I was of the opinion that jumping the shark didn't mean that a show started to outright suck, but it was more of a post climatic definition. A show reaches a point where it can't continue to try and out do itself at the risk of becoming completely ridiculous. So although a show may continue to air, from that point on, it will not really be the same or quite as "hot". just my opinion
Correct, jumping the shark is the point when the show has basically run out of story and begins using gimmicks to keep users watching. After that it becomes a parody of itself.
I always liked the jump the shark episode. It was one of those "to be continued" deals, where they froze the screen when Fonzie was in mid-air. All of the kids in elementary school the next day were asking "do you think the Fonz is going to make it?" I think Happy Days truly jumped the shark when Richie and Ralph left the show and they brought in Ted McGinley as Cousin Rodger and made the Fonz a school teacher who wore the tweed jacket with elbow patches instead of his leather jacket. Very uncool.
BTW, I think the writers got the idea from Evel Knieval. Not long before the JTS episode, Evel was supposed to jump a tank full of sharks live on TV, but he was hurt in a practice run and had to cancel.
I was of the opinion that jumping the shark didn't mean that a show started to outright suck, but it was more of a post climatic definition. A show reaches a point where it can't continue to try and out do itself at the risk of becoming completely ridiculous. So although a show may continue to air, from that point on, it will not really be the same or quite as "hot". just my opinion
ReplyDeleteDale,
ReplyDeleteCorrect, jumping the shark is the point when the show has basically run out of story and begins using gimmicks to keep users watching. After that it becomes a parody of itself.
On a side note...
CZABE! AFFILIATES! NOW!
ReplyDeleteI always liked the jump the shark episode. It was one of those "to be continued" deals, where they froze the screen when Fonzie was in mid-air. All of the kids in elementary school the next day were asking "do you think the Fonz is going to make it?" I think Happy Days truly jumped the shark when Richie and Ralph left the show and they brought in Ted McGinley as Cousin Rodger and made the Fonz a school teacher who wore the tweed jacket with elbow patches instead of his leather jacket. Very uncool.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think the writers got the idea from Evel Knieval. Not long before the JTS episode, Evel was supposed to jump a tank full of sharks live on TV, but he was hurt in a practice run and had to cancel.
Czabe,
ReplyDeleteDid you notice that Fonzi's nemesis from the shark episode was Greg Marmalard from Animal House?