Something I Never Understood About "Jumped the Shark" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Adamantium · 09-24-2013, 09:10 PM

The phrase came from an episode of "Happy Days" where Fonzie jumped a shark and the person who started that website felt THAT was the moment "Happy Days" started going downhill. Yet every other show, it's never just a plot of an episode that was so bad the show went downhill, it was always a cast member leaving or a change of location or the addition of a cute kid.

It seems to me most people would say "Happy Days" jumped the shark when Richie and Ralph left the series.

It just seems odd to me that all other series pick a big moment in a show (such as any of the three I mentioned above) to say it jumped whereas "Happy Days" was for one perhaps overly silly episode that, to me, had nothing to do with its decline in later seasons.

Regulus · 09-24-2013, 10:20 PM

Just about every TV Show ever produced has one or more bad episodes in it. (You know the saying, "There's always a bad Apple in the Barrel"). Usually when a series is in its last legs the bad episodes far outnumber the good ones. Plots get lame, even predictable IMO the point where the bad episodes begin to outnumber the good ones is the point where a show "Jumps the Shark".

Mr. Television · 09-24-2013, 10:22 PM

I happen to like the jump the shark episode. lol

Tubehead · 09-25-2013, 12:03 AM

heroes jumped the shark after the second season

MacLeaper · 09-25-2013, 10:05 AM

Since I happen to love "Happy Days" all the way through all 11 seasons and its various spinoffs- I've never liked the term "jumped the shark". I don't think Fonzie waterskiing over a shark is out of character or anything- I mean, he did jump over a line of cars on his motorcycle because "you wanted to see it", in an earlier episode.
Of course, I don't get into analyzing all my favorite shows that much to say that certain seasons or episodes are worse than others- I just watch and love them all.

benjamoon · 09-25-2013, 09:24 PM

I've always thought about that too. Yes Happy Days did eventually jump the shark but it didn't happen with that episode. It's actually taken a symbol for ridiculous and insane episodes and changed it to when a show goes off the deep end. Oh well haha

tvfan25 · 09-25-2013, 09:44 PM

I don't think that Happy Days started going downhill with that episode. I actually liked it. It started going downhill when Richie left, they brought in KC and Roger, Fonzie started dating the woman with the kid, and also when they remade Arnold's.

EmoJoe · 09-25-2013, 11:12 PM

I think "jump the shark" is a dumb term anyway, because TV shows rarely go downhill because of ONE singular moment. Usually it's a pretty steady decline. And if it is sudden, it's rarely because of one episode or scene and more because of a change in the writing staff or something.

gidgetgrape · 09-26-2013, 12:15 AM

I think it was just a gimmicky, easy to remember title the creator came up with.

waichingliu81 · 09-26-2013, 08:19 PM

what i'd want to know is, how come this phrase is used so often by people and critics when talking about shows that have been cancelled because of the last few seasons of its run and very rarely with shows that have had a long run, or are currently on air today but have lasted more than 3, 4 seasons?

Retro4Life · 09-26-2013, 08:26 PM

The show was still good for a couple of years after that particular episode; I agree that Richie (and, to a lesser extent, Ralph) leaving was the real "jumping" point.

And I also agree with your analysis of the seeming inconsistency in the definition of the term.

megamanj2004 · 09-26-2013, 08:31 PM

IMO, I love that term and it's an easy synonymous phrase that's become more than just related to the Happy Days moment in question.

Zoneboy · 09-27-2013, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmoJoe

I think "jump the shark" is a dumb term.

Agreed but "Bone the Fish" is worse.

visaman666 · 09-27-2013, 01:36 AM

If you grew up watching the show, like I did. I was 10 when the series started, Fonzie jumping the shark was rather silly, and silly is not what you want to associate with the Fonz. It wasn't that particular episode that marked the decline, but the episodes following it that mark the decline, also it marked the time when one realizes that they are not 10 years old anymore.

Torgo · 09-27-2013, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Agreed but "Bone the Fish" is worse.

Exactamundo.

09-24-2013, 09:10 PM	#1
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,820	Something I Never Understood About "Jumped the Shark" The phrase came from an episode of "Happy Days" where Fonzie jumped a shark and the person who started that website felt THAT was the moment "Happy Days" started going downhill. Yet every other show, it's never just a plot of an episode that was so bad the show went downhill, it was always a cast member leaving or a change of location or the addition of a cute kid. It seems to me most people would say "Happy Days" jumped the shark when Richie and Ralph left the series. It just seems odd to me that all other series pick a big moment in a show (such as any of the three I mentioned above) to say it jumped whereas "Happy Days" was for one perhaps overly silly episode that, to me, had nothing to do with its decline in later seasons.

