Jumping the shark
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Jumping the shark is a metaphor used by television critics since the 1990s. The phrase, popularized by Jon Hein on his web site www.jumptheshark.com, is used to describe the moment when a television show or similar episodic medium is in retrospect judged to have passed its "peak" and shows a noticeable decline in quality. Hein also uses the "jumping the shark" concept to describe other areas of pop culture, such as music and celebrities, for whom a drastic change was the beginning of the end.
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Origin
The phrase refers to a scene in a three-part episode of the American television series Happy Days first broadcast on September 20, 1977. In the "Hollywood" episode, Fonzie — wearing swim trunks and his trademark leather jacket — jumps over a tank containing a shark while on water skis.
Many have noted the shark episode as the moment when they realized the show was no longer worth watching, when it became impossible to maintain a certain suspension of disbelief. Even before "jumping the shark" was employed as a popular culture term, the episode in question was many times cited as an example of what happens to otherwise high-quality programs when they stay on the air too long. Producer Garry Marshall later admitted that he knew the show had lost something as the crew prepared to shoot the scene, but he defiantly pointed out in the reunion special that aired in February 3, 2005, that Happy Days went on to produce approximately 100 more episodes after the shark jump episode. During the same special, in response to an audience member question, Marshall introduced the notorious clip, and noted how the show had inspired the term.
The first use of the phrase as a direct metaphor is reported to have been on December 24, 1997, when the jumptheshark.com web site was launched by Jon Hein. According to the site, the phrase was first coined by Hein's college roommate, Sean J. Connolly, in 1985. In print, the term first appeared in the Jerusalem Post newspaper article "It's All Downhill" written by Jeff Abramowitz on May 29, 1998.
Archetypal jump-the-shark moments
A "jumping the shark" moment is usually specific to what makes a series popular, or to a show's original premise. Common scenes or situations listed below only qualify as shark-jumping moments when they cross a line that in retrospect can be cited as a sign of the show's decline; series have recovered from just about everything listed below, but the following usually upset the chemistry of the show in some significant way.
Just because a moment appears on this list, it does not follow that the series it appears in has necessarily jumped the shark - each series is different, and a lot depends on the execution. Also relevant are differences in viewer tastes - what may constitute a shark-jumping moment to one viewer will not necessarily be seen the same way by another.
Soap operas will often use several of these ploys repeatedly, yet (perhaps by their very nature) manage to maintain their loyal viewers.
Typical moments may include (but are not limited to) the following:
Plots
- Premise
- When the key premise of the series is changed or discarded completely (e.g., shifting the focus of Happy Days from the Cunningham family to The Fonz).
- A supporting character (or group of characters) plays a disproportionately large role in the series. Related: An ongoing plotline makes up a majority of the episode plots (e.g., the popular Nickelodeon series Hey Arnold! began focusing more on Helga's crush on Arnold and less on Arnold himself).
- When the show is in an academic setting, the main characters graduate and the setting changes from high school to college (e.g. in the series Boy Meets World Corey and his friends all go on to the same college, while at the same time trying to maintain the same relationships with family and friends).
- A show with a realistic premise (or at least reasonably so) such as a sitcom starts using sci-fi plot devices such as time travel, cloning, virtual reality and alien invasion.
- Setting
- Change in the principal setting of the show, either permanently or as the theme of a series of episodes.
- Loss of a key prop or location (usually due to fire, but not always explained).
- Individual episodes
- A specific episode that irreparably strains the credibility or premise of the series or one of its main characters.
- The "clip show" or retrospective, where the characters reminisce about the past with a collection of short clips from previous episodes.
- Main character or cast member gives birth, e.g., Murphy Brown.
- Non-musical cast members featured singing, dancing, etc.
- Main characters have sex, after an extended period of sexual tension between them.
- Main characters marry after a tempestuous courtship.
- Main characters divorce after a tempestuous marriage.
- Related: the sudden divorce. That is, after the couple's marriage had shown absolutely no previous signs of being in trouble and the couple decides to untie the knot after a series of "minor" conflicts. This should not be confused with the marriage that suddenly dissolves after the discovery of an affair or revelation of other marriage-destroying secret.
