Jumping the Shark

[Reply #40 on:]

 

Originally posted by Tweek:
It has been going down hill for a while but I think The Bill jumped the shark in a major way this week when we discovered that a new character getting involved with one of the two original characters is in fact the son she put up for adoption when she was young, it would be bad enough just introducing a long lost son, giving him an Oedipus complex is just ridiculous   

I couldn't agree more. It was all nothing more than a huge publicity stunt which was helped along nicely by the media reporting the "terrible" incest storyline.

I also don't know how the writers can justify putting in such a storyline. It clearly isn't a public interest story since the number of cases of incest is something like 1 in 100,000 families.

As much as I want to disagree with these people, I agree The Simpsons jumped round about Season 11. It may be improvling slightly since then but that's all still relative. New Simpsons still sucks even if it is better than Season 11.

[Reply #41 on:]

 

Originally posted by 1 of the gang:
Well Saturday Night Live has slowly been going down hill ever since Will Farrell left
(sigh)

SNL's jumped so many times it has a frequent-jumper's card.

[Reply #42 on:]

I couldn't agree more... Hell I don't even watch SNL on a regular basis anymore...

[Reply #43 on:]

 

Originally posted by evan:
I think a good point to judge "JTS" from is this: whenever a show starts to make a lot of self-referential jokes, it's a sign of writers trying too hard. Hence, end it.

I hope you're wrong about that.

[Reply #44 on:]

 

Originally posted by Pitt Clemens:
 I hope you're wrong about that.

Pffft.  That comic strip jumped the shark back when they replaced the stuffed tiger with that girl.

[Reply #45 on:]

Yeah, and Space Cases totally jumped the shark when they replaced that one girl with her imaginary friend!

*silence*

...Wow, even the crickets went silent with that one.

[Reply #46 on:]

 

Originally posted by El Zilcho:
Yeah, and Space Cases totally jumped the shark when they replaced that one girl with her imaginary friend!

Yeah, it really did.  Catalina was the best character on that show and...

*Realizes that everyone is staring at him.*

What?  It was a good show.   

[Reply #47 on:]

 

Originally posted by evan:

I think a good point to judge "JTS" from is this: whenever a show starts to make a lot of self-referential jokes, it's a sign of writers trying too hard. Hence, end it.

That's a little debatable, but I sort of agree.  Remember that many great shows started refering to themselves early on (the first seasons of The Simpsons and Futurama included), and I don't think that self referencing itself is ever a "cause" of a JTS.  Its definetely a sign in many cases, at least when in excess.  In fact, The Simpsons ran into the problem a few times, first in season five (a big dip IMO from seasons 1-4, luckily seasons 6 and 7 were far better and interestingly had much less meta-humor it seems), and then again later in the Scully years.  They have too much of it now though too, which is actually one of the only really big flaws I have with the show currently.

But yeah, remember that meta-referencing as a JTS point rule isn't neccasarily a foolproof way of spotting JTS points.  Its a fairly common one, but there's more consistant ones I think, like characters suddenly acting differently with not explanation or depth.

[Reply #48 on:]

What about shows that make references to jumping the shark?

Phil used the phrase "You just jumped the shark." in an episode of Ed.

That 70s Show had a scene where Fez (as Fonzie) literally jumped the shark.

[Reply #49 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
But yeah, remember that meta-referencing as a JTS point rule isn't neccasarily a foolproof way of spotting JTS points.  Its a fairly common one, but there's more consistant ones I think, like characters suddenly acting differently with not explanation or depth.

I thinnk I used the modifier usually. In the Simpsons example, the episode "The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show" was nothing but meta-references, but it was handled in such a way to still be funny. Many of the jokes were related at tv shows in general, and not just The Simpsons. (We miss you, Roy!)

[Reply #50 on:]

 

Originally posted by David A:
What about shows that make references to jumping the shark?

Not in the show, but in Simpsons Hit & Run, CBG mentions Jumping the Shark.

[Reply #51 on:]

 

Originally posted by David A:
What about shows that make references to jumping the shark?

Phil used the phrase "You just jumped the shark." in an episode of Ed.

That 70s Show had a scene where Fez (as Fonzie) literally jumped the shark.

Yes but who cares about either of those shows...

I don't think mentioning JTS is neccasarily a JTS point.  Daily show referred to it once or twice and is still going as strongly as ever.  The Simpsons has referred to it to but, at least the first time, it was genuinely funny (and in any case it was way after the show had already jumped, and after the Scully era was over with).

