# Jumping the shark after the romance begins on TV
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 7, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735 "2009-11-07T21:20:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/1 "2009-11-07T21:20:27Z")
I’m a huge fan of Bones. Despite my best efforts, I got sucked into it. And as anyone know, one of the big draws is the meet cute and “close but no cigar” romance between the two main characters Bones and Booth. They show wants fans to watch and hope for them to get together, but of course they never do.
Here’s my question. Has a TV show that is largely centered around the not quite romance of two main characters avoided “jumping the shark” rapidly after the two lovers actually get together?
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/2 "2009-11-07T22:04:54Z")
Half the time they try to avoid that by having them immediately get _out_ and then it’s a big damned mess.
Yes, what’s left of Bones being any good will totally jump the shark if Booth and Brennan do it, and I frankly do not appreciate being manipulated like that, grr.
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### Author:  [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/3 "2009-11-07T22:15:57Z")
I would say “Cheers” is about the only one that managed to still have good shows after the main two got together. The problem with that examle is “Cheers” started out with Diane and Sam the main two but it quickly developed from a two person show to an ensamble cast. As proved, Diane wasn’t needed and perhaps you could’ve even done the show without Sam, 'cause the rest of the cast and the writing was so good.
For me personally, I find the “Getting together” of couples to be unfunny
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### Author:  [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/4 "2009-11-07T22:18:22Z")
I’d say The Big Bang Theory is still doing good after Penny & Leonard got together.
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### Author:  [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/5 "2009-11-07T22:21:41Z")
The classic examples are “Moonlighting” and “Lois and Clark”. Both went straight into the toilet when the leads finally got together. Most shows recognize the danger and avoid it by keeping the leads apart until the final episode, a la “Remington Steele”.
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### Author:  [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/6 "2009-11-07T22:27:26Z")
Fraiser still did a good job after Niles and Daphne finally got together, but of course they were not always (or even usually) the main story line of any given episode or season…
(As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that Jane Leeves is one of the most stunning women in the entire world?)
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/7 "2009-11-07T23:15:21Z")
The other classic (bad) example is Get Smart. Once Max and 99 got married and became parents, it was all over…TRM
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### Author:  [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/8 "2009-11-08T00:08:24Z")
The Office is still often quite funny even after Jim & Pam stopped making eyes and started making babies.
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### Author:  [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/9 "2009-11-08T00:08:54Z")
TV Tropes (cue Necronomiconic mind-stealing chant) has a notable article on the subject, [Shipping Bed Death (aka Dave & Maddie Syndrome)](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShippingBedDeath), which also lists at least a few times where the shark jumping was arguably averted.
Kim Possible comes to mind, right off the bat, though it might be a special case as, technically, it was restarted after being canceled.
Personally, I don’t think problem has as much to do with resolving a romantic angle as it does with _when_ the angle gets resolved. Specifically, I think the writers and producers tend to stretch out a gimmick with a strong “hook” as long as possible—when they get to the point they want to resolve it, it might just be because they’ve run out of ideas, or the show’s got other problems developing already. Thus the long-awaited romantic resolution ends up becoming a mere desperation tactic, and a harbinger of the series going down the tubes. _Post hoc_…
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### Author:  [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/10 "2009-11-08T00:17:13Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#):
>
> SNIP. (As an aside, am I the only one who thinks that Jane Leeves is one of the most stunning women in the entire world?). SNIP
No, your not alone, stay away from her SHE’S MINE!
Unclviny
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/11 "2009-11-08T00:31:41Z")
It’s particularly ugly in Bones because Brennan isn’t a realistic, consistent character, but Booth is and it isn’t fair to him. There was a bit in the last episode with some hand-grabbing that was really mean to the character and the audience because they’re both being manipulated in a very bold-faced and cruel manner.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/12 "2009-11-08T00:47:23Z")
Sci Fi seems to avoid this jump the shark problem
B’Elanna Torres and Tom Paris had a long up and down relationship. They finally married and she had a baby on _Star Trek Voyager_. Didn’t hurt the show at all.
_Deep Space Nine_ Worf and Dax met and eventually married. Then she died. Didn’t hurt the show.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/13 "2009-11-08T01:55:27Z")
Sheridan and Delenn marry and move to Minbar in Babylon 5 weren’t some of the movies based after the marriage?
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/14 "2009-11-08T03:02:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Sheridan and Delenn marry and move to Minbar in Babylon 5 weren’t some of the movies based after the marriage?
They got married, but I don’t recall much in the way of romance. It certainly wasn’t a focus of the series, so it’s not surprising that it had no shark jumping effect (SJE).
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/15 "2009-11-08T04:41:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Sheridan and Delenn marry and move to Minbar in Babylon 5 weren’t some of the movies based after the marriage?
But the show wasn’t largely centered around the romance, as was specified in the original post.
I guess I’d say The Office as well, though I think that the show is less funny now. However, the decrease in amusement doesn’t stem from the couple ending up together.
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### Author:  [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/16 "2009-11-08T06:13:38Z")
There’s some notable examples, but I don’t in any way believe there’s a necessary causation. I think the bigger problem is when the writers don’t think beyond the point of them getting together, and so put it off out of fear, using really contrived plot elements to keep them apart far past the point where they should have gotten together, and then once they get together still find contrived ways to keep them apart.
> [@BrotherCadfael](#):
>
> The classic examples are “Moonlighting” and “Lois and Clark”. Both went straight into the toilet when the leads finally got together.
The problem in both cases I think was that even after they got together, the writers still didn’t let them be together. After David and Maddie consummated, she ran away and he accidentally went to jail, and then she had a miscarriage. When Lois and Clark finally got together, she got replaced by an evil clone for half a season.
I think Big Bang Theory did a great job of saying OK, it’s been a season, let’s let the kids get together, but not made a big deal out of it. And it’s going fine, probably even better than before because Leonard is less whiny now that he’s getting laid.
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### Author:  [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/17 "2009-11-08T06:23:10Z")
OTOH I think extended delay of romantic pairing _can_ work if there’s a real inherent plot obstacle other than mere reluctance of the characters. For example, in Legend of the Seeker, the female lead has superpowers that could accidentally enslave the hero if they were to get together. And on Kings, the Princess’ secret vow and also their class differential prevent her being with David initially.
One series that almost fell into that trap was Grey’s Anatomy, which kept finding dumb ways to keep Meredith and Derrick apart. But then they bit the bullet, had Meredith get over her issues, and got them together. Now Mer is happy and no longer insufferable.
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### Author:  [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/18 "2009-11-08T06:40:06Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#):
>
> ]And on Kings, the Princess’ secret vow and also their class differential prevent her being with David initially.
Damnit, I was _ **almost** _ over that show. :mad:
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/19 "2009-11-08T08:20:34Z")
It’s in the TVTropes link, but the first thing I think of when thinking of a well-done example is Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. They got them together in what was to be the series finale movie, but then got another season, and handled the relationship well. Basically, they made the relationship completely unimportant. The only exception is the episode where Kim loses her memory, but that one works because it lampshades the absurdity of the relationship. (The head cheerleader with the most awkward guy in school? Totally unrealistic.)
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-the-shark-after-the-romance-begins-on-tv/516735/20 "2009-11-08T13:16:17Z")
You know if they did it on _Bones_ we’d get all this annoying “the FBI says we can’t work together!” crap instead of a real plotline.
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