You’ve probably heard someone say, “That show has really jumped the shark,” and even if you’re not totally sure where it came from, you get the point, right? It’s that moment when a TV show goes a little (or a lot) off the rails, and you can feel it starting to lose its magic. But how did we get here? Let’s take a look back at where this iconic phrase comes from, and why it still holds up today.
1. It All Started with Happy Days
Back in the late 70s, Happy Days was the show to watch. Everyone loved The Fonz—he was cool, confident, and had that signature “Ayyy” down to an art. But by Season 5, even Fonzie couldn’t save the show from what happened next. In one of the most infamous TV moments ever, he literally jumped over a shark while water skiing, leather jacket and all. Yep, that actually happened. And even though the show went on for six more seasons, fans knew something had changed.
2. Why ‘Jumping the Shark’ Stuck
The term “jump the shark” was coined in 1985 by Jon Hein, a radio personality and TV fan, who worked with Howard Strn. Hein pointed to the infamous Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis as the moment the show went downhill. The phrase caught on and Hein launched a website, jumptheshark.com, that he eventually sold to TV Guide. Unfortunately, sometimes something so silly as “jumping the shark” could also be a bad omen, the first pebble in a landslide leading to the dreaded cancelation.
3. When Shows Try Too Hard
We’ve all seen it—when a show gets too comfortable or, worse, desperate to hold on to its audience. It might be adding a new character who’s way too quirky, or throwing in an outlandish plot twist that doesn’t make sense. That’s when you know they’ve officially “jumped the shark.” It’s like they’re trying too hard to recapture that original magic, but in doing so, they lose the authenticity that made us love it in the first place. For Happy Days, at least, the actual, literal act of jumping the shark had some roots in reality—bizarre as that is to report. Well, it turns out that Henry Winkler had some real-life waterskiing skills, so that wild setup was a way to show them off, at least. Other shows don’t have quite the same reasoning, like in The Nanny when the titulr babysitter ended up on an island after her wedding.
4. The Point of No Return
Once a show jumps the shark, there’s usually no turning back. Sure, some shows manage to bounce back a bit, but that moment marks the beginning of the end. And the funny thing is, we often see it coming. It’s like watching a slow-motion train wreck—you don’t want to believe it’s happening, but deep down, you know it’s over. And the shark has officially been jumped. Sometimes there’s another catalyst at work behind the scenes. Fans of ‘That ’70s Show’ point to the departure of Topher Grace as a point of no return for that particular show, for instance.
5. Why It Resonates with Us Today
The beauty of the phrase is that it’s not just about TV anymore. “Jumping the shark” has worked its way into everyday conversation, describing everything from brands to trends to celebrities. We see it when a once-fresh idea gets milked for all it’s worth, and suddenly, it’s no longer cool. Just like Fonzie’s jump, we can almost feel the moment when something crosses the line from being awesome to just…trying too hard.
6. It’s More Relevant Now Than Ever
In today’s world, where everything is constantly evolving—shows, social media trends, you name it—the term “jumping the shark” feels more relevant than ever. We’re bombarded with content, and we can spot the exact moment something loses its spark. Whether it’s a TV show adding a bizarre plot twist, or a brand pushing a gimmick that doesn’t land, we instinctively know when it’s “jumped the shark.” And we call it out.
7. When Franchises Jump the Shark
Look, it’s not just TV shows. Think about movie franchises. How many times have we seen a beloved series crank out one too many sequels? Or that moment when a reboot doesn’t quite live up to the original? Suddenly, what used to be an epic saga becomes just another cash grab, and we can’t help but sigh and think, “Yep, they jumped the shark.”
8. The Fine Line Between Innovation and Desperation
Sometimes creators push boundaries in a way that’s exciting and fresh. But when they cross that line into desperation, that’s when we get the shark-jumping moments. It’s like the creative team knows they’re losing steam, so they throw everything at the wall, hoping something sticks. And instead of reinvigorating the show, it ends up making us miss the good old days when it was still firing on all cylinders.
9. When Nostalgia Can’t Save the Day
Let’s face it—sometimes a show or brand jumps the shark because it’s clinging to nostalgia. They bring back a beloved character or revive an old storyline, hoping to capture that same magic, but it just doesn’t work. It’s a delicate balance between honoring the past and moving forward, and when it tips too far into “let’s bring back what worked before,” that’s when the shark starts circling.
10. Even Great Shows Aren’t Immune
Here’s the thing: even the best shows have their shark-jumping moments. Maybe it’s a gimmick episode, or a plot twist that’s a little too out there, but it happens to the best of them. And while it doesn’t always ruin the show completely, it leaves a mark. It’s the moment we realize the show we loved might never quite be the same again.
11. Reality TV: The New Shark-Jumping Playground
If there’s any genre that loves to jump the shark, it’s reality TV. Whether it’s over-the-top drama, increasingly absurd challenges, or bringing back cast members who definitely overstayed their welcome, reality shows are notorious for pushing the limits until they eventually crash and burn. And yet, we can’t seem to look away.
12. Jumping the Shark in the Streaming Era
With the rise of streaming, we get entire seasons of shows in one go, and we’re quick to spot when a series jumps the shark. Maybe it’s because we can binge-watch everything so quickly, but that moment when a show starts to falter feels even more noticeable now. And in a world where there’s always another show waiting in the queue, shark-jumping can mean we’re moving on to something new even faster.
There’s something oddly comforting about the term “jumping the shark.” It reminds us that no matter how much we love something, there’s always a point where it might go off the rails. But even when that happens, we still look back fondly on those early days when everything was just right. It’s a phrase that’s stood the test of time, just like the memories of those shows we grew up watching, before they decided to throw Fonzie on water skis and into the jaws of a great white.
