What does 'jumped the shark' mean?

Answer 1

THE FONZE DID IT!!!

Answer 2

It is a prhase coined in the 70's meaning that a TV show has peaked, had some silly plotlines, and is now in decline.

It originated with the series "Happy Days", which ran for years and was very popular and solid. At one point, Fonzie - in leather jacket and all - was in a water skiing show, did a jump over a shark tank. It was silly and stupid, and out of character for the show. Happy Days ran for several more years, but it was never the same - or as popular - again.

So now, when a show does something particularly out there, as if the writers are out of ideas and just grasping, people say it "jumped the shark".

It is very hard to tell at the time whether a show has jumped the shark. Years later, after a show has completed its run, it usually easier to pinpoint its peak, and any jump the shark moment.

Not all shows jump the shark. It is possible for a show to run for a long time and eventually end without ever vearing off into stupidity or outrageousness.

Here's the Wikipedia page on it. It has a picture of Fonzie and everything!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark

Answer 3

It's a final act of desperation originally coined when Happy Days was doing so poorly that the writers decided to have Fonzie jump his motorcycle over a shark that was in a fenced-in area. The intention was to bring excitement back to the show and increase ratings, but the result was a sad pitiful attempt that failed.

"Jumped the shark" is now used to describe any futile act where someone tries desperately to save a situation, be it a relationship, tv show, etc., only to fail miserably and make more a mockery or fool out of themselves in the end.

Answer 4

Jumping the shark is a metaphor that was originally used to denote the tipping point at which a TV series is deemed to have passed its peak, or has introduced plot twists that are illogical in terms of everything that has preceded them. Once a show has "jumped the shark," fans sense a noticeable decline in quality or feel the show has undergone too many changes to retain its original charm.

Answer 5

Jumping the shark is a term that was coined by the website jumptheshark.com and is used to describe a television show that has outlived its entertainment value or usefullness.

The website creator's, John Hine's, favorite TV show growing up as a child was Happy Days. In the later years of the series, the producers were running out of ideas...so they had the Fonz jump a tank of sharks on his motorcycle in an attempt to drum up false drama. To John, that was the defining moment in the show where it all went down hill from that point forward. Many years later, Jumptheshark.com was created to allow visitors to talk about their favorite TV shows that have "jumped the shark" or have totally sold out, gone down hill or are no longer entertaining.

Interestingly enough, John's idea caught on and he recently sold jumptheshark.com to the creator's of TV Guide for a cool million plus (!!).

Answer 6

it's an expression created by the show "Happy Days"... when writers run out of ideas, they "jump the shark", meaning that they just come up with some ridiculously outrageous plotline. You can jump the shark when you try to do something inpertinent to your own life, like, oh, let's say getting on a motorcycle and jumping over a tank full of sharks. hence the term. eyyyy....

Answer 7

It references a "Happy Days" episode in which the Fonz junmped over a shark tank on his motorcycle. The expression was coined on the website JumpTheShark.com. Basically it means a show has reached it highest point and begins a decline.

Answer 8

When your favorite show is past its peak, when a different actor plays a main character, when the cast starts to sing - that show has jumped the shark.

Answer 9

I don't know why they call it that...but it's TV Guide's way of saying a TV show has peaked in popularity because of something that happens and that the ratings can go nowhere but way down.

various reasons include a main character leaving, change of locale for the show (as in Laverne & Shirley going from Wisconsin to CA), "a very special" episode, bizzare plot twist that completely changes a character, or when a character is now being played by someone else (the two Darrins on "Bewitched").

Answer 10

Jumping the shark is a metaphor that was originally used to denote the tipping point at which a TV series is deemed to have passed its peak, or has introduced plot twists that are illogical in terms of everything that has preceded them

Answer 11

It's a reference to happy days when the Fonz "jumped the shark" - it kind of blew the series. Like when on Rosanne the family won the lottery. It was so unbelievable that it ruined the series for everyone.