# Origin of "Jumped the shark" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756 "2003-04-01T18:08:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sonicsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@sonicsink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonicsink)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/1 "2003-04-01T18:08:50Z")
Can someone explain this whole thing to me? I’m going to assume that “Jumping the shark” is the turning point in a tv show/movie etc…where it went from good to bad. Where did this whole “jump the shark” thing come from? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/2 "2003-04-01T18:10:11Z")
Happy Days. Once upon a time, Fonzie jumped his motorcycle over a shark tank. This represented something of a change in format for the show, and few were pleased with the results. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/3 "2003-04-01T18:11:35Z")
The Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumped a shark tank, thus signalling the end of creative thought by the writers of the series. A turning point. A crossing of the Rubicon. Lois marrying Clark. The end of an era. Ring down the final curtain. Stick it with a fork, it’s done. He’s dead, Jim; you get his tricorder, I’ll go through his pockets. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/4 "2003-04-01T18:12:51Z")
Though that’s reason for the origin, the phrase was coined at [Jumptheshark.com](http://www.jumptheshark.com). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/5 "2003-04-01T18:14:59Z")
You’ll get the whole explanation at [www.jumptheshark.com](http://www.jumptheshark.com) There always seems to be a point at which a popular TV series has run out of ideas, and has just gotten either boring or just plain silly. Some friends were talking about TV shows they’d once liked, and started trying to pinpoint the moment at which they knew that their favorite TV shows just weren’t very good any more. One of them remembered an episode of “Happy Days” in which Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis. THAT seemed to be the moment at which “Happy Days” fans realized their show wasn’t very good any more, and was resorting to ridiculous stunts to keep viewers. The friends decided that “Happy Days” episode epitomized what they were talking about, and started using “jumping the shark” as shorthand for “the moment you realized something just wasn’t very good any more.” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/6 "2003-04-01T18:20:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 2trew \* > \*\*Happy Days. Once upon a time, Fonzie jumped his motorcycle over a shark tank. \*\* Nitpick: He jumped over a shark on waterskis in the ocean, while on a trip to California. People always say he jumped a “shark tank on his motorcyle” and that just isn’t right. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/7 "2003-04-01T18:30:33Z")
Strangely enough, it’s been a while since I saw the episode. There’s also my inability to post in this forum without making errors, but I’m sure that’s just a result of the curse that little old lady put on me when I mocked her for not knowing the combination to the safe on the Enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-jumped-the-shark/165756/8 "2003-04-01T21:43:16Z")
I hate to be nitpicky about stuff, and Lord knows I’ve made my fair share of mistakes around here, and he _did_ jump over trash cans on his motorcycle. It’s just that I’ve seen the phrase explained many times, and it’s often explained as, “Remember when Fonzie jumped that shark tank on his motorcycle?” It just grates on my nerves because it’s wrong. Please don’t hate me. 😉