Jumping the shark in other media
Sep. 15th, 2003 10:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yendiFor those of you who don't know, "Jumping the Shark" is a phrase applied to tv shows that start out as worthwhile, but eventually head downhill. The phrase itself refers to the defining moment, when the show is clearly hurtling downward and can't be stopped. It refers to the episode of Happy Days when Fonzie jumped (while water skiing) over sharks (while wearing his leather jacket, even). Frankly, the show had started to suck long before that, but this was the defining moment for many people.
The thing is, more things than TV shows jump the shark. So I want to know what phrases you'd apply to items from other genres. I thought about doing this as a poll, but there are too many possibilities, so I'm leaving it open, with a few suggestions. Remember, it doesn't have to be a great series that gets lousy -- Happy Days was fun, but after the first season, was pretty much forgettable, even before it started sucking. Also remember that the Shark Jump usually happens after the series has already sucked for a while. It's just proof that it's never going to get any better (although there are exceptions).
Books:
"Fucked the Micah" (Laurell K Hamilton's now Übersucktastic Anita Blake novels)
"Motherfucking Dolphins?" (Anne McCafferey's Pern books)
"Published the Silmarillion" (Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
"Resurrected Tesla" (Spider Robinson's no-longer-readable hyper-self-indulgent Callahan series)
"Crewly Lyed" (Piers Anthony's Xanth books, which were actually decent fluff for the first few novels)
Movies:
"Jar-Jared" and "Hired Timothy Dalton"are the only ones that come immediately to mind (ignoring horror franchises, which all tend to head in the same direction). Although I suppose you could argue for "Went 3-D".
Music:
"Went Solo" (applies to so many artists, it's not even funny)
Fired Roth/Fired Hagar (depending on where you stand on Van Halen)
"Released New Year's Day"(Stevie Wonder)
"Gave us Boys for Pele" (Tori Amos, who got better, but never as good as she was before that travesty)
"Got haircuts" (Metallica)
"Changed his name to a symbol." (Prince)
Other suggestions?
EDIT: As I was writing this, Voltbang suggested that the phrase "Jump the Shark" had gotten old as well. Is there a better option for TV shows? "Gave Spike a Soul?" "Seven of Nined?" "Gave Alex an over cute Fucking Baby Brother?"
The thing is, more things than TV shows jump the shark. So I want to know what phrases you'd apply to items from other genres. I thought about doing this as a poll, but there are too many possibilities, so I'm leaving it open, with a few suggestions. Remember, it doesn't have to be a great series that gets lousy -- Happy Days was fun, but after the first season, was pretty much forgettable, even before it started sucking. Also remember that the Shark Jump usually happens after the series has already sucked for a while. It's just proof that it's never going to get any better (although there are exceptions).
Books:
"Fucked the Micah" (Laurell K Hamilton's now Übersucktastic Anita Blake novels)
"Motherfucking Dolphins?" (Anne McCafferey's Pern books)
"Published the Silmarillion" (Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
"Resurrected Tesla" (Spider Robinson's no-longer-readable hyper-self-indulgent Callahan series)
"Crewly Lyed" (Piers Anthony's Xanth books, which were actually decent fluff for the first few novels)
Movies:
"Jar-Jared" and "Hired Timothy Dalton"are the only ones that come immediately to mind (ignoring horror franchises, which all tend to head in the same direction). Although I suppose you could argue for "Went 3-D".
Music:
"Went Solo" (applies to so many artists, it's not even funny)
Fired Roth/Fired Hagar (depending on where you stand on Van Halen)
"Released New Year's Day"(Stevie Wonder)
"Gave us Boys for Pele" (Tori Amos, who got better, but never as good as she was before that travesty)
"Got haircuts" (Metallica)
"Changed his name to a symbol." (Prince)
Other suggestions?
EDIT: As I was writing this, Voltbang suggested that the phrase "Jump the Shark" had gotten old as well. Is there a better option for TV shows? "Gave Spike a Soul?" "Seven of Nined?" "Gave Alex an over cute Fucking Baby Brother?"
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(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 07:53 am (UTC)Nope. With the last two Trek series, the correct phrase is, "The first episode aired."
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 07:55 am (UTC)"all-star ensemble" or "super-group".
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 07:58 am (UTC)I'm going to have to disagree with you there. From The Choirgirl Hotel came after that, and it was far better than anything that she had done previously. Now, if you change that to "Gave us To Venus and Back", I might agree with you there.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 07:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:02 am (UTC)I dunno. I haven't given up all hope for the franchise yet, unless I find out Berman and Braga are immortal. Then I will finally mourn the death of Trek.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:02 am (UTC)Was it when they lost Duchovony or Anderson's characters...
I think I'm going to argue for when Scully got abducted
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:04 am (UTC)"Cousing Olivered"
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:04 am (UTC)"Cousin Olivered"
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:05 am (UTC)"Hello, Mr. Smoking-Man, I'd like to introduce you to my Boom-Stick!"
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:11 am (UTC)MOVIES: Climbed back into the ring after the first movie - Rocky
TV: Thought the world wanted to continue to see those two schmooze all over the screen -Joanie Loves Chachi
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:11 am (UTC)The first three Xanth books were fun. Then they started going downhill, fairly quickly.
The same phenomenon happens with both books and film, when success drives someone to create an unnecessary sequels.
Glen Cook's Black Company comes to mind; the first three worked as a complete trilogy. There was no need to write more. Same with Roger Zelazny's Amber books; I recommend the original five, then stopping there.
Or just look at almost any short-sighted grab for dollars from Hollywood: Speed 2, Caddyshack 2, any of the Jaws sequels, etc.
It is a rare series that keeps or improves in quality over the original.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:15 am (UTC)Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series and the immortal Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald.
cheers,
Phil
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-15 08:21 am (UTC)