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Jumping the SciFi Shark...
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Author:  joeranger [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:26 am ]
Post subject:  Jumping the SciFi Shark...
In the USA, Happy Days was an icon in TV going on forever in TV time. Before they tried to spin-off new shows like Lavern and Shirley and Joanie loves Chachie, they tried to get viewers back by having the Fonz jump a shark tank with his motorcycle.
When a show loses ratings and the writers make a desperate attempt to keep viewers, It is called "jumping the shark".

As much as I love the idea, I have always thought that going back in time was SciFi's way to jump the shark; Captain Kirk against the nazis. The other harbinger of scifi doom seems to be cloning; like Ripley in A4.

What other things in scifi make you cringe and start counting down the episodes?

I am happy to say that BSG never had a Jump the Shark moment for me. Neither did Firefly...
Author:  metalalien [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
bring back the borg, no matter where you are, or what timeline you are in.. god damn it, the borg are always there.

related, easy way to write yourself out of a corner. Everything has a queen. The Borg, and yes even Aliens.. I don't think James did it for that reason, but I have never really liked the queen.
Author:  SSgt Burton [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
When a "cute little kid" saves the day, and they give him/her actual duties to perform or becomes a regular character who is "really smart for their age". :roll:


It's nothing more than a desperate attempt to get more teens/pre-teens to watch a show. Even as a teenager I thought it was stupid.


Galactica 1980 had the "brilliant child scientist". I think there may have been something similar in the last season of Buck Rogers.

TNG had Wesley Crusher saving the day almost every week in the 1st season. The writers learned very quickly to back off of that theme! :evil:

By the way Joe- I remember that Happy Days episode: Fonz jumped the shark with water skis (and while wearing his leather jacket with bathing trunks).

Kevin
Author:  falken108 [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Here he is in all his leather jacket and swim trunk goodness,
Fonzie jumps the shark !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDthMGtZKa4



For myself, a real killer is throwing in goofy sidekicks into a mostly serious movie.
Author:  Adonis [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
LOL, watch BSG again if you think they never jumped the shark.
Author:  Maverick [ Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
WARNING: Here comes the oh-so-common "speaking of, did you guys see..." line... :roll:

Speaking of Fonzie, has anybody here seen the episode of Family Guy where Peter decides to start a religion based on Fonzie?
Author:  trouble [ Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Adonis wrote:
LOL, watch BSG again if you think they never jumped the shark.

Even though I loved the series, I still say yours was the best season three synopsis - "Everyone whines. There, you're caught up."
Author:  SgtTony [ Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Uhhh, somewhere around Hellraiser 90 I think

I've been racking my brain on this one.......all I can think of is the second Fox execs said 'Hey lets make another Alien movie without Cameron or Scott directing'

On a more serious note....what if Fonzi had not made the jump.....?
Author:  The_BDK [ Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Quote:
On a more serious note....what if Fonzi had not made the jump.....?


More folks woulda watched?
Author:  Tarim-rex [ Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
SSgt Burton wrote:
Galactica 1980 had the "brilliant child scientist". I think there may have been something similar in the last season of Buck Rogers.
Kevin


To be fair, there was nothing good about Glactica '80. More like a bad CHiP's spin off :evil:


And if the Fonz did not jump the shark, we would have nothing to call it, although, I believe jump the queen was done by Mel Brooks.
Author:  SSgt Burton [ Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Tarim-rex wrote:
To be fair, there was nothing good about Glactica '80. More like a bad CHiP's spin off :evil:


Don't get me wrong- nothing would have saved that show. However it seemed to bury itself with another Jump The Shark criteria:

Same character, different actor. In BSG1980's case Apollo and Starbuck were "replaced" by Boxey (who grew up pretty damn quickly) and... the other blond guy. :roll: :lol:

I know this doesn't exactly fit the "same character/different actor" category, but I'm sure (back in 1980) everyone expected Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict to be back in the series.

This kinda happened to X-Files when David Duchovny left the show and was downgraded to a recurring guest. Same with Gillian Anderson, they replaced them with Dogget and... the other chick. :wink: I stopped watching the show until the last few episodes of the final season.

So a main character being written out sounds the death knell for me.

Kevin
Author:  Cooter Davis [ Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
When It comes to science fiction films I consider any film to have
"Jumped the Shark" when the development of special effects
take a priority over plot development, or an entire film that's
filmed in front of a blue screen. A fine example of this is

The Star Wars Prequels

Another thing I consider jumping the shark is Traveling back in
the past to correct the future. I think Star Trek did that a zillion
and a half times.
Author:  Tarim-rex [ Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
or an alternate reality, over done. And soon to be seen again on the big screen :wink:
Author:  metalalien [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
what about, bring in the hot girl to save the show. (Cough) Seven of nine, (cough)
Author:  trouble [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
metalalien wrote:
what about, bring in the hot girl to save the show. (Cough) Seven of nine, (cough)

Wow! Are you actually complaining about a hot chick?
Author:  metalalien [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
No, but I understand it's just because the ratings slipped... She was the ultimate shark jump, she was Borg and boob all in one!
Author:  Maverick [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
I don't know about her being a 'shark jump' :| , but I do know that once they removed all the extra implants, she was extremely hot :D . And that's what really matters :wink: :lol: .
Author:  SSgt Burton [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Maverick wrote:
I do know that once they removed all the extra implants, she was extremely hot :D



That's because the kept the two best implants. :wink:


What. :|

Kevin
Author:  Maverick [ Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Jumping the SciFi Shark...
Haha Kevin, haha.

Although I must say -and this is something I think Kevin will appreciate- I have gained a newfound respect and even liking for the Original Series of Star Trek. My dad borrowed some of the episodes on VHS from a friend of his. Some really good ones.
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