I was discussing a television show with Bobby2 the other day and used the phrase "jump the shark." I explained to him that this was an accepted phrase in the television insiders circles. He didn't believe me and said I made it up. Little does he know...I am not that creative. Here are the important excerpts from the Wikipedia entry:- The term jumping the shark alludes to a scene in the TV series Happy Days when the popular character Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, jumps over a shark while water skiing. The scene was so preposterous that many believed it to be an ill-advised attempt at reviving the declining ratings of the flagging show.
- Jump-the-shark moments may be scenes like the one described above that finally convince viewers that the show has fundamentally and permanently strayed from its original premise. In those cases they are viewed as a desperate and futile attempt to keep a series fresh in the face of declining ratings. In other cases the departure or replacement of a main cast member or character or a significant change in setting changes a critical dynamic of the show.
- The phrase has been used more recently outside the realm of popular culture, representing anything that has reached its peak and has turned mediocre. If one thinks a stock or a sports team or a subcultural phenomenon has reached its peak, for example, one can say that it has "jumped the shark.
I was first made aware of this phrase from Sean. He probably should get the credit for bringing it into my lexicon. So take that Bobby2. I would recommend reading the article, it is pretty interesting.
