The worst "jump the shark" moments in TV

[lulu]

Agree about I Love Lucy. Of course, given the state of the Ball-Arnaz marriage at the time, it is perhaps not unexpected that it would have repercussions on the quality of the show.

[Alex Forrest]

Roseanne-- Didn't she win the lottery in the final season? I stopped watching then. The show totally changed.

Friends-- I loved Ross/Rachel, thought they had alot of history and affection. Then she hooked up with JOEY???? Or did she hook up with Chandler? I think it was Joey being I vaguely remember him telling Rachel in his stupid way that he was in love with her. That's when I stopped watching it regularly.

Diff'rent Strokes-- As per typical JTS rules, they brought on a quasi superadorable, totally annoying younger actor. Remember that red headed kid with the bad bowl cut? Goodbye! Also, the show was becoming a freak show. No one is mentioning that little Arnold is now 15 y/o and still 4 feet tall and playing for little boy laughs. They tried to tackle important messages but did it horrendously (80s Acid Rain and Kimberly's hair turns green, Arnold and Kimberly get kidnapped and the show STILL kept the laugh track on even when they are being held captive...wtf? The show lost its way, and when Dana Plato actually did get pregnant, they fired her, instead of incorporating this as another PSA. Such hypocrites)

The Facts of Life-- Well, realistically the girls had to leave Eastland someday. But weren't Tootie and Natalie two years behind Jo and Blair? Yet they still all decided to live together when Jo and Blair graduated? And 'Edna's Edibles'? Yep, that was the show's JTS moment. Then the next season we get aunt Cloris Leachman and that annoying Astin kid.

America's Next Top Model-- The show is not producing the next top model, but the bitchery and competition was fun for me to watch. Then enter Tootie Carparts, who ended up winning over Chantal. Tootie (we called her that because her makeover gave her a bowl cut weave that was supposed to be more Louise Brooks, but turned into a bad hair moment from a 1983 Tootie on TFOL.) was regularly given preferential treatment by Tyra, and then it's found out she modeled on Tyra's show previously, attending Tyra's T-Zone camp for young black girls, actually had a national Wendy's commercial which should have disqualified her. Uggh. I sort of watched after that, but Tootie Carparts was the JTS moment on that show. Haha someone agrees with me, because here is a hilarious YT clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9AdELoBNi0

[lulu]

Another one: when some eville person made it snow in Port Charles in July on General Hospital in the early 80s. Before that, it was your typical soap, but it tried to venture into James Bond territory and got really weird.

I've only seen clips of the Elizabeth Taylor era GH on youtube, but I much prefer Elizabeth Taylor and the eville Cassadines to the show today. For me, the show jumped the shark after Jason kidnapped baby Michael and General Hospital became the Sonny & Jason hour.

Roseanne-- Didn't she win the lottery in the final season? I stopped watching then. The show totally changed.

Not only did she win the lottery, she also battled a group of women hating terrorists as well in an episode titled "Roseambo"

The show was *so* good in its first few years, I still remember the backyard bbq scene where Bonnie Bramlett belted "You've really got a hold on me" or the hilarious scene where a grieving Jackie has to tell a hard of hearing relative that Jackie's father just passed away: http://youtu.be/ZPFyHMC8xbI
It is still for me, one of the funniest scenes on t.v.

Diff'rent Strokes-- As per typical JTS rules, they brought on a quasi superadorable, totally annoying younger actor. Remember that red headed kid with the bad bowl cut? Goodbye! Also, the show was becoming a freak show. No one is mentioning that little Arnold is now 15 y/o and still 4 feet tall and playing for little boy laughs. They tried to tackle important messages but did it horrendously (80s Acid Rain and Kimberly's hair turns green, Arnold and Kimberly get kidnapped and the show STILL kept the laugh track on even when they are being held captive...wtf? The show lost its way, and when Dana Plato actually did get pregnant, they fired her, instead of incorporating this as another PSA. Such hypocrites)

I *think* they also had a laugh track on the episode where Dudley & Arnold are almost sexually assulted by the camera store owner.

[PDilemma]

The Facts of Life-- Well, realistically the girls had to leave Eastland someday. But weren't Tootie and Natalie two years behind Jo and Blair? Yet they still all decided to live together when Jo and Blair graduated? And 'Edna's Edibles'? Yep, that was the show's JTS moment. Then the next season we get aunt Cloris Leachman and that annoying Astin kid.

I was watching a rerun the other day and wondered why we were supposed to believe that parents (with the exception of Jo's) who pay for a fancy prep school would suddenly think it was great for their daughters to attend a no name tiny college and live behind a deli/bakery where they would work.

[kwanfan1818]

Watching re-runs or getting the DVD's for old times' sake is the quickest way to learn that some of your favorite shows from childhood had jumped the shark before they started

[Wyliefan]

Diff'rent Strokes-- As per typical JTS rules, they brought on a quasi superadorable, totally annoying younger actor. Remember that red headed kid with the bad bowl cut? Goodbye! Also, the show was becoming a freak show. No one is mentioning that little Arnold is now 15 y/o and still 4 feet tall and playing for little boy laughs. They tried to tackle important messages but did it horrendously (80s Acid Rain and Kimberly's hair turns green, Arnold and Kimberly get kidnapped and the show STILL kept the laugh track on even when they are being held captive...wtf? The show lost its way, and when Dana Plato actually did get pregnant, they fired her, instead of incorporating this as another PSA. Such hypocrites)

Oh my gosh, the green hair episode. And there was one about cigarettes too, that ended with some guy lighting up yet again because he just couldn't stop. Good times.

