What long running tv shows did NOT jump the shark?

[Annie-Xmas]

I'd vote for The Big Bang Theory. Indeed, it grew several beards: when they realized what an absolute gem they had in Jim Parsons, when Bernadette was introduced, ditto with Amy Farrah Fowler.

[DSYoungEsq]

I'm going to suggest that Little House on the Prairie managed to make it to the end of its run just fine. The aborted year called Little House: A New Beginning was dreck, of course, but you can debate whether that was the original series or not.

I don't recall for sure if Lassie ever had a serious ratings decline before it ended.

Eight is Enough did fine through its five years.

Kojak I think managed to make it through five years without too much trouble.

If you liked it, did you think Dallas jumped the shark? How about Hill Street Blues?

[Koxinga]

Originally Posted by DSYoungEsq

If you liked it, did you think Dallas jumped the shark?

It was all a dream?

[kunilou]

Originally Posted by Zebra

Gunsmoke

Nope, Gunsmoke jumped when Kitty left the show. Much like Bonanza when Dan Blocker died, the remaining episodes were such sad imitations of earlier seasons that most of us have simply stricken them from our memories.

[BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed]

Originally Posted by oft wears hats

Family Guy, which definitely jumped the shark, though I couldn't tell you exactly when.

I think it was shortly after they returned from being cancelled, which was season 4. They started running self-referential jokes, which comes off as really self-serving in such a young series, and reusing jokes and joke-styles that weren't particularly funny the first time around. For example, the chicken fight, and drawing out a gag until it becomes awkward for how long they draw it out for the "humor," like when Peter hits his shin and in pain says, "Aahhhhh, sssssssssssss, aahhhhhhh, ssssssssss," for like 10 seconds.

I thought the first few seasons were pretty amusing, but I gave up on the show years ago. You're right that American Dad is much better at this point.

[pravnik]

I'll vote MASH. Later episodes leaned towards maudlin, sometimes extremely so, but overall the series remained watchable to the very end.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by raspberry hunter

I thought Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did pretty well -- it had the occasional bad episode/arc (*cough*Ezri) at any given point during the run, but the last couple of seasons as a whole were awesome.

Season 7 did, according to many. They added the gimmick of the anti-Prophets, whatever they were called, and completely changed the tenor of the show. '

I personally have never gotten around to watching the entire series. I keep putting it off because then there will be no prime universe Trek left for me.

Annie-Xmas: No fair nominating a show that hasn't went off the air yet. It still could jump.

[Gyrate]

Originally Posted by BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed

I think it was shortly after they returned from being cancelled, which was season 4. They started running self-referential jokes, which comes off as really self-serving in such a young series, and reusing jokes and joke-styles that weren't particularly funny the first time around. For example, the chicken fight, and drawing out a gag until it becomes awkward for how long they draw it out for the "humor," like when Peter hits his shin and in pain says, "Aahhhhh, sssssssssssss, aahhhhhhh, ssssssssss," for like 10 seconds.

And if you're of more lenient bent, the moment it jumped was when we got an entire Conway Twitty song in the middle of an episode. The whole damn song. I mean, I like Conway Twitty well enough but that was just a big "fuck you" to the whole audience.

[well he's back]

Someone a few posts back mentioned "Hill Street Blues". I hadn't thought about this show in a long time. Though the last couple years were weaker, it was worth watching through its entire run. One of my all-time favorites.

eta - Gyrate, I agree with you re that Conway Twitty song. self-indulgence defined

[BurnMeUp]

The Shield maintained high quality and great plot twists throughout. A few storylines would fall flat occasionally but I never thought it jumped.

[GreenElf]

Brady Bunch grew some stubble from the second season onward. That first season lacks in classic Brady episodes and that Brady grooviness that's parodied in the movie.

MASH jumped the shark for good around season 7 when Honicutt grew a 'stash and donned red suspenders. Season 6 with the arrival of Winchester was okay, but mainly just the Winchester episodes. The rest weren't much better than season 7 which was perhaps the worst season of all. Season 8 had a couple worthy episodes but the subsequent Klinger as company clerk years were better left undone.

The Twilight Zone seemed to have a solid run sans shark jump.

[ekedolphin]

The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine both Grew the Beard.

So did Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Actually, there were some early Season 1 MMPR episodes that were more tolerable than some early season 1 TNG episodes. (I'll take "Day of the Dumpster" over "Code of Honor" any day, thank you.)

[BlinkingDuck]

Originally Posted by dalej42

Although I haven't seen the show in years, I don't think the Alice sitcom really jumped the shark.

Of course, Flo (Polly Holiday) left for the disaster that was Flo. But, the show continued to revolve around Alice, Vera, and Mel as well as the new waitress Jolene.

The best episodes were during the seasons Polly Holiday appeared, but I remember the later episodes as being watchable for a good laugh.

You, sir, can kiss my grits.

[BlinkingDuck]

Originally Posted by billfish678

I don't think he bathed either

and there WAS NO Mrs. Columbo!

[terentii]

Originally Posted by BlinkingDuck

and there WAS NO Mrs. Columbo!

Not that we ever saw, anyway. And the series of that name with Kate Mulgrew doesn't count.

[What Exit?]

So far Big Bang Theory has not jumped.

Older shows:
I fully agree Dick Van Dyke never jumped but the went out on top after only 5 great seasons by their choice.
The Odd Couple is not aging well but it never jumped.
WKRP did no jumping as CBS killed it before it got the chance. The show was still getting better in my opinion when CBS cancelled it. (New WKRP does not count)

Barney Miller had a really long run without jumping. Probably the longest sustained brilliance.


I think Cheers & Seinfeld both jumped. The characters became caricatures by the final seasons. Still funny but not the great shows they once were. I know for Seinfeld I couldn't stand George or Elaine at all by the end. Cheers' writing just got weak. They were mostly out of ideas, like M*A*S*H.

Simpsons went 10-12 without jumping which is amazing but hit the skids a few years but has come back to being a pretty good show again. It seems like the movie revitalized the show.

On that note, I would say that Futurama has still not jumped the shark.

[ftg]

Originally Posted by GreenElf

Brady Bunch grew some stubble from the second season onward. That first season lacks in classic Brady episodes and that Brady grooviness that's parodied in the movie.

You clearly have had Cousin Oliver erased from your mind. Good for you.

(TVTropes even has a category called "Cousin Oliver", it is such an exemplar of the fail. They say "Often a form of Jumping the Shark.")