What sitcoms do you HONESTLY believe never jumped the shark?


Im not talking shows that you THINK never jumped the shark.
Im talking shows where no big changes occured that could cause the show to jump the shark.


Like, IMO, Cheers jumped the shark for MANY people when Diane left.... but I happen to like it for all 11 seasons.



But say.... Gilligan's Island is a show that I can honestly say never jumped the shark.

Taxi never jumped the shark.

Seinfeld

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
Taxi never jumped the shark.

I think Taxi jumped the shark when it switched networks and Latka went through his multiple personality phase.

I would say "The Brady Bunch".... but the series could have been "shark-free" if it werent for that damn cousin oliver.



I agree with both Seinfeld and Taxi.

Originally posted by TJL
I think Taxi jumped the shark when it switched networks and Latka went through his multiple personality phase.


The reason I say Taxi never jumped the shark is because there were episodes from the last season where the writing/plotline is just as good as the first season. The Latka & Simka episodes weren't that good, but those weren't the episodes I was talking about from the last season.

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
The reason I say Taxi never jumped the shark is because there were episodes from the last season where the writing/plotline is just as good as the first season. The Latka & Simka episodes weren't that good, but those weren't the episodes I was talking about from the last season.

I see your point. It's possible.

The Odd Couple - If anything, it just got better as it went along.

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Same as with The Odd Couple.

I Love Lucy - They may have changed the setting in the last season, but the humor was always the same.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe - I know, it never had the chance to jump the shark. I just thought I'd mention it to show everyone I still love this 19 episode series.

Gilligan's Island - It got very silly towards the end, but then again, it was always a silly show, so it never really jumped.



Of course, I personally like shows with changes in them. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I enjoy watching the cast change and evolve throughout the years. It's not the cast change, it's the way the show deals with the cast change.

The Odd Couple
Seinfeld
Cheers
Frasier
The Honeymooners

IMO.... none of the shows mentioned ever jumped the shark.
But there were times when people could say when a series jumped the shark.

For instance.... when Niles and Daphne got married on Frasier.
(even though IMO, Season 11 is the best)




I completely agree about The Odd Couple
Not to mention not jumping the shark.... I think The Odd Couple may be the only show that EVERYONE likes.

Originally posted by barwars88

But say.... Gilligan's Island is a show that I can honestly say never jumped the shark.
That's the one I was going to say!:)
Get A Life is another one; of course it was only on for two seasons.:D

Definately "The Dick Van Dyke Show"

Despite the departure of Rhoda and Phyllis, I really don't think "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" jumped either

Others IMO:
The Odd Couple (although it was never great)
I Love Lucy (I thought it was good even in Connecticut)
The Bob Newhart Show

These shows didn't get a long enough chance to jump but they're still classics:
The Munsters
F Troop
Gilligan's Island
The Addams Family

The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years

Originally posted by TVAdam
Of course, I personally like shows with changes in them. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I enjoy watching the cast change and evolve throughout the years. It's not the cast change, it's the way the show deals with the cast change.

I Agree 100%. I Have that same Outlook On TV Shows, I Enjoy watching the Casts evolve. As a mater of fact, I Lke most shows the least during tis first season.

Originally posted by James
The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years


I have to disagree with some of those.
Im talkiking about "jumping the shark"
you may like those shows from beginning-to-end but a lot of them had there shark jumping moments.

Especially L&S with the move to California
and Richie leaving Happy Days
and Family Matters becomind "The Urkel Show"

Im not trying to say any of these shows are bad....
its just that they had moments where people could say it jumped the shark.


Whereas shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show,
The Munsters,
and Gilligan's Island had no real plot change, character departure, or change in setting that made the show jump.

Originally posted by barwars88
I would say "The Brady Bunch".... but the series could have been "shark-free" if it werent for that damn cousin oliver.



I agree with both Seinfeld and Taxi.


The Brady Bunch jumped the shark in 1969-LOL

Originally posted by James
The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years


Family Matters jumped when it was on CBS

Happy Days jumped when Ron Howard left

Laverne and Shirley jumped left when the moved to California

there's nothing like solomon to come and "safe" the post.

Originally posted by barwars88
and Family Matters becomind "The Urkel Show"

Personally I thought Family Matters was best when "Urkel" was involved in the plots. Like Urkel said, "Heh, heh, heh (snort, snort)!!!" :D

The Dick Van Dyke Show was a class act from start to finish.

