Is there a name for the opposite of "Jumping the shark"

[Sr Siete]

You know, the moment when, after the few first episodes or even seasons, the show makes a sudden jump in quality. Like the "fuck fuckity fuck" scene in The Wire or the introduction of Spike and Drusilla in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[Blaster Master]

I've always heard it was Growing a Beard in reference to TNG.

[obfusciatrist]

Did 30 Rock or Parks and Rec have a specific episode that changed things? I remember they they both sucked for a least a bit before finding a stride.

[Bosstone]

Originally Posted by Blaster Master

I've always heard it was Growing a Beard in reference to TNG.

Yep. It's not quite as ubiquitous as Jumping the Shark, and there may be niche variations, but Growing the Beard is generally accepted among trope-savvy people.

[Sr Siete]

Originally Posted by obfusciatrist

Did 30 Rock or Parks and Rec have a specific episode that changed things? I remember they they both sucked for a least a bit before finding a stride.

Apparently the second season of P&R is a lot better than the first. I'll have to watch it some day.

30 Rock did change and became more surreal and the characters more of a caricature, whether that made it funnier or crappier is up to discussion.

[Sr Siete]

Originally Posted by Blaster Master

I've always heard it was Growing a Beard in reference to TNG.

Awesome. Thank you.

[Casey1505]

Originally Posted by obfusciatrist

...finding a stride.

I guess I figured this was it. As in "It took insert show here a few episodes (or seasons) before it finally hit its stride and took off."

[tdn]

"Growing a beard" is a lot more eloquent than "It got Larry, Darryl, and Darryled."

[Chronos]

The Garfield strip managed to pull a successful shark-jump a few years ago, when Jon and Liz finally started dating. It's starting to stale again, but for a while there, the strip was actually interesting.

[Quimby]

Originally Posted by obfusciatrist

Did 30 Rock or Parks and Rec have a specific episode that changed things? I remember they they both sucked for a least a bit before finding a stride.

Not sure with 30 rock but with parks and Rec I would recommend starting with the Season 1 finale or just begin with Season 2. I gave up on the show after the first couple episodes and then tried it again in Season 2 after it ended up on so many Best of the year lists and found I loved it. Went back and rewatched everything and above is my recommendation.

[minlokwat]

I asked this same question some time ago.

It was agreed that "Mastering One's Domain" was the best antithesis to "Jumping the Shark".

Mileage varies and all that though.

[MaxTheVool]

Originally Posted by Sr Siete

Like the "fuck fuckity fuck" scene in The Wire

But to me, The Wire was fantastic from the get go (although of course you may just disagree)... but I think there needs to be a similar concept, not "it was bad, and then found its stride" but "I was not really hooked, and was kind of unsure what was going on and whether I would enjoy it or not, until there was a moment when suddenly it became clear how awesome it had been all along".

[TBG]

Finding it's groove.