While I did not watch the show & have no opinion on it, it’s somewhat notorious that Happy Days lasted seven seasons after there was a literal jumping of the shark.
When Henry died. Would have been perfect as an ending for MAS*H. All they need is an announcement of the ceasefire right at the end.
Both “Soap” and “Desperate Housewives” should have stopped after one year. You can only do parody for so long.
“Chico and the Man” after Chico blew his brains out.
Hey! ~shakes hands with the Baron~ 
Um. Never?
And alas, even when Steve Carell leaves they will keep trying to milk it.
Heroes should have ended after the first season.
Millenium should have ended after season two.
Not really. I think Battlestar Galactica and a few other shows, like Babylon 5, ended on their own terms. I know, B5 kind of stretched it in season 5, but this was due to impending cancellation in S4.
Heck, LOST actually wrapped up quicker than some would have expected
I think there are plenty of American shows that ended without going on too long.
Oh, yeah. I’ll be the 10th or so to mention this; it is the classic case.
Really? I think it should have maintained its quality better and run for 4 or 5 seasons.
I thought this was about shows that went on too long, not shows that tanked after starting strong.
That 70’s Show should have stopped at the end of season 7.
Og yes. That was when I stopped watching. You know you’re doing it wrong when everyone from the original cast has left the show.
90210 became pretty unrecognisable.
I can’t entirely agree with that sentiment; the original L&O still worked for a good long while after the last orginal cast member, Chris Noth, left. (Steven Hill was not in the series premiere). But you’re right in the case of ER. The episode after Greene’s death, when Carter reassures a new medical student in a parallel fashion to the way Green reassured him in the series premiere, was an ideal place to stop.
It was only on 3 years, but Veronica Mars got much worse after season 1, then fell off the cliff after season 2.
Moonlighting should have quite before the guy with the broken collarbone was rollingo n the floor with the pregnant woman.
And the show had metaphorically jumped the shark long before it literally jumped the shark.
The first two or three seasons were actually quite good. The show should have ended while:
- Arnold still owned Arnold’s (Screw Al)
- The producers still cared about the 1950s setting – before the actors quit their 50s haircuts and grew out their hair
- Joanie was nothing but Richie’s bratty little sister
- Fonzie’s only known relative was Spike (Screw Chachi)
- The show’s theme song was still “Rock Around the Clock” (When looking at old episodes, this is actually how you can tell whether it will be a good one. If it starts with “Rock Around the Clock,” stay tuned. If it starts with “Sunday, Monday happy days…” switch channels in preemptive disgust.)
Oh yeah and The Andy Griffith Show should have ended when Barney left town, with the last black-and-white episode.
How about West Wing? They should have wrapped it up after Sorkin left the show. The magic in the show was always in the writing.
Rugrats.
Six Feet Under (but tied up nicely at the end).
I hate to say this, but I think House has seen better days. The new med student is awesome, so I’m hoping she’ll save the show.
Simpsons
Six Feet Under
Flintstones
Every 80s sitcom that went past five seasons.