The term "jumping the shark" was coined after Fonzie jumped the shark and the series' ratings never recovered. That is now a terms used for shows when damage is done and it never recovers. Although it happened in season 5 for Happy Days, I must disagree with it being then that the show "jumped the shark." To me, it was when Richie and Ralph left the show. It sunk deeper when Joanie and Chachi left.
shareThe show 'jumped' many times in nearly every possible way, here's a few:
- when it when from single cam to multi cam and added the studio audience
- dropping a character then pretending he never existed
- adding a kid - Spike as a Fonzie wannabe (and when he didn't work out adding Chachi)
- Fonzie the former side character taking over the show
- the actual shark jump
- everything looking 70s instead of 50s
- ridiculous singing/dancing episodes with no plot
- Flanderization of all the characters eg Potsies IQ dropping 50 points
I agree that Richie leaving is probably the biggest one
I felt show got better with an audience.
Richie leaving hurt it the most. It was still a good show but not the same.
The show 'jumped' many times in nearly every possible way, here's a few:
- when it when from single cam to multi cam and added the studio audience
- dropping a character then pretending he never existed
- adding a kid - Spike as a Fonzie wannabe (and when he didn't work out adding Chachi)
- Fonzie the former side character taking over the show
- the actual shark jump
- everything looking 70s instead of 50s
- ridiculous singing/dancing episodes with no plot
- Flanderization of all the characters eg Potsies IQ dropping 50 points
I agree that Richie leaving is probably the biggest one
Good point, randomly adding a telekinetic alien into something that started out as a pretty realistic, nostalgic coming of age show is definitely a standout JTS moment
shareThe beginning of Season 3, when it was filmed before a studio audience and it became the "Fonzie Frolics." In episode 1 of that season, it was all over from the moment Marion told her husband to "sit on it."
I'm not crying, you fool, I'm laughing!
Hewwo.
Yes, when the late Gary Marshall decided to film "Happy Days" in front of a studio audience of screaming kids, that was when HD truly jumped-the-shark.
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This show probably has the record for shark jumping, for me a bigger JTS moment than the shark itself was the episodes where the gang go off and play Rodeo, that was just cringe worthy and had nothing to do with anything.
There was also the episode where Fonz jumps the cars or whatever they were and comes off, that was a obvious Eval Knievel tie in and Eval was pretty popular at the time of the show.
Not to mention any episode with Mork, the episode where the Fonz loses his cool, the one where the Fonz starts to dance with Mrs C, the dance marathon which was just a "They shoot horses don't they?" rip off.
It just keeps going.
Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.
They even stole the jumping the shark from Evel, who tried that stunt (on his motorcycle) 9 months before the Happy Days JTS episode aired.
shareI don't see what was so bad about fonz jumping over a shark. He was the fonz I would expect that
shareI don't see what was so bad about fonz jumping over a shark. He was the fonz I would expect that
Darker?!? I wouldn't say that, I think he was just more of a regular human being, a mere mortal as opposed to the Leather Jacket superman character he later became.
shareChachi. pfft
The show was no longer the same when it started to film in front of a live audience. When Fonzie walks in the door and has to wait 10 seconds to deliver a line because of the applause, that is when the show goes from charming period piece to typical, lame sitcom.
Don't get me wrong, I still have fond memories of watching the show until the end of series, but that is probably because I was only 10 when Fonzie was fighting aliens, and there were only three channels with something on.
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Mr C/Tom Bosley would become visibly annoyed at having to wait to deliver his lines because of the audience clapping and cheering.
shareI actually liked the shark jump trio of episodes. Had some really funny moments. The ratings were huge and it was a strong start to season 5. Seasons 5 & 6 were okay, but the cracks in the formula were definitely showing. Season 7 is where it seriously started to go south.
shareI didn't think the shark jump episodes were bad either, I think they're kinda fun but the ranch episodes at the start of the next season were absolutely terrible in every way
sharePotsie Gets Pinned. Now there was a serious shark jumping.
shareWhile reading this thread I was surprised at the number of posters who thought HD declined once it went in front of a studio audience. I thought I was the only one. I really enjoyed the first two seasons. Once they did the live studio audience the show declined for me. It wasn't funny anymore; it became lame. The jokes were awful and the plotlines became silly and dumb.
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