# jump the shark

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/jump-the-shark
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Of television program or other narrative, to undergo a storyline development which heralds a fundamental and generally disappointing change in direction.

## Examples

- That show jumped the shark when they added the new character.
- I think this movie franchise jumps the shark in the third film.
- Many fans believe the series jumped the shark during the fifth season when the plot became too unrealistic.
- The podcast jumped the shark when the hosts stopped discussing history and started talking only about their personal lives and expensive vacations.
- The video game series jumped the shark after the developers replaced the main hero with a talking robot to attract younger players.
- While the sitcom was once a cultural phenomenon, critics argue it jumped the shark the moment the writers introduced a supernatural twist to the grounded storyline.

## Origin

From the 1977 episode of the American television series Happy Days titled Hollywood, Part 3. The plot required the character Fonzie to perform a jump over a shark while on waterskis, a development considered to have severed the show's connection to its original form.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.