[centerstage01]

Friends-- I loved Ross/Rachel, thought they had alot of history and affection. Then she hooked up with JOEY???? Or did she hook up with Chandler? I think it was Joey being I vaguely remember him telling Rachel in his stupid way that he was in love with her. That's when I stopped watching it regularly.

That was Joey that Rachel tried to hook up with. They never actually did. Chandler married Monica.

Friends had its up and down moments, but I'd say its worst season was season 9. That was the whole Joey/Rachel debacle. Weirdly enough, once everyone decided season 10 would be the last, that's when it started getting good again.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

I must be the only one who liked Joey/Rachel.

I loathed Ross/Rachel though. I thought they brought out the absolute worst in each other.

I didn't want them to get together or anything, but I always enjoyed the (few and far between) Ross/Phoebe scenes.

[emason]

Watching re-runs or getting the DVD's for old times' sake is the quickest way to learn that some of your favorite shows from childhood had jumped the shark before they started

Does this mean I shouldn't go looking for Crusader Rabbit and Rags the Tiger?

[Tak]

Anyone watch The Finder? I thought that show jumped the shark even before it got on the air. The original cast and situation as shown on Bones was different and better - the British girlfriend was a much better actress and her character seemed quite eccentric and a good fit with his quirks.

Then the show premiered - his quirkiness seemed much turned down, the British girlfriend who provided much of the edginess was gone, and the 2 actresses they added to the cast were nowhere near as good, and their characters nowhere near as interesting.

I think if they had stayed with the original concept the show would have done better.

[lulu]

Another one: The Office, after Michael left.

[michiruwater]

I watched Friends for Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler. The other three bored me more often than they made me laugh, and I absolutely think that Kudrow, Leblanc, and Perry were the most talented cast members.

[danceronice]

Watching re-runs or getting the DVD's for old times' sake is the quickest way to learn that some of your favorite shows from childhood had jumped the shark before they started

Yeah, reruns can be informative...apparently in first-runs, I stopped watching "The Cosby Show" before Cousin Pam showed up...eek. Though the show had a long, good run before that.

[gingercrush]

Seee I disagree with Joey and Rachel hitching up. That show was going really downhill until that happened and resurrected the show for a few more years. Not saying what happened afterwards was any good. But I really don't see it as a "jump the shark" moment. I mean there is only so many times you can play Rachel and Ross off/on again.

[kwanfan1818]

Does this mean I shouldn't go looking for Crusader Rabbit and Rags the Tiger?

I don't remember watching them, but I can tell you not to bother with boxed set of "F-Troop," and that as great as Larry Hagman was in "I Dream of Jeannie," three or four episodes is about I could take before I became comatose with boredom.

[BaileyCatts]

Friends never really had a big JTS for me because I loved the show, and still watch the reruns every day. But it had one little moment where it almost reached that level for me. And that is when "Erica" let Monica and Chandler adopt her baby. Erica was never believable for me in that she was supposed to be some knocked up teenager who wanted to give her baby a better life ... yet she looked like she was 30 years old! She looked like she should be friends with the Gang yet she was supposed to be some 17-19 year old. She was way to old for that part.

[judiz]

Friends never really had a big JTS for me because I loved the show, and still watch the reruns every day. But it had one little moment where it almost reached that level for me. And that is when "Erica" let Monica and Chandler adopt her baby. Erica was never believable for me in that she was supposed to be some knocked up teenager who wanted to give her baby a better life ... yet she looked like she was 30 years old! She looked like she should be friends with the Gang yet she was supposed to be some 17-19 year old. She was way to old for that part.

I think the Erica storyline was quickly thought up to give Monica and Chandler a happy ending as the series wound up it's long run. The closest the series got to a JTS moment for me was when the storyline went to Monica and Chandler's infertility which didn't belong in a show that was always so comical.

[judiz]

I think I can honestly say that the only show that did not have a JTS moment was MASH. Quality episodes the entire run.

[l'etoile]

I watched Friends for Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler. The other three bored me more often than they made me laugh, and I absolutely think that Kudrow, Leblanc, and Perry were the most talented cast members.

For me, it was Ross, Pheobe, and Chandler, Ross being the most talented comedy actor ever! His impressions were just amazing, make me laugh everytime, and never get old.

Even though IMO they jumped the shark in the scenes in Barbados(OMG do you remember the scene where Ross caught Rachel and Joey kissing in their apartment and how he reacted? That was genius acting!) where Rachel and Joey hooked up, I still never miss its reruns. That's how much I love this show.

[Buzz]

I think I can honestly say that the only show that did not have a JTS moment was MASH. Quality episodes the entire run.

Totally agree and would add the original Law & Order to that list. I loved the whole series and thought it was should not have been cancelled.