Like Napolean at Waterloo, TV shows that start off perfectly fine often end as complete rubbish. TV fans have coined the term "jumping the shark" (referring to a horrible, horrible episode of the oft-lame Happy Days) to label that one special episode of a series that utterly destroys the viewer's hope for better episodes in the future.
Now there's a web site to facilitate research into this all to common afflication.
I refer you to the page on Buck Rogers. One might suggest that it was terrible from the get-go, but my friend Zorknapp will tell you Buck Rogers jumped the shark with the introduction of Hawk.
Your thoughts?
I do like how many things are marked "jumped the shark - first episode" or "jumped the shark - never", in spite of evidence of both to the contrary. {grin}
Re:"now"?
waltman on 2003-04-16T20:38:44
How long did Buck Rogers have that annoying little robot?Re:"now"?
jdavidb on 2003-04-16T20:51:49
It's been around at least since the X-Files episode of the same title. That's the famous one where someone on slashdot Lone-Gunmanned it all for us. I was sure "Lone-Gunmanned" was going to enter our vocabulary as a new catch phrase.
And actually, I believe the Jump the Shark website is the site that coined the phrase "Jump the Shark." I don't think it existed before they came up with it.
Re:"now"?
jdavidb on 2003-04-16T20:53:57
That should be "Lone-Gunmenned." Or something.
Re:"now"?
jjohn on 2003-04-16T21:07:42
And actually, I believe the Jump the Shark website is the site that coined the phrase "Jump the Shark." I don't think it existed before they came up with it.
The phrase refers to a Happy Day(z) ep, wherein Fonzy attempts to make a perilous jump over sharks with his motorcycle. From the site's FAQ:
The aforementioned expression refers to the telltale sign of the demise of Happy Days, our favorite example, when Fonzie actually "jumped the shark." The rest is history.The site's FAQ claims to have coined the term too, but I'm uncertain about that. In any case, I have no evidence to present to the contrary.
that show was so bad it made Land of the Lost look real. Not to mention there was no reason for girls to watch it and the only reason guys watched it was Erin Grey's camel toe suits
Re:zorknap is right
zorknapp on 2003-04-17T17:29:51
I never said I didn't *enjoy* the show when I was a wee lad. I just thought that Hawk (played by Thom Christopher) was a bad plot move.Anyone remember the episode where Mark Leonard, of Sarek fame, played a character who could remove his head? That was fantastic!
Re:zorknap is right
pudge on 2003-04-23T01:36:46
I must say, the comments on the BR/JtS page about Princess Ardala brought me back... she was indeed the hottest thing on TV at the time. Damn.