Barney Miller is one of only a handful of shows that's listed on the JTS website as never having jumped.

Seinfeld -- I could never say a bad word about this show. It's my all time favorite.

The Golden Girls

it was pretty much the same show throughout all seven years... it's pretty hard to tell which episodes are from which season because they are all so similar in humor and such.

WKRP in Cincinnati - just completely unappreciated.

Barney Miller - every season was just a fine production.

Seinfeld- innovator and soon to be remembered as one of the best shows ever.

The Odd Couple- perhaps in the top 5 best sitcoms of all time.
Actually, not perhaps- it is.

Taxi - comes close in the last season (to jumping), but ultimately an always watchable gem.

I Love Lucy- I don't care what people say about the CT years- the actors made it a pleasure.

Originally posted by James
The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years

You gotta be kidding

"Happy Days" is one of the most obvious shark jumpers (first of all, that's where the term "jump the shark" comes from, even though I don't think it jumped that early.) It definately jumped after Richie left. When Joanie and Chachi left too, the show was just painful to watch

"L&S" definately jumped in their move to California and even more so after Shirley left

"The Wonder Years" was not nearly the endearing nostalgic show by the end as it was early on, especially in the 1st and 2nd season

Hogan's Heroes. Only one guy left, but it didn't have a huge impact on the show when he was replaced. The main concept and the humor seemed to stay the same in all 6 seasons.

Originally posted by dlemond
WKRP in Cincinnati - just completely unappreciated.

The Odd Couple- perhaps in the top 5 best sitcoms of all time.
Actually, not perhaps- it is.

I agree with those.

Barney Miller never jumped the shark. Here you have a show that replaced two original characters (Chano and Fish) with two new characters (Dietrich and Levitt), and the show got even better. The loss of Jack Soo hurt, but it was dealt with it in a very classy way.

The Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore

Originally posted by dlemond
Seinfeld- innovator and soon to be remembered as one of the best shows ever.
If memory is serving me correctly, I recall Seinfeld being named as the best sitcom ever. I believe it was in TV Guide.

I could be wrong, so if anyone remembers, I'd appreciate the 411.

Actually.... TVGuide named it the greatest SHOW of all time.
Though I disagree.... I definately see where they are coming from.

I agree with those who mentioned "I Love Lucy," and "The Golden Girls."

Originally posted by Janice
If memory is serving me correctly, I recall Seinfeld being named as the best sitcom ever. I believe it was in TV Guide.

I could be wrong, so if anyone remembers, I'd appreciate the 411.


Yes you are wrong Jance. No Sitcom is the best sitcom ever. All Sitcoms are good in their own way.

Sanford and Son was one show that didn't jump the shark.
And you could say the same for the Beverly Hillbillies.

Originally posted by Sid
Sanford and Son was one show that didn't jump the shark.
And you could say the same for the Beverly Hillbillies.


Yes I agree with that on Sanford and Son. The show was always in the top 10 until the last season.

Do Britcoms count? If they do then I would have to say that Fawlty Towers never jumped the shark.

Originally posted by sara
Barney Miller never jumped the shark. Here you have a show that replaced two original characters (Chano and Fish) with two new characters (Dietrich and Levitt), and the show got even better. The loss of Jack Soo hurt, but it was dealt with it in a very classy way. I believe when Steve Landesberg was added to the show it made Barney Miller more enjoyable to watch; I love Abe Vigoda, but sometimes his FISH character was a little too dry and too many "Trips to the bathroom" jokes..which was funny for a while, but just became old..Also Barney Miller is one of these rare shows that became better after the 3rd season..and everybody clicked with each other..the chemistry was one of the best I have ever seen on a sitcom, especially between the interaction between Dietrich and Harris....

Shows in that never Jumped the Shark...

Sanford and Son..Hilarious to the end...6 seasons of brillance from Redd Foxx and his hilarious antics with Rollo and Aunt Eshter..


WKRP in Cincinnati...

Excellent writing...Never dull...all characters were brillant..

I know these shows are newer, but what about Full House, Fresh Prince and Boy Meets World. I know BMW and Full House came close to jumping, but did they ever really jump?

Originally posted by tvlover11
I know these shows are newer, but what about Full House, Fresh Prince and Boy Meets World. I know BMW and Full House came close to jumping, but did they ever really jump?


