (about fish sauce) Think of that as... kind of... Asia Worchester sauce, only a whole lot funkier.

Alton: (about tom kha pladuk) Now, doesn't this beat the banjos out of silly our fried catfish? (The camera shakes side to side like a head nodding, 'no.') Look. I simply cannot bring myself to pander to such grotesque southern stereotypes, okay? However, I do know somebody who specializes in just this sort of thing...

The Colonel: Fryin's the only way to eat an old river cat, I can tell you that. And by the way? I'm not your uncle. I'm actually your third cousin once removed on your mother's half sister's side.

The episode title, The Catfish Will Rise Again, plays on a slogan that arose following the American Civil War: The South Will Rise Again, since catfish are associated with southern culture and cooking.

Alton proposes calling catfish chicken of the pond because they are so versatile. This is a take on popular tuna brand Chicken of the Sea.

Alton is interrupted by the door bell, and when he asks who is at the door, a low voice replies in succession that the caller is a “plumber,” a “candy gram,” and finally the “Nobel Prize Committee.” The last trick succeeds where the first two failed, and when Alton opens the door a giant catfish engulfs him! This skit is a parody of a sketch called “Land Shark” that appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1975. At that time, moviegoers had seen Steven Spielberg's resort thriller “Jaws” which told the story of a sea-side resort and a great white shark that preyed upon its guests. The film's popularity lead to a sharp increase in reported shark sightings, most of which were erroneous, and the comedy writers of Saturday Night Live responded with their own monster tale: a shark-like but land dwelling predator that tricked young women by misrepresenting itself, and devouring them when they opened their doors. Actor/comedian Chevy Chase provided the creature's low, sinister voice which has been parodied numerous times since then.

The Colonel makes another appearance. He tends to show up whenever Alton needs a knowledgeable individual to help with a traditional southern recipe, like this episodes Deep Fried Catfish. He is a parody of or homage to the late Harlan Sanders, whose iconic white hair, pointed beard and avuncular manner sold a lot of chicken for his Kentucky Fried Chicken retail chain. Caricatures of his trademark visage still do, for successor chain KFC (renamed to make “fried” less apparent at a time of rising health concerns over consumption of fatty foods.)

The giant catfish finally tricks Alton into opening his door by pretending it is the Nobel Prize Committee. One episode earlier, while working with Indian food, Alton constructed a tandoor, or Indian oven, from simple materials – another improvisation that the Nobel Prize Committee overlooked.

The “Japanese pantry show” that Alton refers to, where he teaches viewers how to brew fish stock from kombu and katsuobushi, is Pantry Raid XII: Turning Japanese.

That's Another Show: Hush puppies.