When TV shows jump the shark

[Chloe'sMom]

ER - when Nurse Hathaway left - but Loved the ending at the she ended up with George Clooney!

Buffy - When Willow became a magic addict There were so many better ways to make her evil.

Angel - when they went to the Wolfram and Heart. Terrible. Terrible.

The O.C. - when Marissa and her mom went to the trailer park - yeah right.

Dawson's Creek - when they went to college except I did like the Mitch dying episodes.

Felicity - when she cut her stupid hair!

~Amanda

 

[fan_of_small_world]

To me, "jumping the shark" always meant when a show does something that just looks desperate in an effort to regain their lost momentum. I never thought it of just when the show started going downhill. That point has usually already been reached when they jump the shark.

So, with that definition, I would include Fonzie waterskiing over the sharks, of course, as well as shows where the characters have a baby or introduce other characters just to keep things going (like Full House, Cosby, etc.). I'd also include when the show finally has a couple get together, like on Fraser or Moonlighting.

However, I would not include a show just because a character leaves, like M*A*S*H (Frank), West Wing (Rob Lowes's character), or ER when Dr. Greene left (but I think that the one doc getting killed by a helicopter WOULD qualify, lol!). Those shows may have started to get worse after those events, but I don't think that qualifies as jumping the shark.

 

[RangerPooh]

Like when the original Becky returned and the first thing Roseanne says to her is "Where the he11 have you been?" That was classic.

Or when it was the WDW episode and Rosanne turned to her and something to the effect of "aren't you glad you're here this week?" This was during the time period where they were switching off who played her each week.

 

[TDC Nala]

Before Dick Ebersol, there was a woman producer. Then there was Dick Ebersol.

Her productions were worse than the Ebersol period.

Her name was Jean Doumanian. She did not last long.

 

[MrsKreamer]

Buffy: I generally agree with those who posted here that the show jumped the shark when Buffy died (for the second time). However, my DH passionately disagrees; pointing out that several excellent episodes like 'Hush' and 'Once More With Feeling' came out afterwards.

Nitpick - Buffy died in season 5 and came back in season 6

"Hush" was in season 4 - and is a GREAT episode!

`Amanda

She also drowned and died the first time in the season 1 finale. I never thought she died, but they always referenced it.

 

[TDC Nala]

Wow! If anybody should know about Gilligan's Island, I would expect it to be Jonas Grumby.

Wasn't the Professor's full name "John Hinkley?" That's sort of creepy.

 

[Nancy]

How about the Cosby Show, when they brought in Cousin Pam? Cousins are never a good sign.

I hated that whole period of the show..and I love the Cosby Show

Oh, and then they made her into a little girl. What an ANNOYING child actor that was. Does anyone else remember this child? She had curly red hair and she was just sooooooo annoying.

Yes, she was VERY annoying!

I agree that Monica and Chandler revved up the show, they were a great couple and the two actors played off each other so well. But Jennifer Anniston made a very unbelievable pregnant person imo. I never felt I was watching Rachel pregnant, just Jennifer pretending to be. I didn't buy the Joey in love with Rachel thing either.

I didn't like the whole Joey and Rachel thing. I'm glad it didn't last too long.

I think Golden Girls jumped the shark when Miles turned out to be in the witness protection plan and had to leave Rose.

Especially if you followed the show and remembered that Miles had a daughter that came to visit and talked about how his wife died just 1 yesr ago.

MASH is one show that I don't think ever jumped the shark. It may have come close to the ramp a couple of times, but I don't think it ever jumped.

I think Survivor has finally jumped. I've had a hard time getting into it this season.

Seinfeld jumped when they killed off Susan.

Cosby Show -- with Olivia, they were on approach, but with cousin Pam they were up the ramp full speed.

If a show has a kid that ages 3 years or so over the course of the summer reruns -- Growing Pains, Family Ties, Fresh Prince -- then Fonzie is off the ramp and in midair over the shark.

At least Roseanne had fun by occasionally poking fun at itself about the changing Beckys. To me, Roseanne jumped when they won the lottery.

I agree with M*A*S*H*, that was the only show that popped in my head when thinking about a show that didn't. It came close a few times...but never quite jumped.

NOt sure if this one has been mentioned, but

FULL HOUSE when Uncle Jessie and Aunt Becky had those awful acting twins!

Same with 7th heaven..those twins were horrible! too painful to watch!

Full House was even more over the shark when Jesse became the huge star and they went to Japan...then all of the sudden they are back home and he is a anobody again.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Joan of Arcadia - the season when God started talking to the Mom....we quit watching.

JAG - when Mackenzie went through a new man each season !Very painful to watch them turn a kick butt Marine into a cariccature.

 

[RangerPooh]

Sabrina the Teenage Witch- when she left for college...more specific when her aunts left the show



Slightly OT, but I thought of this thread as I watched CSI this week as I beleive that the girl who played Crissy on Growing Pains was playing a prostitute.

