Jumping the Shark/Playing With

Jump The Shark: The quality of a series drops after a significant event.

• Straight: The show is no longer as interesting now that a major plot point has been resolved
• Exaggerated: The greatest series in the world becomes absolute trash almost instantly after Alice and Bob get together
• Justified: The show was built on a short-term premise and became a Franchise Zombie when it was extended.
• Inverted: Growing the Beard.
• Subverted: Despite what looks to be a series-breaking change of events, the series continues to produce quality episodes
  • Ruined FOREVER
• Double Subverted: ...But compared to the episodes that came before the event, the overall quality of the series still dropped.
• Parodied:

Alice: "This show has gotten worse since I had left." Bob: "No, it's just-" Announcer: "Next week, Bob jumps his motorcycle over a tank of sharks! Will he make it?" Bob: "Alright, you may have a point."

• Deconstructed: A behind-the-scenes documentary reveals the writers' room conflicts and Executive Meddling that made the shark jump happen.
• Reconstructed: A behind-the-scenes documentary reveals the writers' room conflicts and Executive Meddling that made the shark jump happen — and caused a Writer Revolt. Fans end up supporting the writers by taking Guilty Pleasure in watching the ruined show.
• Zig Zagged: The episode quality varies widely after a large event.
• Averted: Series continues on as it was without any Wall Bangers or Shocking Swerves affecting the quality.
  • Alternately, the show ends before going on too long.
• Enforced: "Joe's contract gives him creative control, and he wants to jump a shark this week!"
• Lampshaded: "They ended the Love Triangle? Well, it's only downhill from here, folks."
  • A literal shark is jumped.
• Invoked: A Medium Aware character is sick of the show and tries to sabotage it.
  • Alternatively: The author makes the show bad because he's sick of the Unpleasable Fanbase.
• Defied: A Medium Aware character realizes something would wreck the dynamic of the show and stops it.
  • Alternatively: The writer's resolution of the Love Triangle is blocked by Executive Meddling.
• Discussed: "You ever get the feeling that our lives were more exciting before we beat Emperor Evulz?
• Conversed: "I stopped watching Happy Days after Fonzie Jumped the Shark."

---

Back to Jumping the Shark