09-24-2013, 10:20 PM	#2
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374	Just about every TV Show ever produced has one or more bad episodes in it. (You know the saying, "There's always a bad Apple in the Barrel"). Usually when a series is in its last legs the bad episodes far outnumber the good ones. Plots get lame, even predictable IMO the point where the bad episodes begin to outnumber the good ones is the point where a show "Jumps the Shark".
	__________________ Grail Shows: *Doc Elliot, Owen Marshall-Counselor of Law, Here's Boomer, Three for the Road, Holmes and YoYo* Bucket List Shows: *Hot Wheels, Skyhawks, Run Joe Run, Westwood*

09-24-2013, 10:22 PM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	I happen to like the jump the shark episode. lol
	__________________ Sonny

09-25-2013, 12:03 AM	#4
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	heroes heroes jumped the shark after the second season

09-25-2013, 10:05 AM	#5
MacLeaper Child of the 80s Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2001 Posts: 3,359	Since I happen to love "Happy Days" all the way through all 11 seasons and its various spinoffs- I've never liked the term "jumped the shark". I don't think Fonzie waterskiing over a shark is out of character or anything- I mean, he did jump over a line of cars on his motorcycle because "you wanted to see it", in an earlier episode. Of course, I don't get into analyzing all my favorite shows that much to say that certain seasons or episodes are worse than others- I just watch and love them all.
	__________________ "Oh boy!" - Dr. Sam Beckett "You can do anything you wanna do if you put your mind to it." - MacGyver "Have mercy!" - Uncle Jesse "Ha, I kill me!" - ALF "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No man comes to The Father but by Me."- Jesus Christ (John 14:6)

09-25-2013, 09:24 PM	#6
benjamoon Bewitched Senior Member Join Date: Jun 15, 2000 Location: New York Posts: 1,450	I've always thought about that too. Yes Happy Days did eventually jump the shark but it didn't happen with that episode. It's actually taken a symbol for ridiculous and insane episodes and changed it to when a show goes off the deep end. Oh well haha
	__________________ My Blog: http://benjamonsterstv.blogspot.com/ My Site: peaktvdatabase.weebly.com My favorite TV shows: Bewitched, I Love Lucy, American Dreams, Mary Tyler Moore, The Office, Happy Days, The West Wing, Modern Family, Friday Night Lights, Friends, Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, and Parenthood

09-25-2013, 09:44 PM	#7
tvfan25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 10, 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 634	I don't think that Happy Days started going downhill with that episode. I actually liked it. It started going downhill when Richie left, they brought in KC and Roger, Fonzie started dating the woman with the kid, and also when they remade Arnold's.

09-25-2013, 11:12 PM	#8
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	I think "jump the shark" is a dumb term anyway, because TV shows rarely go downhill because of ONE singular moment. Usually it's a pretty steady decline. And if it is sudden, it's rarely because of one episode or scene and more because of a change in the writing staff or something.
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

09-26-2013, 12:15 AM	#9
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	I think it was just a gimmicky, easy to remember title the creator came up with.

09-26-2013, 08:19 PM	#10
waichingliu81 debbie allen Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2006 Location: london, england, UK Posts: 4,347	what i'd want to know is, how come this phrase is used so often by people and critics when talking about shows that have been cancelled because of the last few seasons of its run and very rarely with shows that have had a long run, or are currently on air today but have lasted more than 3, 4 seasons?

09-26-2013, 08:26 PM	#11
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	The show was still good for a couple of years after that particular episode; I agree that Richie (and, to a lesser extent, Ralph) leaving was the real "jumping" point. And I also agree with your analysis of the seeming inconsistency in the definition of the term.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

09-26-2013, 08:31 PM	#12
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,357	IMO, I love that term and it's an easy synonymous phrase that's become more than just related to the Happy Days moment in question.
	__________________ 10 AND A HALF YEARS GOING STRONG!!!

09-27-2013, 01:36 AM	#14
visaman666 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 818	If you grew up watching the show, like I did. I was 10 when the series started, Fonzie jumping the shark was rather silly, and silly is not what you want to associate with the Fonz. It wasn't that particular episode that marked the decline, but the episodes following it that mark the decline, also it marked the time when one realizes that they are not 10 years old anymore.