When have some of your favorite TV shows "jumped the shark"?
10-23-02, 08:42 AM
#1
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When have some of your favorite TV shows "jumped the shark"?
The phrase is explained as follows from this fascinating site (www.jumptheshark.com):
Q. What is jumping the shark?
A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the Shark."_ From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.
The term "jump the shark" was coined by my college roommate for 4 years, Sean J. Connolly, in Ann Arbor, Michigan back in 1985. This web site, book, film, and all other material surrounding shark jumping, are hereby dedicated to "the Colonel."
The aforementioned expression refers to the telltale sign of the demise of Happy Days, our favorite example, when Fonzie actually "jumped the shark." The rest is history.
So... what defining moments on your TV favs left you with a sinking feeling that the best was over?
Q. What is jumping the shark?
A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the Shark."_ From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.
The term "jump the shark" was coined by my college roommate for 4 years, Sean J. Connolly, in Ann Arbor, Michigan back in 1985. This web site, book, film, and all other material surrounding shark jumping, are hereby dedicated to "the Colonel."
The aforementioned expression refers to the telltale sign of the demise of Happy Days, our favorite example, when Fonzie actually "jumped the shark." The rest is history.
So... what defining moments on your TV favs left you with a sinking feeling that the best was over?
10-23-02, 09:54 AM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
I was just thinking about posting something similar about Newsradio (not in this general sense), because I have been watching Newsradio on A&E lately, and recently, they have showed the episode where I felt Newsradio jumped the shark - the episode in which they added Jimmy's nephew Walt to the cast (however briefly).
It is easy to say that this show jumped the shark when Phil Hartman died, because he was such an integral part of the show, but to do that is a copout IMO. This show started to go downhill once Walt was added. This is not to say that they did not have good episodes after this - some of my favorites (including "Towers", as well as anything with Johnny Johnson) were after Walt, but I think that, as a whole, episodes after Walt do not hold up to ones before him.
Anymore Newsradio freaks like me? This would be my number one DVD want...
It is easy to say that this show jumped the shark when Phil Hartman died, because he was such an integral part of the show, but to do that is a copout IMO. This show started to go downhill once Walt was added. This is not to say that they did not have good episodes after this - some of my favorites (including "Towers", as well as anything with Johnny Johnson) were after Walt, but I think that, as a whole, episodes after Walt do not hold up to ones before him.
Anymore Newsradio freaks like me? This would be my number one DVD want...
Last edited by movieking; 10-23-02 at 10:00 AM.
10-23-02, 10:17 AM
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Get Smart - when Max and 99 had the twins
Mary Tyler Moore Show - when Mary moved to the new apartment
The Lucy Show - when Viv left the cast
Drew Carey - Drew and Kate started dating
Sabrina the Teenage Witch - current season
Caroline in the City - switched to an office comedy
Will & Grace - Will and Grace want to have a baby
Home Improvement - Marty and his kids moved in
Perfect Strangers - they moved to that house
Mary Tyler Moore Show - when Mary moved to the new apartment
The Lucy Show - when Viv left the cast
Drew Carey - Drew and Kate started dating
Sabrina the Teenage Witch - current season
Caroline in the City - switched to an office comedy
Will & Grace - Will and Grace want to have a baby
Home Improvement - Marty and his kids moved in
Perfect Strangers - they moved to that house
10-23-02, 10:24 AM
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Can a show be considered to have "jumped the shark" when it happens on the first episode?
That would be the "shower" scene in the first episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
That would be the "shower" scene in the first episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
10-23-02, 10:30 AM
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It wasn't quit JtS material, but the 5th season of Babylon 5 was close. It suffered because the studios were jerking around JMS - who wrapped up most of the major plot threads one year early due to the shows uncertain future.
Well, when B5 was picked up for the last season, there was still some story to tell, but it was very obvious that a great deal of the season was hastily written filler. It wasn't that bad (some of it was quite good in fact), compared to other shows of the time - but it just wasn't as gripping as what had come before.
To this day, I shall always lament the greatness that could have been if the suits hadn't started monkeying around with Joe and his show.
Well, when B5 was picked up for the last season, there was still some story to tell, but it was very obvious that a great deal of the season was hastily written filler. It wasn't that bad (some of it was quite good in fact), compared to other shows of the time - but it just wasn't as gripping as what had come before.
To this day, I shall always lament the greatness that could have been if the suits hadn't started monkeying around with Joe and his show.
10-23-02, 10:32 AM
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For Law & Order (my favorite drama of all-time), it was the trilogy of L.A. episodes. Those were the best episodes of the series - note that I think JTS means the peak point (as defined above). A lot of people seem to think JTS marks the point when the series went wrong.
10-23-02, 10:45 AM
#10
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The "X-Files" jumped with the sixth season opener - right after Duchovny demanded the set be moved from Vancouver to L.A. That opening shot of morning sun on a housing subdivision (which served as the setting for most one-off "monster" episodes for Season 6) just obliterated the dark, ominous mood of the previous 5 seasons.
And it just kept going downhill from there.
(Well, technically, it jumped a bit earlier with the "almost kiss" between Mulder and Sculley during the incomprehensable "Fight the Future" movie -- but that wasn't an "official" episode of the television series . . .)
And it just kept going downhill from there.
(Well, technically, it jumped a bit earlier with the "almost kiss" between Mulder and Sculley during the incomprehensable "Fight the Future" movie -- but that wasn't an "official" episode of the television series . . .)
10-23-02, 10:49 AM
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Originally posted by Red Dog
A lot of people seem to think JTS marks the point when the series went wrong.
A lot of people seem to think JTS marks the point when the series went wrong.