Fresh prince never jumped

Originally posted by Sitcom Analyzer
Yes you are wrong Jance. No Sitcom is the best sitcom ever. All Sitcoms are good in their own way.
No, you are wrong Solomon. I didn't say Seinfeld was the best sitcom ever, just that it was named that in TV Guide. :happyface

Originally posted by Janice
No, you are wrong Solomon. I didn't say Seinfeld was the best sitcom ever, just that it was named that in TV Guide. :happyface


Ok well Tv guide was wrong not you.

If you go by ratings, number of episodes, and awards it's technically "Cheers"

Originally posted by DianeChambers87
If you go by ratings, number of episodes, and awards it's technically "Cheers"

Many people would say that "Cheers" jumped the shark whenever Shelley Long left the show.

Originally posted by tvlover11
I know these shows are newer, but what about Full House, Fresh Prince and Boy Meets World. I know BMW and Full House came close to jumping, but did they ever really jump?

I agree with Full House. But it's good it ended when it did, because it was coming pretty close.

WKRP in Cincinnati
Cheers
the Odd Couple
Seinfeld

I Love Lucy never lost its touch.
Boy Meets World was in its best years toward the end
Friends I know its not over yet, but its in its last season but I don't think it jumped shark at all but others may disagree.

Major Dad never jumped the shark in its run on CBS. But after Shanna Reed left to join the cast of a sitcom with Bronson Pinchot, Major Dad did JTS.

I think Taxi jumped the shark when it switched networks and Latka went through his multiple personality phase.
yup

Cheers " hopped the fish" when it had that "Sam & Becky try to have a kid out of wedlock " story, but never really JTS

Major Dad never jumped the shark in its run on CBS. But after Shanna Reed left to join the cast of a sitcom with Bronson Pinchot, Major Dad did JTS.
Shanna Reed never left Major Dad. That sitcom she was in with Bronson Pinchot premiered after MD left the air.

* I Love Lucy

* The Odd Couple

* The Golden Girls

* The Dick Van Dyke Show

None of them ever jumped the shark. They remained consistent and very funny throughout their entire runs. There's more to list, but those stick out the most (as well as since nearly everyone has given those as examples, too).

Shanna Reed never left Major Dad. That sitcom she was in with Bronson Pinchot premiered after MD left the air.
Ugh Major Dad was not only renewed for a 5th season, it was suppose to air until '96 or '98. But CBS decided not to air a 5th season.

The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years

TAGS JUMPED THE SHARK SEVERAL TIMES IN 1965 ALONG.
1.IT WENT FORM BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR
2.BARNEY LEFT THE SHOW
3.WARREN BECAME THE NEW DEPUTY

TAGS JUMPED THE SHARK SEVERAL TIMES IN 1965 ALONG.
1.IT WENT FORM BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR
2.BARNEY LEFT THE SHOW
3.WARREN BECAME THE NEW DEPUTY
ill agree the show died when Barney left, but, changing to colour didnt hurt the show in any way...if anything , it was a good call at the time

Ugh Major Dad was not only renewed for a 5th season, it was suppose to air until '96 or '98. But CBS decided not to air a 5th season.
It was never renewed for a 5th season and never came close to airing that long. The show's ratings tanked that last year after it moved to Friday nights. Perhaps if it would have stayed on Mondays it would have lasted longer.

Boy Meets World, IMO, never jumped the shark

It was never renewed for a 5th season and never came close to airing that long. The show's ratings tanked that last year after it moved to Friday nights. Perhaps if it would have stayed on Mondays it would have lasted longer.
How come the series didn't end well like it was suppose to?

Why don't you find information of the show like I did?

And It shouldn't have move to Fridays, but it did.

How come the series didn't end well like it was suppose to?

Why don't you find information of the show like I did?

And It shouldn't have move to Fridays, but it did.
It didn't end well because it was canceled. If the show had been renewed they were going to move the cast to Washington D.C. You haven't given no source. All you said was that it was renewed and then CBS changed its mind and it was supposed to air until 96 or 98. The ratings tanked. It never came close to running that long. Its to bad because I did like the show but those are the breaks.

I don't think Gilmore Girls ever jumped the shark.

