Meaning of jump the shark | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Of television program or other narrative, to undergo a storyline development which heralds a fundamental and generally disappointing change in direction.
   idiomatic
2. To experience a decline in quality, appeal, popularity, etc.
   broadly, idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“Happy Days infamously jumped the shark when Fonzie literally jumped a shark on water skis. I Love⟳ Lucy jumped the shark when Lucy and Ricky moved to the suburbs. The Brady Bunch jumped the shark when Cousin Oliver moved in.”

“From that point⟳ on, Dallas was never the same. It hit its peak. It lost credibility. It jumped the shark.”

“Returning show⟳ everyone will say⟳ has jumped the shark: "House."”

“Pintsize: Wait⟳, don’t you want⟳ to know⟳ why I’m tied up and hanging from the ceiling? Faye: Not really. Nighty night! Pintsize: Shit! My wacky antics have⟳ jumped the shark!”

“The Bangles were a fine all-woman band, starting with a lovely cover⟳ of Prince's "Manic Monday." "Walk⟳ Like⟳ an Egyptian" was cute, and the ladies rocked out an unlikely cover⟳ of Simon and Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade of Winter." But they jumped the shark with the treacly "Eternal Flame," and the end⟳ of the road was in sight.”

“And I knew something was up when I started getting press⟳ releases about "tape labels." Maybe vinyl had finally jumped the shark, and magnetic tape was due for a return⟳.”

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