Jumped The Shark

[treky]

what shows do you think "jumped the shark" and when? For those who don't know "JUMPED THE SHARK" means "went downhill". Here's my choices:

MASH-when it became "the Alan Alda show"
Happy Days-when it became "the Fonzie show" and later "the 70s Fonzie show"
Laverne & Shirley-when they moved to L.A. and half the town went with them
Ellen-when being a lesbian became her obsession
Mad About You-when Paul & Jamie had a baby
Friends-when Ross & Rachel got together again, and broke up FOR THE 90TH TIME!
Frasier-when Niles & Daphne finally got together:wave: :wave:

[DarleneIllyria]

Hmm, I have to admit that just about every show I like jumped the shark. Let me list them and describe them. I think I listed them before, but I'm bored, so what the hell.

Leave it to Beaver- Yeah, jumped when Beav got older. Also, when Larry Mondello (Rusty Stevens) and Mrs. Mondello (Madge Blake) left the show, sure didn't help matters any.

The Andy Griffith Show- Exit Barney Fife and we go to the color seasons. The viewers find out that Andy Taylor is the first person to experience pms for 3 whole years. You get out them black and white eps and watch them. He didn't bite off heads. He was still pretty fun to watch. You can just look at the b & w episodes and see that Andy Griffith is having such a great time on the show. The last 3 seasons, damn, he was grumpy to everybody.

Batman- Season 2 was heading towards the shark, season 3 it jumped. Maybe the movie did it? I like the movie, but maybe the movie did have something to do with it. Season 1 had great crooks and the storylines were awesome. The movie comes along and I think the writing prob. went out the window when they returned to do a 2nd season. The storylines weren't as good and they were just getting some horrible crooks. Season 3 continued the crappy storylines and crappy crooks. Cliffhangers were eliminated. Oh, they made it look like we had a cliffhanger. Catwoman sneaks into town or something and it shows her taking her claws to cut some glass to get some rare jewel or something. You had to tune in next week to see if Catwoman will outwit Batman, Robin and Batgirl. Nope, I don't count it as a cliffhanger.

Sanford and Son- It never jumped. Yeah, it got weak, but it didn't fully jump. If it lasted one more season, it would've jumped.

All in the Family- Ah, this is pretty obvious- Exit Mike and Gloria, Enter Stephanie.

My Favorite Martian- Hmm, it didn't jump. Didn't really have the time to jump. Maybe I'll file it with Sanford and Son. MFM didn't get really weak during season 3, but we were already in color during that season. Rarely can a show make it through the jump from b & w to color w/o jumping. Maybe if it lasted one more season, it would've jumped.

The Twilight Zone- Season 4 and the hour eps. I can name a few eps that I like during season 4, but it's not that many. Glad they wised up and went back to 30 minute eps.

Diff'rent Strokes- Exit Kimberly (for awhile, anyway) and Enter Sam and Maggie

The Facts of Life- Eh, I didn't really like Pippa. I still think the cast made up for her. Maybe it got weak towards the end, but not enough to fully jump. (Might I add, I hate the final ep. It focused mainly on Blair and her buying Eastland and then they do this tiny wrap up with the others that lasted about 3 minutes.)

[treky]

there's some that I forgot to add: (some of these you also listed)-

"The Andy Griffith show"-when Barney left, and everything suddenly turned into color
"Leave it to Beaver"-when Beaver became a teenager
"All in the family"-when the Stivics moved to California, and Stefanie joined the cast
"The Cosby show"-when the kids became adults
"Roseanne"-the entire last season
"Get Smart"-when Max & 99 got married
"McHales Navy"-when they went to Italy


and the no. 1 choice:

"Bewitched"-the "great Darrin switch"!!!

[Central Perk]

Frasier- The 10th Season. The writing just go so stupid and Frasier became a major annoyance.

Cheers- Never Jumped. Even though the last season was pretty weak it was still pretty funny.

Newsradio- Max Louis. The show pretty much jumped the shark when Max was added. He was just really annoying.

Saved By The Bell- Tori. Tori was just annoying and I didn't like her character. I personally think the show would have been better off with no one replacing Kelly & Jessie. The show jumped back once the finale aired.

[Unwanted Angel]

Laverne and Shirley did Jump the Shark when they moved to Cali IMO...I hated the Cali episodes

[DarleneIllyria]

Originally posted by treky


"Bewitched"-the "great Darrin switch"!!!

Aw, I completely forgot about that. Dick York rocked. He was the perfect Darrin. Dick Sargent was okay. I'm sure fans still liked the show, but I just could never get into DS's Darrin.

We need to add another switcheroo, Lionel Jefferson. The first Lionel was the best. The second Lionel sucked, imo.

[Sitcomwriter]

Friends-It's been face-to-face with the shark since season 5 but it just jumped recently with Season 9.It's so bland now.

Curb Your Enthusiasm-Season 3 wasn't nearly as entertaining as seasons 1 and 2 and it was also the most vulgar.

