Jumping the Shark


Are you familiar with the term, "Jumping the Shark?"  If not, I will tell you.  It refers to a rather famous episode of Happy Days in which Fonzie literally jumped over a shark.  It conveys the message of when a television has "jumped the shark" or reached its peak.

I have way too many shows that I follow and keep up with to list them all.  So I will just mention a few.  Desperate Housewives continues to be outrageous, devious, delicious and always makes me LOL. Perhaps though, with Gabby's daughter being switched at birth, they have.  Grey's Anatomy addressed a very real issue with hospitals and stories of revenge in their season finale and opener.  I was glued to my seat with that one.  Its sister show Private Practice, is testing the shark infested waters as they killed one of their own last season.  I mean was that really necessary?  But then, they didn't throw him under a bus!  Ooops.  Maybe Grey's has jumped. 

Lost and 24 completed their series last May.  Lost was slated for 6 seasons and unless you watched them all you would have no clue if they jumped a shark or a polar bear.  Jack Bauer would not jump the shark.  He would wrestle it into submission, torture it for answers and then shoot it. 


Brothers and Sisters has entered dangerous waters I think.  Last season ended with a horrible accident involving the Walker clan.  Rob Lowe's character was killed and Patricia Wettig's character is suffering from...wait for it....amnesia.  Now while I am impressed with Wettig's acting as well as those around her as they are affected by her confusion, dementia, and "Swiss cheese" memory; as I watched on Sunday, I couldn't help but feel I was watching a day time soap opera.  Yes, I realize this is a night time soap opera drama, but what are they planning on doing with that character?  Where is this leading?  Have they jumped the shark?  What shows do you think have jumped the shark?

Comments

Laura Lynn said…
I love the term. My husband and I are always talking about this. Poor Fonz - leaving a legacy of starting the phrase.

Anyway, I still love Desperate Housewives. I think it's one of the best written shows. I don't watch many more than that but the first episode of Glee was a bummer for me and it has been since, so for me, they have jumped.
October 19, 2010 at 10:41 AM
Anonymous said…
I gave up on on Housewives and Private Practice years ago. I agree with you on Brothers and Sisters. Last season was weak and so far this one has been worse. I do think that Grey's is back and as good as it was in the first 2 seasons.

PS You watch as much tv as I do. I like that.
October 19, 2010 at 11:49 AM
Anonymous said…
with Grey's, have you noticed how everything always happens to Meredith or Christina... hahaha
October 19, 2010 at 12:16 PM
mormonhermitmom said…
Unfortunately, I think for me and my husband almost all of t.v. has jumped the shark. I may watch something off the PBS website once in a while and my husband will peruse Hulu but really....it ended when the Star Trek franchise tried to do a prequel series...snore!
October 19, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Jen said…
I used to watch all of those shows and have stopped. I'm hoping Hawaii 5-0 will be good. It's got my favorite vampire and a cylon from BSG.
October 19, 2010 at 3:37 PM
CB said…
I don't watch much t.v. I am sitcom kind of girl and all these shows I cannot keep up with. (Gee's that makes me sound like I am a 100!). Seriously though, my favorite show is Psych which starts back up for their season on November 10th - I love it and I have no clue if they jump shark or not - LOL!
October 19, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Nicole said…
I LOVE Greys! It is definetly my favorite show, along with Fringe. I'm upset about this whole channel issue because we might not be able to get Fringe for tomorrow! It sounds funny to be that into shows and stuff, but its really like a fun that me and martin have. I make a really nice dinner and we have wine and watch Greys and Fringe and then talk about it. love it!! I love the drama in them too lol.
October 20, 2010 at 6:44 AM
Amy said…
and that, my friends, is why I don't watch television. Thank goodness for Netflix. I just got sucked into Psyche. Lovin it.

And the whole evening soap opera thing? Made me laugh. How true that is. I don't like drama shows, I like comedy. Guess that is why I don't watch a lot of television, they are mostly dramas.
October 21, 2010 at 9:52 AM
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