- The "very special episode," in which a situation comedy or drama addresses a serious social issue in an awkward way (such as drug addiction, child abuse or racism). The situation comedy Blossom often used this plot device.
- The crossover episode with other series (e.g., ER and Third Watch).
- Use of a plot device which is regarded as a cliché, (e.g., a story involving the evil twin of a main character).
- A cliffhanger season finale with a disappointing resolution.
- Sitcom characters start becoming involved on a daily basis with cloak and dagger situations (e.g., a character being accidentally recruited in a counterintelligence service, spying agency, mafia task force or is simply found to be a dead ringer for an influential politician or monarch, usually from a non-existent country created for the episode).
Actors
- Main cast
- The same main character played by a different actor, when the original actor is no longer on the show either because he/she leaves voluntarily, is fired or dies suddenly (e.g., the switch from Dick York to Dick Sargent to play Darrin Stephens in Bewitched).
- A show continues after the death of a cast member (some prime examples of this are 8 Simple Rules after the death of John Ritter, Petticoat Junction after the death of Bea Benaderet, NewsRadio after the death of Phil Hartman, and Chico and the Man after the death of Freddie Prinze).
- Child actors enter puberty.
- Off the set, a key cast member is charged with a crime, is a defendant in a major lawsuit, has well-publicized maritial problems, or is involved with some other scandal (e.g., drug problem, revelations he/she is gay).
- Guest stars
- Special guest star, which usually includes someone playing him/herself or a guest character, usually in one episode. Sometimes, this can include someone (such as a politician or radio commentator) who doesn't normally do television or even act.
- Ted McGinley
- Ted McGinley has been dubbed the "patron saint" of shark jumping by Jon Hein because of the number of series which jumped the shark when he joined the cast. However, this is perhaps the most controversial of the shark jumping categories since several of McGinley's shows continued for many more seasons after he joined the cast, most notably Married... With Children, and to a much lesser extent Happy Days (which had already had the shark jumping episode by the time he joined).
Characters
- Main characters
- When a major character is written out of the show (usually when a cast member departs, is fired or dies) and is replaced by an essentially similar character or role (example, when Kate was replaced by Kelly on The Drew Carey Show).
- Explained departures usually include the character's death or when he/she takes a job/enrolls in college, etc. in a distant city and will never return, such as the case with Steve on Blue's Clues.
- Unexplained departures, á la the Chuck Cunningham syndrome.
- Introduction of new characters to revive interest, often during a show's waning years. This plot device has been lampooned in several episodes of The Simpsons (most notably, the episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show"). Examples include:
- Young, cute children clearly intended to replace child stars who have reached (or are nearing) adulthood (i.e. Raven-Symoné added as the Huxtable's step-grandaughter in The Cosby Show); this is sometimes called Cousin Oliver Syndrome.
- Superfluous, clichéd characters who do little more than bog down the storyline, often to replace departed stars.
- Change in a character's personality, usually from negative attributes to positive ones.
- A character who had never shown any previous signs of being gay comes out of the closet.
- When a major character is written out of the show (usually when a cast member departs, is fired or dies) and is replaced by an essentially similar character or role (example, when Kate was replaced by Kelly on The Drew Carey Show).
- Guest characters
- The "identical long-lost cousin"-syndrome (usually enacted by one of the main cast members in a dual role).
Production
- A key writer and/or producer leaves the show (as when writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe left the creative staff of Andromeda).
- A show broadcast in color if previously shown in black-and-white (in the case of shows broadcast during the 1960s, when many series underwent this change), e.g., The Beverly Hillbillies & The Andy Griffith Show.
- Change in where the show is produced, usually a move back to Southern California by a show produced somewhere else. This is often seen as a sign that the actors and producers are beginning to tire of a current show and want to be available for other projects.
- Change in length of episode, usually when a 30-minute show attempts hour-long episodes.
