TV Shows that have Jumped the Shark

Tipsy McSwagger

What shows do you think have jumped the shark?

First thing that comes to mind is The Walking Dead. It actually jumped the shark around the 4th or 5th episode when the big bad Latino gang were in fact lovable young men who were taking care of the elderly.

Friends jumped the shark with the Ross & Rachel thing and too many celebs on the show.

Only Fools & Horses jumped after Grandad died. To be more specific it was probably when Del Boys son was on the screen dressed like a little Del Boy. But it was never the same after Grandad died.

Lost became so boring that I stopped watching so I don't really know when it jumped. Probably when the fat guy on a desert island kept getting fatter.

Prison Break jumped after they left the prison.

Dallas jumped after Bobby was in the shower and not dead.

Saved by the Bell jumped after they went to college.

FreudianSlippers

Happy Days, when Fonzie... ah forget it, too easy.

tvnutz

Jumping the shark has to mean a show has gone so bad after going on for so long.

You cannot say the Walking Dead jumped the shark after only 4 episodes. And I am actualyl a major critic of the show if you look in the thread,so I'm not some mad fanboy trying to defend it,but you cannot say it jumped the shark after so little episodes.

Some of the best episodes of Only fools were after grandad died.

Friends had a lot of Ross and Rachel stuff,you might want to be more specific there.

Lost disappointed me in the end but your example is stupid considering they explained how he remained fat in that they got a load of food drops around season 2.

kitakyushu

Dexter has jumped the shark. It's still watchable but season 3 onwards it hasn't been nearly as good ( with the slight exception of season 4).

CastorTroy

It's also in reference to doing something completely out of nowhere just to have something new to do. The Bobby Ewing scene, for example, or bringing in a never before mentioned brother or sister. This is why there was an episode of Supernatural called Jump The Shark where

They brought in a third Winchester brother

Or to give examples of shark jumping:
Scrubs when they brought in all the new cast
Two and a Half Men bringing in Ashton Kutcher
The X Files when Mulder left

darkdubh

Those with long memories might remember the woman who played the priests housekeeper in Glenroe.After years of her in the show they intoduced a son,who had never been mentioned before and who we were led to believe had been there all the time.In one episode he was just there sitting at the kitchen table.Then not too long after they brought in a daughter,also with no back story,just casually introduced her.Now thats a classic example of jumping the shark.

don ramo

CastorTroy wrote: »

Or to give examples of shark jumping:
Scrubs when they brought in all the new cast
Two and a Half Men bringing in Ashton Kutcher

neither of them jumped the shark, they all simply moved on when cartain cast members left,

the scrubs showrunner tried to rename the show or start a new one to indicate the change but the networks didnt want to change such a recognised name,
2.5 men makes to much money for them to simply cancel it cause sheen left, and TBF kutcher is no better or worse than sheen, if anything it freshened the show up a bit having a few new caracters come in and being as good as they are,

jumping the shark is simply thrown around when someone wants a large amount of people to agree with them that a show is gone bad, its not that its jumped a shark its just gone stale,

lost was consistant, as is the walking dead, saved by the bell specifically stated it was the college years indicating changes to the show,

iguana

CastorTroy wrote: »

Scrubs when they brought in all the new cast

Oh no, Scrubs jumped the shark when after a year and half of pining for Elliot, and the audience been shown again and again how much he loved her, JD decides he doesn't want her because she wants him. It was such a blatant - oh **** we can't handle having the main cast be a pair of couples, lets do anything no matter how nonsensical to avoid it - move. Once they had done it once they were free to do it over and over, the characters became more and more unbelievable, stupid guest stars took up too much screen time (Heather Graham) and the quality took a complete nosedive.

Corholio

Isn't jumping the shark more a case of a specific scene or episode? rather than saying when they has this storyline or too many celebs etc. Thats the way I like to think of it anyway.

kitakyushu

CastorTroy wrote: »

The X Files when Mulder left

X-files jumped when they ended the 'syndicate' arc (about halfway through season 6. After that the show was just spent the next 3.5 years killing time.

Shryke

House jumped the shark when he got with Cuddy. He was always the best off his head on drugs and enraged by loneliness and love. I watched House right up until this season. Just stopped a few months back. I've since heard it's the last season so I'll mop them up soon.

As for jumping the shark, it's when you realise that a show has really gone to crap or is going down hill. There might be an episode or moment when you realise it. House actually has an episode called "jumping the shark". It wasn't the worst though..