Evan: Yeah, just clarifying.  As far as "Poochie" goes, you're right that a lot of that was about tv in general instead of about OFF itself, but there were plenty of references before that.  Season five had plenty for instance, with much of Bart Gets Famous, "the following week on Thursday" in Homer Loves Flanders, etc.  Even season one had Grandpa being offended by the use of the term "family jewels" on tv, despite that the same episode uses the term earlier.

[Reply #52 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
Daily show referred to it once or twice and is still going as strongly as ever.

You're kidding, right?  The Daily Show is a pale imitation of what it once was.  Don't get me wrong, it's still funny; but it jumped the shark the day that Craig Kilborn, A. Whitney Brown, and Brian Unger left.

[Reply #53 on:]

 

Originally posted by David A:
 You're kidding, right?  The Daily Show is a pale imitation of what it once was.  Don't get me wrong, it's still funny; but it jumped the shark the day that Craig Kilborn, A. Whitney Brown, and Brian Unger left.

To be fair I never saw the Kilborn era, although from what I've generally read about them the show actually got a lot better when Stewart came in.  But judging by episodes I saw before and after I saw the "jump the shark" mention, it hasn't declined at all.
In fact what I've generally read is that the Kilborn era was just an imitation of Letterman, Leno etc (ya know, unfunny dreck) whereas when Stewart came in it actually became a satirical show.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Reply #54 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
Correct me if I'm wrong.

Okay, you're wrong.

[Reply #55 on:]

Then The Daily show must have been damn good before "jumping the shark" because I consider it the best show on right now.

[Reply #56 on:]

It was.

[Reply #57 on:]

"The Tonight Show" jumped the shark when they picked Leno rather than Letterman to host it back in '93. They said Letterman was too mean, but that's what makes him funny.

[Reply #58 on:]

         

Originally posted by evan:
 Literally.

Yeah but it was supposed to happen. She did it because she was going crazy, Like the rest of Humanity.

Its pretty much Taboo to Criticise Neon Genesis Because theres a very great chance that you dont get it.

NO ONE gets it.

Perhaps the world over There are many different people who got different aspects of the show (Not including the writers    ) And if you rolled them up into one they mght get it but otherwise....

I'm just watching End of right now. It shouldnt have been made, The voices are bodgy. They should have left it unmade.

Which leaves me wondering something. Is it just us Foreign Devils who dont speak Japanese who dont get it. Maybe because we (or at least I) only watch the translated version and the Dialogue isnt an exact translation (because thats impossible) It only seems wierd and theres actually not all that much to get and its not Particularly deep afterall. Maybe I am seeing things that arent there.

Ahahaha. Yet more Philosophical Bullshit to and Fuel to the Neon Genesis Fire!!!         

[Reply #59 on:]

Why end of evangelion "Had" to be made:

Gianax's Budget ran slim for Episodes 25 and 26 on TV.

Hideaki Anno likes to makes people deeply sad, and the TV ending while having NOTHING to do with ANYTHING was too happy.

Show spoiler

Also, as far as I'm concerned, the whole movie Jumps the shark when Shinji beats his meat over comatose Asuka.

[Reply #60 on:]

Episode 25 and 26 of NG:E were perhaps the only ending episodes of a series I really thought lived up the series. I still think Bebop's end was off, and Trigun v. Knives just seemed so rushed. I think they had to do what they did with the end of Evangelion because "just another angel attack" would be an uneventful ending. I think the ending brought closure to Shinji's damaged psyche, which was the point all along.

And, you can choose either Episodes 25&26 or End of Evangelion. Anno knew he couldn't please everyone, so he gave them an option. Personally, I like both.

[Reply #61 on:]

 

Originally posted by newhook_1:
"The Tonight Show" jumped the shark when they picked Leno rather than Letterman to host it back in '93. They said Letterman was too mean, but that's what makes him funny.

I'll have to disagree with you on this one.  I like Jay Leno as "The Tonight Show" host.  I think Jay Leno's comedy style is closer in  spirit to Johnny Carson's, making for a better continuation of the show.  Leno may not be as "edgy" as Letterman, but I'd rather listen to him interview guests than listen to Letterman laugh at his own jokes.  I don't care for him much.

[Reply #62 on:]

Having only watched a bit of Letterman, and quite a bit of Leno, I'd say I prefer the latter...

 

Originally posted by Archie2K:
I also don't know how the writers can justify putting in such a storyline. It clearly isn't a public interest story since the number of cases of incest is something like 1 in 100,000 families.

I'd think the number of cases of accidental incest is probably much lower...