- When a show's star begins writing and/or directing a majority of the episodes, and becomes involved in virtually every aspect of the show. Frequently, the episodes' morals will reflect the beliefs, opinions, etc. of that star (hence, the show becomes "The gospel according to ..."). The most famous occurance of this was when Alan Alda took control of M*A*S*H.
- When a high-profile guest writer/director (eg. Woody Allen or Hal Prince) is brought onto the show's crew to write/direct one or more episodes. These are usually people from the theatre or film industry with a long-standing record of writing/directing critically or commecially acclaimed films/stage productions. The transition, though, from their medium to the small screen, can cause a lack of quality that may hinder the series for years to come.
Other
- A theatrical film based on the series runs between seasons (such as with the X-Files).
- Change in day and/or time of air, which affects the commercial pressures on a show.
- The producers start to dilute the show's brand with too many spinoffs (as with the case of Love, American Style which, directly or indirectly, spawned a large number of spin-offs including Happy Days and its spin-offs); or other networks do the same with cheap imitations of the show.
- Likewise, the show gets into merchandising and/or its stars start doing ads. However, this was a common practice during the early days of television, when characters of a show pitched a certain product either as part of the gag or during a commercial.
- A substantial reduction in the show's budget in a way that is noticeable on screen.
Examples of shows said to have jumped the shark
Whether a show has "jumped the shark" is of course a subjective judgement. The definitive list for shows that have "jumped" is at jumptheshark.com (http://www.jumptheshark.com) which started the phenomenon. Another list of shows thought by some people to have "jumped the shark," is at List of shows that are widely considered to have jumped the shark.
"Jump the Shark" references
Sitcom or dramatic series references
- Arrested Development has a character played by the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler. In the episode "Motherboy XXX" he remarks "I missed breakfast, so I’m on my way to Burger King" and then hops over a shark. The joke being that Arrested Development sold out to Burger King, and jumped the shark. Another case has been made for that episode, such as the fact that it had two celebrity guest stars (Carl Weathers and Dave Attell) but that might not be as intentional.
- It has been argued that Buffy the Vampire Slayer's sixth season can be viewed as an extended reference to various Shark Jumping moments (including a musical episode, a wedding episode, a major character leaving, and a character being killed off); it has also been (uncharitably) suggested that the writers really were running out of ideas, although this theory would not fully explain the sheer density of such moments in that season.
- Other "shark jumps" can be found in previous episodes of Buffy, including the introduction of Dawn Summers, Willow's "coming out", the setting moving from high school to college, Angel and Spike's drastic character changes, etc.
- That '70s Show had an episode where Fez imagines jumping over a shark, thinking how cool it would be to be the Fonz, then commenting on how he never really watched the show after that episode.
- The X-Files episode "Jump the Shark" in the last season (season 9) concluded the roles of The Lone Gunmen in the series.
- MadTV once had a skit in which the infamous "jump the shark" episode was partially redone in Spanish.
Cartoon references
- Clerks (the animated series) featured a clip show episode consisting almost entirely of its four main characters reminiscing previous incidents from the series. This was the second of the six produced episodes, and most of the incidents were in fact entirely new. At one point, the characters reminisce about their favorite Happy Days episodes - the Shark Jumping episode is among them.
- Dora the Explorer began its 2003 season with an episode in which the title character literally jumped a shark. Changes to the show that ensued made fans wonder if the writers were trying to tell them something.
- The Ed, Edd n Eddy episode "The Good Old Ed" is a spoof of the ubiquitous clip show. In the episode, the boys collect items for a time capsule, several of which prompt memories of schemes from previous episodes. However, the only "flashbacks" are to incidents not yet seen on the show, and when Ed tries to flashback (to about ten minutes before in the same episode), Eddy cuts Ed off by smacking him upside the head and protesting "I hate clip shows!"
- In one episode of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Bloo gets a job on a sitcom, and in one episode of this show within a show, he apparently jumps over a shark.
- Sealab 2021 featured a shark jumping over a pool of Fonzies.
- In What's New, Scooby-Doo?, Scooby water-skis over a shark, following which Velma says, "I never thought Scooby-Doo would jump the shark."
