When Disney Channel Sitcoms Jump the Shark/Bone the Fish

[TMC]

I'm going to use 2003 (when That's So Raven debuted) as a starting point, since I consider that to be the first "modern" live-action Disney Channel show (i.e. produced by It's a Laugh Productions instead of single-camera, laugh-track free shows like Lizzie Maguire, Even Stevens, and Phil of the Future). I'm not for the time being, going to focus on Disney XD shows like Kickin' It, I'm in the Band, or Lab Rats. Nor am I going to include Jesse or Austin & Ally simply because they're every early in their runs.

*That's So Raven

*Cory in the House

*The Suite Life of Zack & Cody/The Suite Life on Deck - Yes, I consider these two to essentially be the same show albeit w/ different locations.

*Hannah Montana

*The Wizards of Waverly Place

*JONAS/JONAS L.A.

*Sonny w/ a Chance - As a matter of I suppose, clarity, I'll consider So Random! to in effect, be the third season of Sonny w/ a Chance (even though, it's officially, a stand-alone series).

*Good Luck Charlie

*Shake it Up

*A.N.T. Farm

http://www.bonethefish.com/

[comedyfreak]

So are you saying the above shows all jumped the shark?? Good luck Charlie and Wisards along with Hannah Montana I really enjoy.

[Buffyboy323]

I feel like the Disney Channel 'Jumped The Shark' before 2003, around the time they stopped airing actual Disney movies, The Mickey Mouse Club, and daily reruns of Brotherly Love, Boy Meets World, Sister Sister, and Growing Pains. I liked the network best during the late-'90s.

All the 'new' shows have laugh tracks and poor acting and singing, but they're not much different from the shows without a laugh track. Raven and Hannah Montana were basically Lizzie McGuire with a spin. Most of their shows are recycled, just with different actors. The premise is usually the same for their entire lineup, with tweaks here and there. Disney is no longer a fun escape, it's where all the cool kids go to stay relevant. It seems like only a temporary platform for it's stars to move on and do bigger things. Maybe that's why the acting seems all around bad and phoned in.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

So are you saying the above shows all jumped the shark?? Good luck Charlie and Wisards along with Hannah Montana I really enjoy.

I'm asking when they supposedly jumped the shark!

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Originally Posted by Buffyboy323

I feel like the Disney Channel 'Jumped The Shark' before 2003, around the time they stopped airing actual Disney movies, The Mickey Mouse Club, and daily reruns of Brotherly Love, Boy Meets World, Sister Sister, and Growing Pains. I liked the network best during the late-'90s.

All the 'new' shows have laugh tracks and poor acting and singing, but they're not much different from the shows without a laugh track. Raven and Hannah Montana were basically Lizzie McGuire with a spin. Most of their shows are recycled, just with different actors. The premise is usually the same for their entire lineup, with tweaks here and there. Disney is no longer a fun escape, it's where all the cool kids go to stay relevant. It seems like only a temporary platform for it's stars to move on and do bigger things. Maybe that's why the acting seems all around bad and phoned in.

Yeah I have to agree with you. Disney Channel basically jumped the shark when it went to cable. I was one of those spoiled kids whose parents bought it before it was widely available...and I just remember such a change in it when it went to cable. I was still young at the time and even I could see that. Everyone else my age seemed to like it well enough, though, so whatever. I always preferred Nickelodeon but that was before Nickelodeon went to hell, too lol.

[PrettyinPink55]

I would have to disagree.

While I agree that today's Disney Channel is far different from what it used to be, I think it's still a pretty good network. I too loved the pre-2003 era of Disney Channel with Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, In a Heartbeat, So Weird, The Baby-Sitter's Club, the various Disney Channel Original Movies, etc., but I also enjoy today's Disney Channel.

The shows are fun, don't take themselves too seriously, have decent writing, and feature, I feel, fairly talented actors/actresses. I agree that DC has become a launching pad of sorts for actors to jump start their careers, but I don't think that diminishes the quality of their shows.

I haven't been able to get into Fish Hooks, My Baby-Sitter's a Vampire, or the new Dog With a Blog. I haven't given either a chance, but every other show on the network, Good Luck Charlie, Shake it Up, A.N.T. Farm, Jessie, Austin & Ally, Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, etc. are cute, funny shows. It's a good, fun escape for me. When I watch Disney Channel, I'm not looking for Emmy Award-winning television, just a few light, fun laughs. I think the network more than delivers that.

While I agree several of the premises of the shows seem to be similar, (A.N.T. Farm, Austin & Ally, Shake it Up, all deal with music/dance and uberly talented children,) they are still entertaining and I almost always can find something interesting to watch on Disney Channel. I don't watch Disney XD. None of those shows appeal to me, so I can't speak for that network.

But even though today's Disney Channel is starkly different from yesterday's I still wouldn't say that it's jumped the shark. I would like to see a few dramas or non-laugh tracked shows on Disney, however.

I write this as I watch Austin & Ally!!

[TMC]

[Tubehead]

i gave up on girl meets world it was like there the same epsidoes of boy meets world!! then the girl Riley would always act goofy around the boy she likes !! i still enjoy boy meets world better!!