It didn't end well because it was canceled. If the show had been renewed they were going to move the cast to Washington D.C. You haven't given no source. All you said was that it was renewed and then CBS changed its mind and it was supposed to air until 96 or 98. The ratings tanked. It never came close to running that long. Its to bad because I did like the show but those are the breaks.
Look smart one, there's plenty of shows that ended pretty well like the Must See TV shows from the mid-80s, and you know that.

You & me at the Major Dad message board.

Look smart one, there's plenty of shows that ended pretty well like the Must See TV shows from the mid-80s, and you know that.

You & me at the Major Dad message board.
Of course I know that but whats that have to do with anything. Just because a show doesn't have a big finale doesn't mean it was renewed. A lot of hit shows are just canceled.

I don't think so. What do you want to do fight a duel? :lol: This is the most stupid discussion I've ever had with anybody since I've been on SO. :rofl:

Of course I know that but whats that have to do with anything. Just because a show doesn't have a big finale doesn't mean it was renewed. A lot of hit shows are just canceled.

I don't think so. What do you want to do fight a duel? :lol: This is the most stupid discussion I've ever had with anybody since I've been on SO. :rofl:
Let's talked about other shows that didn't jumped the shark like Quark, which debut in 1977. That show never jumped. Just because a show was cancelled after 8 episodes or so doesn't mean it jumped the shark. I know it did poor ion the ratings, and that is true. But it ended pretty darn well. But it never jumped the shark, and you know that Mr. (or Mrs.) DallasCowboysFanatic '64.

Go ahead and see Quark for yourself at http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=Quark+%281978%29/v=2/SID=e/TID=PREV_77/l=WS1/R=4/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=3/;_ylt=AsUkSpSIYHvJg5.15FRYfahXNyoA/SIG=11afm9iul/EXP=1123256923/*-http%3A//www.quark.name/

I think it's silly to list any show as not jumping that didn't run for at least 3 seasons or at least 60 episodes- especially British shows where the seasons are on average 6 or 7 episodes.

So JTS has a show like Fawlty Towers listed - come on, it was 12 episodes!
The Young Ones - 12 episodes!
If you can't get quality with 12 episodes for the whole series, what is the point?

You can list a lot of American shows that were around for one year, like Freaks and Geeks - 18 episodes - but really there is no chance for that to jump either.

Anyone agree that it is ridiculous to talk about shows never jumping that didn't last for a minimum of 50 - 60 episodes.

Let's talked about other shows that didn't jumped the shark like Quark, which debut in 1977. That show never jumped. Just because a show was cancelled after 8 episodes or so doesn't mean it jumped the shark. I know it did poor ion the ratings, and that is true. But it ended pretty darn well. But it never jumped the shark, and you know that Mr. (or Mrs.) DallasCowboysFanatic '64.

Go ahead and see Quark for yourself at http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=Quark+%281978%29/v=2/SID=e/TID=PREV_77/l=WS1/R=4/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=3/;_ylt=AsUkSpSIYHvJg5.15FRYfahXNyoA/SIG=11afm9iul/EXP=1123256923/*-http%3A//www.quark.name/
I don't know how we went from Major Dad to Quark. I really don't know. I saw one episode of it and it didn't impress me. Their have been a lot of short lived shows that have been canceled before their time though. Short lived Shows from the 70's I liked included CPO Sharkey, Doc, Lotsa Luck, Holmes And Yoyo, and Thats My Mama .More recently I liked both Norm and Titus. I never thought any of them JTS but I'm sure others may not agree.

if a show only ran 8 eps, it never had time to even SEE the shark, never mind jump it :lol:

if a show only ran 8 eps, it never had time to even SEE the shark, never mind jump it :lol:
:lol:

I don't know how we went from Major Dad to Quark. I really don't know. I saw one episode of it and it didn't impress me. Their have been a lot of short lived shows that have been canceled before their time though. Short lived Shows from the 70's I liked included CPO Sharkey, Doc, Lotsa Luck, Holmes And Yoyo, and Thats My Mama .More recently I liked both Norm and Titus. I never thought any of them JTS but I'm sure others may not agree.
I stopped talking about Major Dad a long time ago Dallas 1964.

I stopped talking about Major Dad a long time ago Dallas 1964.
Thats Dallas 1965.

whatever

I disagree about Family Matters. I like the older Urkel days much better. I could not stand the younger Urkel at all. In fact I found those failed inventions hilarious.

Show that never jumped the shark:

Fresh Prince of Bel Air - In fact it got better, characters gained depth and was not their stereotypical selves. The first season was like they were cardboard cuttings of their characters.

