Shark Bytes

To me, this show jumped the shark with the "very special" episode with the girl who went to a party, got dosed with PCP, and jumped off a roof 'cuz she thought she could fly.

This was way too intense for my 9-year-oldness to absorb, and I shunned parties for the next 10 years, making me a social outcast, because I was sure the same thing would happen to me. As you can imagine, this ruined my teen years and I really think Ken Howard owes me an apology.

All and all, The White Shadow was a great show. It dealt with some issues that were very important during its time. My favorite characters were Hayward, Coolidge and Thorpe. I could deal with prominent characters graduating and being written out after the second season. That was a realistic part of the show's scenario. What I can not deal with is how Curtis Jackson was killed off the show. A recovering alcoholic shot sent to the liquor store gets caught up in a robery attempt, and gets shot. His friends pressured him to go to the liquor store despite his reluctance. They should have known that sending a recovering alcoholic to a liquor store was not a good idea. The writers could have found another way to write Jackson out. He was a senior. Why didn't they let him graduate like Reese, Hayward and Goldstein? For me it was that scenario that took the show over the shark.

I loved this show. I watched it every week. The reunion show when the original players came back to school and had a reunion game against the new team was interesting. I remember Goldstein went into the Marines. I thought Salimi was a funny nickname.

I just have to say I love the White Shadow. It was one of my favorite shows of all time. I love the cast. I was born in 1977 but my dad let me and my brothers watch it when were kids and I still love it to this day. It was just a great show. Much better than the reality tv crap today. I can't say I have a favorite character because they were all great. Although I have to say Hayward(smart), Thorpe(funny), Jackson(cool and suave) and Nicky New York(loved his accent)were cuties. That show had great stories and I loved the friendship and closeness they had. Where can I get season 3 dvd.

this show never jumped the sahrk , ive been watching re-runs lately this show was ahead of its time and did not allways have a tv friendly ending, \like when jacksons old girl turns out to be a prostitute, instead of being saved, she ends up leaving with her pimp.

I think it jumped when Chaichi the second ended up on the team. A White Brooklynite at a mostly minority Los Angeles Unified School district High School? Made no sense!

I remember watching the show as a teenager in the 70's and enjoying it so decided to buy the dvd's. I'm glad I did--brought back alot of memories. I loved the original cast but lost interest during the third season. I missed Gomez, Reese (so sorry to learn that Nathan Cook died), Goldstein, and especially Hayward (my favorite--such a cutie pie!) Always enjoyed the way they interacted with Coach Reeves (Ken Howard). But like most tv shows, the content progressively became more lame and silly. Why do they do that????? Anyway, I wish the 3rd season dvd would come out--primarily for the reunion show and the featurette advertised on season 1. Would also love to see more commentary from the orginal cast members--several are respected directors (Thomas Carter, Kevin Hooks, Timothy Van Patten) in the industry.

....and God said: "Let There Be Thorpe!"

This show never jumped the shark.
With all high school shows, there are problems when students graduate but this was one of the grat all-time shows.

$80 for an NFL jersey? Where are you shopping? Can you get me a catalog?

Seriously, White Shadow was an awesome show. It had gritty urban drama, uplifting messages, biting humor, even a character named for a deli meat. What else could you ask for?

This show rocked, except every episode after Jackson died. That was one of the worst episodes of any show, ever, akin to "Home Improvement."

What was the real name of the school that Carver High was filmed ?

Why must all shows have a jewish stereotype? Take the name first Abner Goldstein. They should have a big sign saying Jew. Then of course he lives with his elderly Grandparents and he is a nerd. The coach probably had him on the team as pity and the team joke. When it was gametime they didn't use him.

I grew up watching this show, along with my much older high school siblings. The guys on the show looked the part b/c high schoolers at that time looked older, and not like the kids of today. By far my most sentimental episode was the one where CJ was killed. He was my favorite character, and I always dug the hat. That episode could have been a little more sentimental towards CJ, especially from his teamates. But they actually are more conscious of his death, and more attention is paid to it in the third season episode "A Day in the Life." Scenes from a funeral is shown, and then the scene cuts to Reese at CJ's headstone paying his respects...and at the beginning of the episode, Thorpe is sad b/c CJ is not going to be there for the alumni game. One question though, was CJ a senior too and about to graduate? or would he have been at Carver another year with Thorpe, Salami, and Cool???

Does anyone remember the one where there is a real psychotic teen, and he terrorizes one of the teachers? That was a scary episode.