Point of Shark Jump: When Did Any Given Television Show Jump?

The problem with this concept is the assumption that that lousy show was better on either side of the jump.

 

Like others have mentioned, it was in color, Andy was now like a different character (moody and stern most of the time), most or all of the older recurring characters barely came on the show or disappeared (Otis, the Darlings, Thelma Lou). The program focused on all of the less interesting new characters such as Howard and Andy's burgeoning relationship with Helen. The deputy they got after Barney left (Jack Burns) was not popular with viewers so his character was written out and the sheriff no longer had any deputies.

 

These are shows that I've re-watched recently, and are fresh in my mind. Most were still quite good after the 'shark jumping' and well worth watching, just not as good as the show had been at it's peak.

1. Leave it to Beaver - The Beav had a significant growth spurt between Seasons 4 & 5, and was awkward to watch at times afterwords. The Wally/Eddie centric shows did make up for it.

2. Are You Being Served? - They couldn't effectively replace Mr. Lucas when Trevor Bannister left the show.

3. Monty Pythons Flying Circus - Season 4 (Monty Python in general) without John Cleese just isn't the same.

4. Ren and Stimpy - Went way downhill when John Kricfalusi was fired after Season 2.

 

Batman season 3 with the introduction of Batgirl...

 

Yeah, watching the Season 5 and 6 episodes make me almost always think "Beaver really should know better than to get into this kind of trouble by this age...".

I have the same issue with the later Dennis The Menace episodes (which really jumped after the actor who played George Wilson died).

 

Goober. Warren.

 

The sight of a pre-teen Jay North still riding a tricycle...

 

Fraser--when Daphne got into the RV with Niles. After that, the show lost its reason for being.

The Office (American)--when Michael left the show. Obvious, I know.

Petticoat Junction--When Kate (Bea Benaderet) died, and was replaced by Dr. Janet Craig (June Lockhart).

 

I watched it on and off when I was a kid, so my memory may be really flawed. But I remember after she passed, that Uncle Joe got a lot more time and I really hated him.
"Hilarity results when Uncle Joe thinks the water tower is going to burst." "Hilarity results when Uncle Joe thinks one of the girls is pregnant." oh, wait, that second one didn't happen, I think

 

I was just reading a history of the show, and it did.

 

That IS funny!

 

One JTS moment that DIDN'T happen, was when Poochie the Dog was introduced on the Simpsons. They brilliantly got rid of him in the same episode.

 

I have a general rule for shows which were built around a family: the show was done when the kids formed a band.

 

Yea, agree, but an old Ozzie and Harriet with Rick doing one of his hits could never be totally bad.

 

Here is more about Petticoat Junction than you would ever want to know, including the history of the pregnancies of the daughters. One of the daughters was pregnant but the pregnancy was dropped from the storyline with no attempt at an explanation!
Petticoat Junction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia »

 

CSI: Las Vegas - When William Petersen left the series (he did come back for the finale).

 

So you're saying that Ted McGinley is usually a defibrilator instead of a shark jumper?

 

I know John Hein sold the website for over a $1 million where it quickly proceeded to go downhill. Is he still on the Howard Stern show. Wonder when Howard jumped the shark?

 

When he left DC.

 

Yes, the third season of Batman is a mess, but the addition of Batgirl is only part of the problem. There is so much more wrong with it:

- The budget cut of going from a 60-minute show (in two parts) to a 30-minute show meant that the sets were reduced to being a few props on a dark soundstage. This is more of a problem than the Batgirl character, as the whole show just looks wrong.

- With too many characters, and too little episode running time, Batman and Robin became more like supporting players in their own show.

- The loss of Lorenzo Semple Jr. (halfway into the second season) meant the main person who "got" the tone of the series was gone. The third season scripts didn't have any of the flavor that made the first season so good.

- Third-rate villains ("Nora Clavicle"?) and/or guest stars who sleep-walked through their roles (Milton Berle, I'm looking at you).

- Billy May replacing Nelson Riddle as the show's composer didn't help.

Truth be told, I think Batgirl is about the best thing the third season had going for it. But, it would have been better if she was only used part of the time - not in every episode (and without the fancy gadgets Barbara Gordon would have no way of making on her own). If Batgirl was used in maybe 1/4 of the season's episodes, the focus would have remained on the show's namesake – where it belonged.

 

Awkward!

 

It's an evergreen topic.

 

At least a defibrilator is successful in helping to revive some patients...

 

I agree with your 3rd season points, and you're right, Batgirl was probably the least of their problems. There's still a little "ewww... Batgirl" left over from when I was a kid. I'm currently halfway through season 2 and it's clear some of the production values had already been lowered at that point (although not as bad as S3).

 

All in the Family - mini-shark jump when Gloria and Meathead moved out of the house. Total shark jump when they moved west.

Sanford and Son - never the same after Redd Foxx came back from boycotting the show (after the episodes where Grady moved in to take care of Lamont).

Good Times - John Amos leaving ("damn damn damn")

How about classic shows that got even better as they went along? You could argue that for Barney Miller. Maybe the Dick Van Dyke Show?

SNL has jumped, un-jumped, and re-jumped a dozen times.

My earliest disappointment had to be the Uncle Jack season on Land of the Lost. I was five years old and p-i-s-s-e-d over that.