Show that never jumped the shark:

Fresh Prince of Bel Air - In fact it got better, characters gained depth and was not their stereotypical selves. The first season was like they were cardboard cuttings of their characters.


I was just about to say this.. The later eps are far more better & funnier than the older ones & you can hardly ever say that with a sitcom! In fact I sorta hate the earlier eps because Will&Carlton wasn't as goofy as later on & I found Uncle Phil to be annoying in the first season with his constantly trying to put down Will.

the following shows with 50-60 episodes that never jumped the shark in my opinion!

WKRP IN CINCINNATI(got screwed by cbs it should of ran many more seasons)

CHEERS(i enjoyed all 11 seasons and you might think i'm crazy but i think it could've lasted a couple of more seasons)

THE ODD COUPLE(excellent sitcom that got better with every season)

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW(there ever was never a bad episode but i'm sure others will have a different opinion)

THE MARY TLYER MOORE SHOW(alot of people think MTM jumped the shark when mary moved to another apartment but i disagree some of the best episodes aired after mary moved into her new apartment)

I lOVE LUCY(i LOVE the "lucy in connecticut" episodes and the hour long "lucy-desi comedy hour" episodes)

THE TWLIGHT ZONE 1959-64 version(yes i even liked the one hour episodes)

TAXI(should've ran more seasons i THINK)

EIGHT IS ENOUGH(ended at the right time)

SCRUBS(not yet,but it might next season)

EMERGENCY(i enjoyed every season)

SEINFELD(i liked the post larry david episodes)

SURVIVOR(i still enjoy it)

THE AMAZING RACE(still going strong)

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND(i think the last season is one of the best)

THE FLINTSTONES(i loved the great gazoo episodes)

GILLIGANS ISLAND(but i'm glad it ended when it did)

I don't think Home Improvement jumped the shark, it was pretty much ended the same as it started (save for Jonathan Taylor Thomas leaving, but thats not their fault).

Shows that never jumped-

"Seinfeld"- With such sheer brilliant cast and crew members, how could it?
"Mary Tyler Moore"- Who can ever bring theirself to hate the worlds sweetest fictious person, Mary Richards? Perfect from day one to day 168. And retouching on the cast, as explained by seemingly unsentimental Ed Asner, the tears shed in the final episode were real.
"The Odd Couple"- Four words- Tony Randall, Jack Klugman; enough said.
"WKRP"- Another classic.
"Cheers"- The shows greatest plots were indeed in the Diane years and written far better than in the Rebecca years. However the funniest episodes were in seasons six thru eleven.
"The Nanny"- Again, the episodes just got better with age.
"Dick Van Dyke"- With the comedic geniouses of Dick and Mary, how could the show ever jump? It again only got better with age.
"Golden Girls"- The plots always remained on the same level.

Shows too short to jump- Munsters, Addams, Gilligan.

others who never jumped- "Green Acres"- With Arnold in our hands, he made sure we got our weekly dose of laughter.
"Mr. Ed"- A talking animal who comes right out with what people are afraid to say about others? How can you not love that?
"I Love Lucy"- Some bad ones toward the end, but add Lucille Ball to the "vinegar" tasting episodes, and ummmmmmmm.... delicious!

AND THE BEST EXAMPLE OF ALL TIME OF A TELEVISION SERIES THAT NEVER JUMPED THE SHARK-


"THE HONEYMOONERS"- From the first skit on the Jackie Gleason show to the 39th of the best remembered, Jackie really was the greatest.

pat

TAXI(should've ran more seasons i THINK)

ending in 1983 was a very smart idea in retrospect.

If it had been renewed for the 1983-1984 season:
Andy Kaufman would've had to leave before the end of the season to die from cancer.
Tony Danza wouldn't have had time to get to sign onto Who's The Boss.
Danny DeVito wouldn't have been able to shoot Romancing The Stone, the film that took him from a TV star to a movie star.

The show ending in season 5 was probably best because the show was still good at that point, though not as good as seasons 2 and 3, and certainly the show still hadn't jumped the shark. It had a perfect run IMO.

"Cheers"- The shows greatest plots were indeed in the Diane years and written far better than in the Rebecca years. However the funniest episodes were in seasons six thru eleven.

Very true. Cheers was at its smartest in the Diane years, but its funniest with Rebecca.

