do you think somewhere Ellen is sitting around going, “Ok, so what in the hell was the problem!!?”
Actually, gay men are everywhere on television, but lesbians are nary to be seen. So this is more or less breaking new ground.
“Jumping the Shark” is a website (don’t have a hyperlink for you, sorry) dedicated to the moment of horror when you discover your favorite show has gone so far south that there’s no recovery.
I believe “Jump the Shark” refers to a Happy Days plot when Fonzie goes water-skiing and they show a shark swimming…and in a final dramatic moment…he jumps over the shark! (Insert wild applause)
The website would be http://www.jumptheshark.com of course. I had never heard the phrase or the website before, so thanks for the heads-up. According to the site, “jump the shark” does refer to the Happy Day episode (though I don’t remember that at all).
I’m torn by ER. The storylines for the most part keep getting sillier, but I still watch. Most of the acting is still pretty good, and I guess I still have a connection with some of the character. I actually did stop watching for about a year, but I got back into it again this year. It’s gotten tougher to stay with it, though, since Mark’s “inoperable” brain tumor and with Comedy Central showing Sports Night opposite ER.
Ellen wan’t funny. 
More specifically, Ellen was whiny. Which, in itself, doesn’t differ that much from an episode of Seinfeld, although they at least had four characters to play around with. But when she came out, suddenly the shows were all whiny AND related to her coming out, and frankly it just wasn’t that interesting.
More power to her for coming out as a person, but as a sitcom character it didn’t really work.
I have really enjoyed seeing Dr. Weaver act like a human being instead of the authoritative robo-bitch she usually is. I do get the feeling that they’re reaching, though.
Also, it is my understanding that Anthony Edwards is leaving the show either at the end of this season or the next. (Sorry, no cite for that…I think I saw it on Entertainment Tonight a while ago.)
Anyhow, now I can’t decide what I think they’re going to do to him. Kill him off? Nah…send him to the country to retire and father many babies? What about Elizabeth? If she’s still on the show, how will they be able to show her but not Dr. Green? I mean, obviously, she’s going to have to talk about him if he’s still alive…anyway, it’s keeping me guessing.