[GoldenFamilyTies]

The Cosby Show - Pam.
Family Ties - Making the show all about Alex. (Season 7)

[*PinkLady*]

Definite jumpers:

Everybody Loves Raymond - too much fighting, the same jokes are getting used over and over again.
Laverne and Shirley - Shirley leaves.
Malcolm in the Middle - Puberty. This also applies to the Wonder Years and Boy Meets World.

[ClassicComedyFan2]

"The Andy Griffith Show" - When Barney left and it lacked a true humorous quality (except for when Don Knotts came back)

"The Rerun Show" - When it considered Married w/ Children a classic and did skits from it.

"Happy Days" - Jumped from the start, then became good when the live audience was added. So, it did a REVERSE jump, and was good from Fall 75-84.

"Friends", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Will &Grace" - Day One.

Speculation:
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"Pokemon" - With both Misty and Brock set to leave, I feel this show will indeed Jump the Shark

[dawsongirl]

Originally posted by Dr. Frasier Crane
Saved By The Bell- Tori. Tori was just annoying and I didn't like her character. I personally think the show would have been better off with no one replacing Kelly & Jessie. The show jumped back once the finale aired.

I agree. Tori was so annoying.

[Adamantium]

Wings - When Lowell left after five and a half seasons. Although he wasn't one of the three major characters, you could always count on him for a laugh. Then when he was off the show, you could tell something was missing.

The Andy Griffith Show - When Barney left.

Ellen - When she came out of the closet. At first it remained funny. But in season five, we hardly saw the rest of the cast as each episode focused on Ellen and her girlfriend. Now, don't misunderstand me, I still like Ellen Degeneres, it's just that her show wasn't as funny after she came out.

In the House - When Debbie Allen left. Although the show was never the funniest show, I liked it, but once she left, it went from a family comedy to a workplace comedy.

[Bonnie1983]

Happy Days - When Richie and Ralph left and went away to join the Army and when the Fonz became a teacher. Those seasons are unbearable. I can't watch them because they are so bad.

Sabrina, The Teenage Witch - When Sabrina went to college. That show is awful now. Why is it even still on the air?

Saved By The Bell - After the second season. The first season was awesome, original, and side splittingly funny. The second season wasn't quite as good but it was still enjoyable. The rest of the series...two thumbs down.

The Cosby Show - When the kids started aging, especially little Rudy.

Diff'rent Strokes - When Willis and Kimberly left that show was never the same.

Moonlighting - When Dave and Maddie slept together.

[Sitcomwriter]

Sabrina-When they tried to bring back all the magical things (this season).I liked it better when there was no magic at all and when Sabrina and Aaron got engaged.She should be with Harvey!

[David]

Three's Company- Exit Chrissy, Enter Cindy

Three's Company- Jack's Bistro.. I didnt really like the scenes in the bistro

Different Strokes- Exit Dana Plato

Laverne and Shirley- Exit Shirley

[AtlantaBravesFan29]

Why don't they call Sabrina The Teenage Witch just "Sabrina" because she is no longer a teenager and over 21 and nearly out of college??? Jumping the shark material there.

[Christopher]

Friends - when they messed with Ross's character. He is so DAMN ANNOYING!!

Golden Girls - when almost all their episodes are flashbacks it was annoying.

Three's Company - Terri bugged me I loved Cindy she should have stayed longer as a series regular before Terri being added.

Step By Step - even though I like the later seasons Jason Marsden was so freakin annoying to watch. He is not funny at all.

Charmed - after Shannen Doherty left the episodes were silly and had no point. Plus Rose McGowan is stupid. I can't stand her. Sorry fans.

[Chocoholic]

Wings- Lowell left and Joe and Helen got married.

NewsRadio- Phil Hartman died.

Everybody Loves Raymond- too much fighting, everyone is mean-spirited, same plots over and over.

ER- Exit Doug Ross, enter Abby Lockhart.

[Sal]

Say, isn't there another website where you can do this? Hmmm! Anyway, here's my list:


Happy Days---When Ron Howard left the show

All In The Family---When Archie started to mellow and become a more sympathetic character. I liked him better when he was an angry and miserable SOB.

Three's Company---When Nurse Terri arrived

The Monkees---The second season. The first was very funny and brilliantly done. The show itself won an Emmy as Best Comedy and the band had many excellent hits. But in Year Two, they seemed rather bored and uninterested and may have been caught up in a 'been there, done that' mode when it came to the scripts.

The Andy Griffith Show---The arrival of the very dull and annoying Howard Sprague.

The Beverly Hillbillies---When the crew began doing episodes from Silver Dollar City. They should have done more scenes in Hooterville. Those crossover moments were great!

One Day At A Time---When Valerie Bertinelli married Eddie Van Halen. I just couldn't watch it anymore!

My Three Sons---The final season, highlighted by Robbie's absence and a visit from Steve's Cousin Fegus.

The Simpsons---When the Simpsons visited Toronto in one episode last season. Around here, it received a huge buildup, but in watching it, I felt very disappointed and have rarely watched it since.

A Different World---When Marisa Tomei and Lisa Bonet left after the first season and the show was written around Jasmine Guy.