My choices are somewhat different but I'll stand by them anyway:

1950s

I Love Lucy
The Honeymooners
Leave It To Beaver
The George Burns/Gracie Allen Show
The Phil Silvers Show/Sgt. Bilko

1960s

My Three Sons
The Dick Van Dyke Show
McHale's Navy
Gilligan's Island
The Addams Family
The Munsters
Get Smart
Green Acres
Gomer Pyle USMC
Hogan's Heroes
Family Affair
That Girl

1970s

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Odd Couple
Sanford and Son
The Bob Newhart Show
Soap

1980s

The Cosby Show
Family Ties
Newhart
The Golden Girls
ALF


After 1990, I'm stumped!

Friends

ending in 1983 was a very smart idea in retrospect.

If it had been renewed for the 1983-1984 season:
Andy Kaufman would've had to leave before the end of the season to die from cancer.
Tony Danza wouldn't have had time to get to sign onto Who's The Boss.
Danny DeVito wouldn't have been able to shoot Romancing The Stone, the film that took him from a TV star to a movie star.

The show ending in season 5 was probably best because the show was still good at that point, though not as good as seasons 2 and 3, and certainly the show still hadn't jumped the shark. It had a perfect run IMO.

you have a lot of very good points although i prefer Tony Danza in taxi over WHOS THE BOSS
but thats just my opinion.
however in retrospect i agree with you that TAXI ended at the right time after a perfect run.

Seinfeld NEVER jumped the shark for me. I think it ended at a good time; no one had had enough of it, the show hadn't gone downhill, and thats why re runs are still so much loved!

Another one I like to add is Golden Girls... I don't think the show has ever gotten to a dry point... I thought the show got better as every season came & gone!

Major Dad never jumped the shark in its run on CBS. But after Shanna Reed left to join the cast of a sitcom with Bronson Pinchot, Major Dad did JTS.

Shanna Reed did not leave Major Dad. The show was cancelled at the end of the 1992-1993 season and immediately co-starred with Bronson Pinchot in the sitcom The Trouble with Larry that was quickly yanked after 3 episodes. It was cancelled prematurely. I felt Major Dad had about three episodes left in the series but was cancelled too soon.

IMO I think that Family Ties and Full House never jumped the shark. Family Ties did have some changes, but I like it all the way through. So I don't think that it did.

Barny Miller, WKRP, Cheers, the Ateam, Gunsmoke, the Odd Couple, Threes Company, and Wings.

I Love Lucy
The Odd Couple
The Dick Van Dyke Show
All in the Family (It didnt really jump until it became Archie Bunker's place)
Corner Gas (5 years so far, and all gems )

i cant really think of one that's never jumped the shark, to be honest...besides current ones that are only in their 2nd or 3rd seasons, lol. i guess I Love Lucy never really did although i found the last season to be a lot worse then the others...

Family Ties jumped when they had the baby.

I dont agree, i feel it jumped when the baby was suddenly a 4 year old !!!
(from that season on, poor Jennifer spent all her time going to her room, cause the character had little or nothing to do)

The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years
Laverne & Shirley JUMPED BIG TIME when they moved to California...that was the beginning of the doom. Then Shirley left the show...terrible.

The Waltons jumped when Cousin Rose came to live there. Olivia left the family for her health reasons. John-boy was replaced by a different actor. Mary Ellen's husband was killed off but then suddenly came back to life. AWFUL!!

I LOVE LUCY, SEINFELD and so far CORNER GAS are shows that remain off the jump the shark list.

Laverne & Shirley JUMPED BIG TIME when they moved to California...that was the beginning of the doom. Then Shirley left the show...terrible.
Yeah, I remember wanting so badly to see Laverne & Shirley from a later season, since in the late '90's I didn't have cable, and the local station in Indianapolis only aired episodes from 1976-79. I remember wanting to see episodes from that era so much, only to be disappointed when I finally saw a couple. I was also disappointed to find out there was no real finale.

the odd couple
home inprovment
the jerffersons
the hulk
batman
the wonder years
I love lucy
quataum leap even i didn't like how they end it but it never jumped the shark.
the hooney mooners
family ties

The following shows never jumped the shark:

