Definition of jump the shark
jump the shark 
intransitive verb
- when a TV series passes its peak or introduces plot twists which are inconsistent with the
previous plot. Once a show has "jumped the shark," the viewer senses a noticeable decline in quality or
feels the show has undergone too many changes to retain its original charm.
When Sanjaya was on American Idol, ticket sales went way down. I think the show has jumped the shark.
Submitted by Carl Reuter, Jun 12 2007.
notes
- The origin of this term is an episode of the television series Happy Days in which a character jumps over a shark while on water skis.
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