Sandwlch

Glenroe : Miley humping a young one in a hay shed.

bnt

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Happy Days, when Fonzie... ah forget it, too easy.

The original "Jump The Shark" website has now been absorbed in to TV Guide, but they have a short piece about where the phrase came from. It didn't actually signal the death of the show, as the writer says:

All successful shows eventually start to decline, but this was not Happy Days' time. Consider: It was the 91st episode and the fifth season. If this was really the beginning of a downward spiral, why did the show stay on the air for six more seasons and shoot an additional 164 episodes? Why did we rank among the Top 25 in five of those six seasons?

The bit I didn't know was that Henry Winkler was really good on water skis, and it was basically a chance to use that on the show.

28064212

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Happy Days, when Fonzie... ah forget it, too easy.

Arrested Development, when Fonzie...

Tipsy McSwagger

tvnutz wrote: »

Jumping the shark has to mean a show has gone so bad after going on for so long.

You cannot say the Walking Dead jumped the shark after only 4 episodes. And I am actualyl a major critic of the show if you look in the thread,so I'm not some mad fanboy trying to defend it,but you cannot say it jumped the shark after so little episodes.

Some of the best episodes of Only fools were after grandad died.

Friends had a lot of Ross and Rachel stuff,you might want to be more specific there.

Lost disappointed me in the end but your example is stupid considering they explained how he remained fat in that they got a load of food drops around season 2.

TWD started with one of the best opening episodes ever and was still going strong after 4 or 5 eps later. But the Latino gang story was so awful I knew the show was done for and that's why I think it jumped the shark. If not there then the stuck on the farm, zombie in the well, every character is horrible, zombies in the barn etc, take your pick.

krudler

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

TWD started with one of the best opening episodes ever and was still going strong after 4 or 5 eps later. But the Latino gang story was so awful I knew the show was done for and that's why I think it jumped the shark. If not there then the stuck on the farm, zombie in the well, every character is horrible, zombies in the barn etc, take your pick.

someone taking their eyes off the road for a second and crashing a car into a single zombie did it for me, absolutely insulting writing. there's barely a zombie to be seen for most of season 2 and then one appears like a ninja out of nowhere to be ploughed into.

D-Generate

The Simpsons jumped the shark in the Season 8 episode, "Homer's Enemy", the first Frank Grimes episode. Now all in all it is not a bad episode but it marked a change in the personality of Homer from a lovable doofus who was ultimately good-hearted to a new Homer who was a jerk and did stupid acts at the massively negative expense of others.

Hard to believe it was only good up until Season 8...

Nerdkiller1991

D-Generate wrote: »

The Simpsons jumped the shark in the Season 8 episode, "Homer's Enemy", the first Frank Grimes episode. Now all in all it is not a bad episode but it marked a change in the personality of Homer from a lovable doofus who was ultimately good-hearted to a new Homer who was a jerk and did stupid acts at the massively negative expense of others.

Hard to believe it was only good up until Season 8...

Actually, the whole point of the episode was that the writers wanted to see how a normal minded person would fit into the world of the Simpsons, with Homer seemingly having it all, in spite of his oafishness, and the townspeople just not really caring what Grimes had to say about him.

And no, season 9 was the last good season. Season 10 though is a bit of a stretch, since it had a few classic worthy episodes.

JP Liz V1

Killing off Dale and Shane this season was

bad move imo for TWD

Smallville when Lex left

Ally McBeal when Billy died

Rosanne when they won the lottery and Dan dying

Corkfeen

Since nobody has gone there yet... Shark Repellent spray and this...

Auvers

series 7 of The Office (US)

Chuck (when Sarah and Chuck got together)

True Blood (last season)

and dare I say the Sopranos when Tony suddenly had a gambling addiction, for one of my favorite shows I was glad it was the last season

FreudianSlippers

Auvers wrote: »

series 7 of The Office (US)

Chuck (when Sarah and Chuck got together)

True Blood (last season)

and dare I say the Sopranos when Tony suddenly had a gambling addiction, for one of my favorite shows I was glad it was the last season

How can whole seasons of shows be shark-jumping moments? As for Chuck and Sarah getting together, that's the opposite of jumping the shark - it was never supposed to be endgame, it was meant to happen early in the show, so it's not like they ran out of ideas and did it as a gimmick.

Auvers

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

How can whole seasons of shows be shark-jumping moments?

oh excuse me you want a run down

when Dunder Mifflin was taken over by Kathy Bates company

True Blood when they made Eric Sokkies lover

is this sufficient enough for you?

