Jumping the Shark Tank

In Yesterday's post, I mentioned that Will and Grace jumped the shark tank when they decided to have a baby together and/or Grace got married to Leo (Harry Conick Jr.).

For those who may not know, Jumping the Shark Tank is a metaphor popularized by the website jumptheshark.com used to describe the moment when a TV show is, in retrospect, judged to have passed its "peak" and shows a noticeable decline in quality, or when it has undergone too many changes that take away the original charm and interest. In TV, "jump the shark" moments follow a noticeable change in the show, such as a main cast member leaving or a change in setting, which are subsequently quoted as the marker point signifying when the show's decline started.

The phrase Jump the Shark Tank refers to a scene in a three-part episode of the TV 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 shark while water skiing. This event coincided with Ritchie leaving the show and Fonzie moving in above the Cunningham's garage. The episode in question is often cited as an example of what happens to otherwise high-quality shows when they stay on the air too long and lose their interest.

Some Jump the Shark examples: When the show is in an academic setting, the main characters graduate and the setting changes from high school to a university; 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; Main characters have sex, or marry after an extended period of sexual tension between them; The "very special episode," in which a sitcom or drama addresses a serious social issue in an awkward way; A cliffhanger season finale with a disappointing resolution; The same main character played by a different actor, when the original actor is no longer on the show either because he or she leaves voluntarily, is fired or dies suddenly; A show continues after the death of a cast member; Child actors enter puberty; A special guest star makes an appearance, which often involves someone playing himself or herself or a guest character; A major character is written out of the show and is replaced by an essentially similar character or role; When a show's star begins writing or directing a majority of the episodes; The producers start to dilute the show with too many spinoffs; and last but not least, if the actor Ted McGinley joins the cast, the show is OVER.