- The South Park episode Probably begins with a "Previously on South Park" segment, where interspliced with actual clips are cartoonized scenes of Fonzie about to jump over a shark. In the South Park versions of events, Fonz doesn't make it. Aside from making fun of "Previously on..." segments, this could be seen as implying that South Park had jumped the shark at that time.
- In the 80th Strong Bad email, Strong Sad jumps into a kiddie pool labeled "Shark Pond"
References on The Simpsons
The Simpsons has referenced jumping the shark in its opening credits, as well as in the following scenes:
- Itchy & Scratchy Land, which depicts the family's visit to an amusement park built around Itchy & Scratchy (a cartoon cat-and-mouse duo based on Tom and Jerry). In one scene, Bart and Lisa visit a gift shop, where they see stuffed toys of the characters "Uncle Ant," "Disgruntled Goat" and "Ku Klux Klam." Bart explains these characters were hastily created to provide a supporting cast for "The Itchy & Scratchy and Friends Hour," and subsequently forgotten by most viewers. A pre-JTS reference, "The Itchy & Scratchy and Friends Hour" spoofed several cartoon shows of the 1970s (including one built around Tom and Jerry), where extra characters are created (usually with little or no thought put in their character development or stories) and introduced for no apparent reason other than to provide "friends" for the main characters.
- The show built an entire episode around the ill-fated attempt of The Itchy & Scratchy Show to reinvigorate the show by introducing a new character, Poochie, voiced by Homer but so unpopular with the show's fans (the Comic Book Guy introduced the catchphrase "Worst. Episode. Ever.") that he was killed off in his second appearance. The episode abounded with knowing references to how this affects television shows. In one scene, Lisa complains that it's a sign of TV shows going stale when they suddenly add new characters, and immediately we see a new college-aged man, Roy, (who looks suspiciously like Poochie) sitting at the Simpsons' breakfast table and saying "Morning, Mr. S." He does nothing during the episode and disappears at the end of the episode claiming that he's moving into an apartment "with two foxy ladies."
- The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase (4F20), which features three pretend spin-off shows starring minor characters, is also mainly a parody of jumping the shark. The show ends with a preview of the new season, which includes magic powers, multiple weddings, lost cousins (all of whom bear a striking resemblence to Bart) and a tiny green space alien named Ozmodiar that only Homer can see. Ozmodiar is a parody of The Great Gazoo, a character introduced in the last season of The Flintstones. Ironically, this episode itself has been labelled a "shark jumping" episode by critics of the series.
- The parody documentary Behind the Laughter (BABF19) also spoofs sneak peeks of future episodes, including one with Homer's bold declaration, "The Simpsons are going to Delaware!" This is a joke on the fact that after the family's many contrived vacation destinations, future possibilities have been nearly exhausted (ironically, in the next season, the Simpsons actually do go to Delaware, with Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa reciting their lines verbatim).
- The clip show Gump Roast (DABF12) ends with many jumping the shark allusions, including a shot of Homer water skiing over a shark. It includes a song (an indirect parody of Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire) where (apparently) Matt Groening and his staff answer to fans worried over comments he made that he was running out of ideas, saying "Have no fears, we got stories for years." They then give examples of supposedly upcoming episodes...none of which are very good.
- Certain episodes have also been centered around an act of jumping the shark listed above, such as Maude Flander's sudden death during a sports event, or when Marge's sister Patty Bouvier suddenly comes out of the closet in the episode There's Something About Marrying.
References in other media
- The computer game Jumpman Zero has a level titled jump the shark, which requires the player to do just that.
- The 2004 book: America, the Book; a Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart and the writers of The Daily Show, features a caption regarding the 2000 elections, in which the entire news media lead by Fox was said to "jump the shark" by prematurely predicting George W. Bush the winner.
- The beloved website TV Tome jumped the shark when it was bought be Cnet and became TV.com.
See also
External links
- jumptheshark.com (http://www.jumptheshark.com/)
- Wordspy article (http://www.wordspy.com/words/jumptheshark.asp)