Night Court---When Marsha Warfield joined the cast as a bailiff. I hated her!

Soap---When Jessica Tate started dating a Spanish dictator and Jodie went from a lovable gay man to doing impressions of an elderly Jewish man.



And now for a few general "Jump The Shark" categories:

NEVER JUMPED

The Phil Silvers Show
Green Acres
Car 54, Where Are You?
Gilligan's Island
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Munsters
The Flying Nun
The Odd Couple



DEATH

Petticoat Junction
Chico and the Man
Dennis The Menace

BIRTH

Murphy Brown
Frasier (Roz's baby)
Friends (Rachel's baby)
Family Ties (Birth of Andrew Keaton)
Bewitched (birth of Adam Stephens)



DAY ONE

Full House
Who's The Boss?
Growing Pains
Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air
Gimme A Break
Andy Richter Controls The Universe
Cedric The Entertainer
Family Matters


NEW KID IN TOWN

The Partridge Family
The Brady Bunch

TED MCGINLEY

The Love Boat
Married With Children

MARRIAGE

Rhoda
I Dream Of Jeannie
Get Smart

MOVING

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Laverne and Shirley

PUBERTY

The Wonder Years
Malcolm In The Middle
Leave It To Beaver
Ozzie and Harriet


There! That should cover a fair bit of ground.

[Sitcomwriter]

Will & Grace-When Grace and Leo got married and the show stopped being funny.

[Jimbo]

Happy Days, during the multi-part episode where the gang travelled to California, and Fonzie put on water skis and jumped over the shark pen.

Oh........wait a minute.......that was the original inspiration for the "Jump the Shark" web site.......nevermind!

[ClassicComedyFan2]

Originally posted by BravesFan712002
Why don't they call Sabrina The Teenage Witch just "Sabrina" because she is no longer a teenager and over 21 and nearly out of college??? Jumping the shark material there.

It's a legal thing with Archie Comics, and they can't even change the name. Its the same reason why certain topics are never covered and such.

[SBTB Geek]

TORI!... enough said.

[Christopher]

Originally posted by SBTB Geek
TORI!... enough said.



Tori did not ruin Saved By The Bell! :mad: If anything ruined SBTB it was the dumb Zach/Kelly storylines, they got old. Tori gave us a break from the same old stuff, it was great.

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by Barnabas




Tori did not ruin Saved By The Bell! :mad: If anything ruined SBTB it was the dumb Zach/Kelly storylines, they got old. Tori gave us a break from the same old stuff, it was great.

I liked Tori. The one thing that bugs me, is that she was gone without explanation. I don't think SBTB ever Jumped the Shark. I mean it was a silly show to begin with and remained that way throughout the college season.

[Christopher]

Originally posted by TVAdam


I liked Tori.




I knew there had to be other Tori fans besides me lol

[SBTB Geek]

Tori attempted to ruin "Saved By The Bell"- and she almost did, but luckily the finale, and the college episodes brought everything back to a good state.

The Zack & Kelly themes kept everyone tuning-in. They were quite interesting, and everyone wanted to see how they'd turn out.

Elizabeth Berkeley's role on "Showgirls" could of also hurt SBTB's ratings in syndication. But luckily it created more of an interest, and controversy.

I kind of agree with TV Adam, SBTB never actually jumped the shark but came close a few times. The Tori Episodes showed too much of the fin.

[Sal]

Maybe he meant Tori Spelling?

Certainly one of the most nauseatingly bad actresses of the last generation!

[Christopher]

Originally posted by Sal
Maybe he meant Tori Spelling?




No we are talking about Tori, the character. She was played by Leanna Creel. I love her in SBTB. I don't know why most fans hate her.

[mstewart]

Too Close For Comfort - Muriel Rush, in her mid 40s, announces that she is pregnant. The only reason they wrote the pregnancy in, no Nancy Dussault was not pregnant in real life, because Nancy was unhappy with role during the first season. To give her more to do with her character they decided to make her pregnant. Ridiculous.

Family Ties - When it became the Michael J. Fox Show especially in the fifth and sixth seasons. It did a reverse jump in the final season when there were more stories with Steven and Elyse in front and center.

Cheers - When Coach died and Shelley Long left the show. It took away the intellectual dialogue of the show and turn it into one sex joke after another. It got annoying to see Sam Malone by the season becoming more of a whore while putting on a gut. If you notice the last couple of seasons he wore baggier shirts to cover up his gut.

All In the Family - After Mike and Gloria moved out of the house into the Jeffersons. Those years when they all lived together was comedy at its best.

The Jeffersons - When George toned down and became buddies with Tom Willis.

Shows that stayed on too long
All of Norman Lears shows that stays beyond five years (Bea Arthur was the only one of his stars that was smart to pull the plug and not allow the show to be beaten into the ground.

Cheers

Three's Company

Alice - The final season was so bad that they only did 16 episodes instead of the standard 24

The Cosby Show - No need to explain that one. It speaks for itself.

Deaths
Gimme A Break - Chief
Petticoat Junction - Kate
Bewitched - Original Gladys Kravitz and Aunt Clara