# Substitute phrases for "jump the shark" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793 "2003-04-01T21:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/41 "2003-07-01T18:42:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamex \* > **How about “beat around the bush”? Everyone (who’s a native English speaker) knows what that means,** Uh, 3rd base, right? ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/42 "2003-07-01T21:51:18Z")
From Friends: “going on a break” or “enlisting the new psycho Ross”. For those people too posh to say “jump the shark”, how about “rebarbative epiphany” or “signum fatuum”? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/43 "2003-07-02T00:57:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by refusal \* > From Friends: “going on a break” or “enlisting the new psycho Ross”. > \*\* You mean “Red Ross”?:mad: How about “done gone and blown his leg off”? (J.A.G.) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/44 "2003-07-02T04:02:19Z")
Another vote for “went to color.” ---
**Author:** ![skin2skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@skin2skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skin2skin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/45 "2003-07-02T17:30:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mojo \* > \*\*Furleyed the Roper. \*\* lol…very clever!!! ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/46 "2003-07-02T18:56:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pollo Boyo \* > \*\*It has no significance to any show in particular, but I am partial to “bonked the walrus”. \*\* Humped the Tuna ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/47 "2003-07-02T19:46:54Z")
Opened Edna’s Edibles (or Brought in Cloris Leachman) Moved Away from the Mertzes Discovered Killer Bob or, from a movie Discovered midichlorians ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/48 "2003-07-02T20:29:26Z")
Thanks **Skeezix** , you saved me the trouble. ---
**Author:** ![BizarroRonJeremy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@BizarroRonJeremy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BizarroRonJeremy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/49 "2003-07-02T20:43:40Z")
Or…more interestingly…Can anyone cite examples of shows REVERSE jumping the shark? Shows that have gotten better after a particular event. I’ve thrown down the gauntlet…though sadly, I can’t think of any examples. And what would this be called? “Sharking the Jump”? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/50 "2003-07-02T21:44:41Z")
Well, it didn’t make the show better, but it definitely made it last longer: “beefed up the Urkel character” or “added Fonzie” or “lost Chuck Cunningham” ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/51 "2003-07-04T01:40:20Z")
I thought _Happy Days_ **always** had Fonzie on it. (What does Fonzie feed his horse?) ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793/52 "2003-07-04T13:53:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BizarroRonJeremy \* > \*\*Or…more interestingly…Can anyone cite examples of shows REVERSE jumping the shark? Shows that have gotten better after a particular event. > > I’ve thrown down the gauntlet…though sadly, I can’t think of any examples. > > And what would this be called? “Sharking the Jump”? \*\* “Got the Defiant” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-phrases-for-jump-the-shark/165793.md?page=2)