 

[Imzadi]

Alias - it became excrutiating to watch when Jennifer Garner broke up with Michael Vartan & you could tell he was so unhappy on the show, mooning over her. Meanwhile, J.G. was not a good enough actress to, at least, still cover that she could no longer stand being touched by Vartan. But when she had Vaughn killed off the show & they decided to include her pregnancy, the show jumped the shark.

The Star Trek franchise of series - When they created that god awful series: Star Trek: Enterprise and made Scott Bakula captain. Even he said once in an interview, he didn't see himself as a starship captain. Well, he should have turned down the role. That series ended all the Star Trek series.

The Practice - When Jessica Capshaw came on the show. After that, David E. Kelley committed homicide to his own show by firing off all his best characters like Bobby (Dylan McDermot) and letting the characters left start their own law firm.

 

[PaulaSB12]

And then Roz fell down the elevator shaft!

I agree with Romano v. the Helicopter was bad but I think it has redeemed itself a bit.

Starting with the 2nd season of CSI:Miami, when David Caruso became a characature of himself, I mean really, what is with those sunglasses???

I THINK its like the hat in meet the Robinsons the glasses are controlling the wearer not the other way round.

 

[Jrsy Boy]

If you have the TV Guide channel on your cable or dish, there is a show called "Jump the Shark" that goes through a lot of what has been discussed on this thread. It is hosted by Christopher Knight.

 

[snowy76]

Alias - it became excrutiating to watch when Jennifer Garner broke up with Michael Vartan & you could tell he was so unhappy on the show, mooning over her. Meanwhile, J.G. was not a good enough actress to, at least still cover that she could no longer stand touching by Vartan. But when she had Vaughn killed off the show & they decided to include her pregnancy, the show jumped the shark.

Sydney Bristow doing kung fu in maternity wear = definitely jumping the shark!

Although I thought it was even worse when they revealed Vaughn was still alive! Cried buckets at Jack's death in the finale though.

 

[eclectics]

Wasn't the Professor's full name "John Hinkley?" That's sort of creepy.

It was Roy, I believe.

 

[CheshireVal]

Alias!! I think that show jumped the shark with the 2 year time loss thing. And when Nadia came in as Sydney's sister.... actually the series had several shark jumping moments, which was a shame since it started so great!

I also agree that Sex and the City jumped the shark with Brady, but even more so with the Russian during the last season. That relationship was never believable!

Grey's Anatomy might have done with with Meredith's death, but I hope they can rebound from that.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Nitpick - Buffy died in season 5 and came back in season 6

"Hush" was in season 4 - and is a GREAT episode!

`Amanda

Really? My bad. Or my DH's really. Well, one more reason why it jumped the shark when it did.

 

[JunieJay]

To me, "jumping the shark" always meant when a show does something that just looks desperate in an effort to regain their lost momentum. I never thought it of just when the show started going downhill. That point has usually already been reached when they jump the shark.

I think it means when the show has reached the point of no return. No chance of returning back uphill.

 

[dizcrazy]

I'm really hoping that HBO's Big Love didn't try something they can't recover from when they had Barb win the Mom of the State (or something like that) contest and she had to reveal to the governor that she was a bigamist. I love that show and hope this "out" plot works.

So far, the Sopranos hasnt jumped.

I agree that the Growing Pains daughter Chrissy was ANNOYING. Ditto Olicer, Brady Bunch

I think Family Feud should have ended with Richard Dawson and the cheesy Whitman-sampleesque set for the families. (in the beginning, when they say their names)

I thought that the Gilmore Girls went downhill when Lorelei and Rory didnt speak to each other anymore and Rory dropped out of college. I read that even Lauren Graham complained that no mother who was so close to her daughter would have allowed such a rift between them like that.

 

[RadioNate]

However, I would not include a show just because a character leaves, like M*A*S*H (Frank), West Wing (Rob Lowes's character), or ER when Dr. Greene left (but I think that the one doc getting killed by a helicopter WOULD qualify, lol!). Those shows may have started to get worse after those events, but I don't think that qualifies as jumping the shark.

actually that is exactly what jump the shark means. the defining moment when the show reaches it's peak and goes downhill.


http://jumptheshark.com/index.jspa

 

[Imzadi]

I think a show very close to jumping the shark is Ghost Whisperer. When they killed off Aisha Tyler, they came very close to the ramp. When they added Jay Mohr and made him such a major character, they have been teetering near the edge.

They have beautiful eye candy on the show already, in the form of the husband (actor David Conrad) & don't really utilize his acting potential (a Julliard School grad,) or how that relationship could really add to the show, making them a Ghost Whispering duo, like McMillian & Wife, an ancient series with (the then straight) Rock Hudson & Susan St. James. (Boy am I showing my age! )

It doesn't help that it's so obvious that Jennifer Love Hewitt is VERY uncomfortable doing physically close, intimate scenes with Conrad - she's always facing away from him, or barely even looking him in the eyes, never initiating touch. HE'S always the one moving in with the gestures, making contact, while she then finds a reason to turn away, her being too distracted thinking of the ghosts. Makes me wonder if he made a pass at her at one time & she rebuffed him and that's when she tried to have him replaced with that buffoon, Jay Mohr.