Posted by Kevin at spider-wg051.proxy.aol.com on November 27, 1999 at 10:04:53:
In Reply to: Jump The Shark? posted by jumptheshark on November 26, 1999 at 22:50:45:
: I'm the creator of www.jumptheshark.com, a site that chronicles the
moments of when TV shows go downhill. The term "jump the shark" comes from
the moment when Fonzie, clad in leather jacket, hurdles over a shark on
waterskiis. Right then and there, you knew the show was done (not to
mention that it was a cliffhanger of a 3 part vacation episode, other
tell-tale signs).
: Anyway, in doing a web search on "jump the shark", I came across Kevin
mentioning "Fonzie jumping over a shark" in a TIME interview he did.
: Just curious to see if he agreed that this moment was the prime example
of when a TV show goes downhill, and if it still resonates with him.
That show went downhill once Richie left (which, if I recall correctly, was
a few seasons after the Fonz jumped the shark.)
On an interesting sidenote: there's a scene in the second episode of the
'Clerks' cartoon where Dante and Randal talk about the Fonz jumping the
shark. That scene is even animated.
******