The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Family Matters
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Leave It To Beaver
Perfect Strangers
State of Grace
The Waltons
The Wonder Years
No offense but... HOW CAN YOU SAY FAMILY MATTERS NEVER JUMPED?! IT CHANGED SO MUCH, IT WAS LIKE YOU WERE WATCHING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SERIES! Lets start from the begining; originally it was about a middle class family trying to make ends meet, with haveing an officer father, and a security mother, their three kids, their grandmother, aunt, and nephew all living there! (OK, most people don't like this as much, but I liked it alot more than the next season, on!) Then half-way through season one Steve Urkel came on, turning this cute, dramedy into a ridiculous sci-fi show (not yet mind you, but gradually!) Urkel deffinitly added more humor, it was great having him as a character no more, and no less important than anyone else. Then in season 2 he became a regular giving him a bigger role, and others less! During season 5 MAJOR JTSing happened! First of all, they got rid of their youngest daughter, acting like she never existed. Plus the aunt left, but her son stayed with the Winslows?! So then in season 6 the aunt magically reappears, as if she never left, and had been living with them the entire time! Then in season 7 she dissapeared again!! Plus the grandmother and nephew were rarely seen, and the sci-fi starts. All of these alternate Urkel characters! Like Myrtle and Stephan. Urkel also makes very unrealistic inventions, officialy turning this down to earth comedy into SCI-FI! Then in season eight, they got a foster child, causing the nephew's role to be so reduced, he wasn't even a main cast member anymore! In season nine the grandmother and nephew dissapear, except for one episode. Not to mention the aunt spontaniously returns! Plus the mother swicthed actresses HALF WAY through the season! IF this show didn't JTS, then what did?!

OK, now for a show that never JTS that I didn't see mentioned! Reba! It lasted for six perfect seasons never losing it's comicalness and it never lost, or ADDED any characters! The only character who was even close was Lori Ann, appearing in 7 of 125 episodes!

Family Matters DID JUMP BIG TIME. It went from Family Matters to the URKEL SHOW.

Family Matters DID JUMP BIG TIME. It went from Family Matters to the URKEL SHOW.

Hey, I actually LIKED it as "The Urkel Show". "Did I do THAAAAAAAT?" "Heh h'h' (snort snort)!" I challenge you to find somebody who doesn't get a huge laugh out of those! Steve was very central to that show if you ask me. I thought he provided 99 percent of the humor. :lol:

Then again, I started watching it in late 1990 when Steve was pretty established among the cast.

Family Matters DID JUMP BIG TIME. It went from Family Matters to the URKEL SHOW.
I remember loving the Urkel character as a kid... as an adult... God, no. I remember me and the other kids in school who watched it. We didn't call it Family Matters. We called it "Urkel."

In season nine the grandmother and nephew dissapear, except for one episode. Not to mention the aunt spontaniously returns! Plus the mother swicthed actresses HALF WAY through the season! IF this show didn't JTS, then what did?!
Rosetta LeNoire (the grandmother) and Jo Marie Peyton left because they had enough of the show focusing so much on Steve Urkel. It's a pretty sucky situation, especially for Jo Marie. It was her show to begin with.

I thought the Grandmother left due to health reasons, I remember hearing that she was in a car accident and she was already in her 70's.

Back on topic, imo Frasier never jumped shark.

Rosetta LeNoire (the grandmother) and Jo Marie Peyton left because they had enough of the show focusing so much on Steve Urkel. It's a pretty sucky situation, especially for Jo Marie. It was her show to begin with.
Yes I know! Jo Marie was shafted from her own show, and had every right to be upset!

Through the b-s and the annoying Urkel mess, you'll be pleasantly surprised that "Family Matters" is one of the longest-running African-American shows of all-time, whether you love it or hate it.

I'd say the sitcoms that truly never jumped are:

The Jeffersons - even through the Lionel switches (after all the original Lionel did return!), this show was still great!

Sanford and Son

I Love Lucy

The Dick van Dyke Show

WKRP in Cincinnati

Odd Couple, The

Cheers

The Jeffersons - even through the Lionel switches (after all the original Lionel did return!), this show was still great!

Definitely disagree with you on The Jeffersons. By the end of the show, the characters (especially Tom Willis) were stupider than ever, the show was repeating earlier storylines, and George became nice to everyone, which was the opposite of what I wanted to see.

Yes I know! Jo Marie was shafted from her own show, and had every right to be upset!

I agree with you, the producers should have listened to her and not only that, the show should have ended when Jo Marie left