Do you consider Fonzie jumping the shark to be the peak moment of the show? Or, as grunter put it, “And it just kept going downhill from there.”
It’s an old debate, but still fun.
10-23-02, 10:53 AM
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Originally posted by Wizdar
Do you consider Fonzie jumping the shark to be the peak moment of the show? Or, as grunter put it, “And it just kept going downhill from there.”
Do you consider Fonzie jumping the shark to be the peak moment of the show? Or, as grunter put it, “And it just kept going downhill from there.”
Yes I consider Fonzie's jump the peak of Happy Days - of course, by definition, the peak also marks the start of the downhill point. The peak (JTS moment) should be considered a good thing by itself.
10-23-02, 12:08 PM
#13
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Originally posted by grunter
The "X-Files" jumped with the sixth season opener - right after Duchovny demanded the set be moved from Vancouver to L.A. That opening shot of morning sun on a housing subdivision (which served as the setting for most one-off "monster" episodes for Season 6) just obliterated the dark, ominous mood of the previous 5 seasons.
And it just kept going downhill from there.
(Well, technically, it jumped a bit earlier with the "almost kiss" between Mulder and Sculley during the incomprehensable "Fight the Future" movie -- but that wasn't an "official" episode of the television series . . .)
The "X-Files" jumped with the sixth season opener - right after Duchovny demanded the set be moved from Vancouver to L.A. That opening shot of morning sun on a housing subdivision (which served as the setting for most one-off "monster" episodes for Season 6) just obliterated the dark, ominous mood of the previous 5 seasons.
And it just kept going downhill from there.
(Well, technically, it jumped a bit earlier with the "almost kiss" between Mulder and Sculley during the incomprehensable "Fight the Future" movie -- but that wasn't an "official" episode of the television series . . .)
It's kind of hard to say when "X-Files" jumped the shark, but it must've happened somewhere. I really think it was more of a steady decline than having a single moment of suckiness.
For me, it was the movie. Totally unnecessary. It was really nothing more than an over-wrought c-grade episode of the series. It resolved absolutely nothing.
I really think that the lack of resolution of anything was the downfall of that show.
I mean, hell, I'm still not sure what happened to Samantha.
Too much of the "mythology" came off like it was just cobbled together at the last minute. Instead of resolving anything, they would just kill off characters (especially before they would even really DO anything -- Deep Throat, X, Well-manicured Man) or bring in new plot elements.
For a series that began brilliantly, it certainly ended a confused, muddles mess.
10-23-02, 12:18 PM
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My wife was reading the TV Guide for next week, and she remarked "Looks like That 70's Show is finally jumping the shark next week." I haven't read the summary...I'm going to wait and watch the show to see if it's true.
10-23-02, 12:30 PM
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Originally posted by BoatDrinks
Hasn't the phrase "jumped the shark" jumped the shark?
Hasn't the phrase "jumped the shark" jumped the shark?
Spoiler:
Last edited by Wizdar; 10-23-02 at 01:22 PM.
10-23-02, 12:41 PM
#18
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• Quoth BoatDrinks •<HR SIZE=1>Hasn't the phrase "jumped the shark" jumped the shark? <HR SIZE=1>
Nope. It has, however, jupmed the shark.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=162721
das
10-23-02, 01:11 PM
#21
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by TK-421
The Practice - Adding new character played by Jessica Capshaw
The Practice - Adding new character played by Jessica Capshaw
The show has now parked the boat, gotten out of the water, and is sitting around telling anyone within earshot "remember that shark? wasn't that cool?"
10-23-02, 01:14 PM
#22
DVD Talk Hero
• Quoth Wizdar •<HR SIZE=1>I tried to be a little more subtle. Betcha didn't know you could make clickable smilies... <HR SIZE=1>
Ya got me there. Never thought to run my mouse over it. You could take it a step further and make the mouseover hand a pointer to really hide it.
das
10-23-02, 01:30 PM
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Fixed it. I just wasn’t too keen on being accused again of working for the Search Police.
Can a show JTS, and later on reestablish itself? I’m thinking (and I know I’ll get flamed for this) that Buffy was floundering last season. Maybe there are better examples. Or, maybe, once a show jumps it’s a done deal, which I guess is my question.
Can a show JTS, and later on reestablish itself? I’m thinking (and I know I’ll get flamed for this) that Buffy was floundering last season. Maybe there are better examples. Or, maybe, once a show jumps it’s a done deal, which I guess is my question.
10-23-02, 01:39 PM
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Originally posted by Wizdar
Can a show JTS, and later on reestablish itself? I’m thinking (and I know I’ll get flamed for this) that Buffy was floundering last season. Maybe there are better examples. Or, maybe, once a show jumps it’s a done deal, which I guess is my question.
Can a show JTS, and later on reestablish itself? I’m thinking (and I know I’ll get flamed for this) that Buffy was floundering last season. Maybe there are better examples. Or, maybe, once a show jumps it’s a done deal, which I guess is my question.
NYPD Blue certainly did for me. I know it JTS for many when Jimmy Smits left, but it was actually earlier for me - more like around when Andrea Thompson joined the 15th. I stopped watching around 1996 or 97. Then I watched the last few episodes that Rick Schroeder was on in 2001 and I liked it. I really got back into it last season and so far this season it is very good.
Cheers reverse jumped for me - I'm not a big fan of the Diane years.
10-23-02, 01:48 PM
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I DREAM OF JEANNIE: After Jeannie and Tony got married
DARK SHADOWS: During the never ending 1897 flashback story arc
LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY: when they moved to Hollywood
THE X FILES: 6th season on
DARK SHADOWS: During the never ending 1897 flashback story arc
LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY: when they moved to Hollywood
THE X FILES: 6th season on