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

As for Chuck and Sarah getting together, that's the opposite of jumping the shark

how so? the term "Jumping the shark" is when you the viewer recognizes a show is past it and decide to no longer watch it

Optimalprimerib

Greys anatomy when they had the prom night episode. It was the end of season two and it killed it for me so much I didn't watch an episode since.

X-factor when the rules were adjusted to suit the contestants the judges wanted.

The eurovision when televoting came in.

Scrubs when I first watched a directors commentary. The director seems like an absolute knob end.

kitakyushu

Nerdkiller1991 wrote: »

Actually, the whole point of the episode was that the writers wanted to see how a normal minded person would fit into the world of the Simpsons, with Homer seemingly having it all, in spite of his oafishness, and the townspeople just not really caring what Grimes had to say about him.

And no, season 9 was the last good season. Season 10 though is a bit of a stretch, since it had a few classic worthy episodes.

D-Generate is entirely correct to say Homer's Enemy is the point where the show lost it. If one looks one can trace the shows decline right back to this episode.

Ironically it's a fondly remembered episode by some. However it shouldn't be, primarily because set in motion this trend of characters (primarily Homer of course) living in this careless universe where no one has motivation or responsibility for anything they do and where there is no is consequences (or even potential consequences) for any action.

For instance, Homer used to have to go to a job and concern himself about the welfare of his family. Nowadays he can have a different job every week (or not even work - he always has a full wallet!) and act like he's not even part of a family. He was always oblivious to the worlds problems but nowadays he's even obvious to his own. His life is meaningless and as a result not as interesting or amusing anymore.

'Homer's Enemy' was where that all began imho.

FortuneChip

Chuck - When they played pass the parcel with the Intersect

Nerdkiller1991

Corkfeen wrote: »

Since nobody has gone there yet... Shark Repellent spray and this...

You do realise that that shot is from the movie. Plus, the whole series was just ludicrous in general. That shark repellent thing was merely nothing. It was only when Batgirl was introduced did it show that the series was in decline.

kitakyushu wrote: »

D-Generate is entirely correct to say Homer's Enemy is the point where the show lost it. If one looks one can trace the shows decline right back to this episode.

Ironically it's a fondly remembered episode by some. However it shouldn't be, primarily because set in motion this trend of characters (primarily Homer of course) living in this careless universe where no one has motivation or responsibility for anything they do and where there is no is consequences (or even potential consequences) for any action.

For instance, Homer used to have to go to a job and concern himself about the welfare of his family. Nowadays he can have a different job every week (or not even work - he always has a full wallet!) and act like he's not even part of a family. He was always oblivious to the worlds problems but nowadays he's even obvious to his own. His life is meaningless and as a result not as interesting or amusing anymore.

'Homer's Enemy' was where that all began imho.

Well, I still stand by my opinion about what I said, but I do think that the show started declining, it wasn't until season 10 in which it was noticeable. By the time it hit 11...well, I shouldn't really have to tell you about that.

Corkfeen

Nerdkiller1991 wrote: »

You do realise that that shot is from the movie. Plus, the whole series was just ludicrous in general. That shark repellent thing was merely nothing. It was only when Batgirl was introduced did it show that the series was in decline.

Of course I do, I just felt the topic needed an actual shark. I never thought it particularly jumped the shark. :pac:

darkdubh

darkdubh wrote: »

Those with long memories might remember the woman who played the priests housekeeper in Glenroe.After years of her in the show they intoduced a son,who had never been mentioned before and who we were led to believe had been there all the time.In one episode he was just there sitting at the kitchen table.Then not too long after they brought in a daughter,also with no back story,just casually introduced her.Now thats a classic example of jumping the shark.

Turns out theres a name for this.Cousin Oliver syndrome,the addition of new young character in a usually futile attempt to revive a flagging TV show.

http://crustula.com/2012/10/08/the-worst-examples-of-cousin-oliver-syndrome-in-tv-sitcom-history/

xalot

Greys Anatomy after Burke left,
Dexter after the fourth season,
The last season of Arrested development
Nip Tuck once they introduced the carver.

JustAddWater

darkdubh wrote: »

Turns out theres a name for this.Cousin Oliver syndrome,the addition of new young character in a usually futile attempt to revive a flagging TV show.

http://crustula.com/2012/10/08/the-worst-examples-of-cousin-oliver-syndrome-in-tv-sitcom-history/

I think this thread has jumped the shark to be honest...