when did "Leave It To Beaver" jump the shark? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

APPLEI · 06-13-2007, 07:22 AM

in my opinion Leave It To Beaver jumped the shark when Beaver's voice changed.

howilu · 06-13-2007, 10:11 AM

There may have several shark jumps throughout ita six years.

1. Beaver becomes an awkward adolescent.
2. More episodes focus on Wally.
3. The theme music changed in the last season,

JudgeGarth · 06-13-2007, 10:46 AM

In my opinion it never did. It changed as the boys grew older, but that didn't hurt it. If anything, it would be the 1983 tv movie 'Still the Beaver,' which spawned the new series, but even so, I'm glad they made that reunion movie (and series)!

FOL85NatandMrsGRock · 06-13-2007, 05:58 PM

well i wish i could see the reunion movie even though a lot of people say that it just blew all perspectives out of the water because "beaver" had the failing marriage and they still called him beaver when he was like 30 some years old. if you have seen it can you tell me more about it? it's hard to find information about it

tdr · 06-13-2007, 08:01 PM

I have sometimes thought the term "jump the shark" could be replaced by "fell in the soup." Beaver fans know this refers to the episode, "In the Soup." While that definitely wasn't the last good moment for LITB, it did seem (to me) that from that ep onward the predicaments Beaver got into at the urging of his friends were less believable, and basically that Beaver was less mature than he should have been and 'mountains were made out of molehills.' For example, at the end of "The Typewriter," Beaver has a guilt complex for having let Eddie type his assignment, which he (Beaver) had already written. And then in the last season, in the 8th grade, he lets Gilbert talk him into opening the emergency exit to let him crash into the movie theater, when Beaver himself said "that's kids' stuff." It seems to come down to the idea that Beaver is going to be a gullible child forever, and a teenager, and later an adult, unable to stand up for his own sense of values gradually gets sad or pathetic. "In the Soup" seemed to be the marker between the cuteness of an innocent gullible child and the sad state of a wimp.

Tap Dancer · 06-15-2007, 08:58 PM

It never jumped for me.

comedyfreak · 06-16-2007, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howilu

There may have several shark jumps throughout ita six years.
3. The theme music changed in the last season,

I thought the theme during the last season was great, it had a nice tune. Leave It To Beaver never jumped shark for me.

Torgo · 08-08-2007, 04:08 PM

I don't think the show jumped the shark, there were a few weak episodes, but still had a good run.

06-13-2007, 07:22 AM	#1
APPLEI Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 16, 2000 Location: JACKSON MI. 49203 Posts: 810	when did "Leave It To Beaver" jump the shark? in my opinion Leave It To Beaver jumped the shark when Beaver's voice changed.

06-13-2007, 05:58 PM	#4
FOL85NatandMrsGRock The Lovable Sarah Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2000 Location: Wisconsin (Same Place Charlotte's From and where That 70's Show takes place!) .... Wish I was in Mayfield USA! Posts: 1,770	well i wish i could see the reunion movie even though a lot of people say that it just blew all perspectives out of the water because "beaver" had the failing marriage and they still called him beaver when he was like 30 some years old. if you have seen it can you tell me more about it? it's hard to find information about it
	__________________ Lorelai: (on the phone to Luke) So where are you anyways? Luke: I'm somewhere near if I lived here I'd shoot myself Lorelai: Oh I hear it's lovely there this time of year Gilmore Girls Eric: This guy's no good, I'm telling you, I have a 5th sense about these things! Jack: You mean a 6th sense? Eric: No, that's smell! You gotta be lucky to get that one! Boy Meets World

06-13-2007, 10:11 AM	#2
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,962	There may have several shark jumps throughout ita six years. 1. Beaver becomes an awkward adolescent. 2. More episodes focus on Wally. 3. The theme music changed in the last season,

06-13-2007, 10:46 AM	#3
JudgeGarth Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 07, 2004 Location: Wheaton, IL Posts: 443	In my opinion it never did. It changed as the boys grew older, but that didn't hurt it. If anything, it would be the 1983 tv movie 'Still the Beaver,' which spawned the new series, but even so, I'm glad they made that reunion movie (and series)!

06-13-2007, 08:01 PM	#5
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	I have sometimes thought the term "jump the shark" could be replaced by "fell in the soup." Beaver fans know this refers to the episode, "In the Soup." While that definitely wasn't the last good moment for LITB, it did seem (to me) that from that ep onward the predicaments Beaver got into at the urging of his friends were less believable, and basically that Beaver was less mature than he should have been and 'mountains were made out of molehills.' For example, at the end of "The Typewriter," Beaver has a guilt complex for having let Eddie type his assignment, which he (Beaver) had already written. And then in the last season, in the 8th grade, he lets Gilbert talk him into opening the emergency exit to let him crash into the movie theater, when Beaver himself said "that's kids' stuff." It seems to come down to the idea that Beaver is going to be a gullible child forever, and a teenager, and later an adult, unable to stand up for his own sense of values gradually gets sad or pathetic. "In the Soup" seemed to be the marker between the cuteness of an innocent gullible child and the sad state of a wimp.

06-15-2007, 08:58 PM	#6
Tap Dancer Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 20, 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 754	It never jumped for me.

08-08-2007, 04:08 PM	#8
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,033	I don't think the show jumped the shark, there were a few weak episodes, but still had a good run.