Shark Bytes

For Nicole and Trojan Rebel,

Your question is one that rears it's head quite frequently - someone questioning why 'Fonzie Jumps the Shark' is not an option as a JTS moment. I'm not affiliated with this site in any way, and certainly can't speak for anyone who is, but it seems obvious to me that Fonzie jumping a shark on water skis falls under the category of 'Fonziemania', which is running second in the polls. Somewhere along the line, Fonzie seems to have developed supernatural powers, turning things on and off by snapping his fingers or tapping on them. He became something of a superman and became the focal point of every episode, which became more and more unbelievable with each passing week. You couldn't go anywhere during that time without seeing Fonzie T-shirts, posters, lunch boxes, board games, etc. It got pretty nauseating. I believe all of these things (including Fonzie jumping the actual shark) were part and parcel of 'Fonziemania'.

I don't know if that answers your questions or even if you think it's valid, but to me, that's the reason the obvious choice of 'Fonzie Jumps the Shark' is not a particular voting option.

Now, having said all that, I do notice that 'Fonzie jumps the garbage cans' and 'Magic powers of Fonzie's well-placed fist' are options, so I'm not sure how those got singled out of the whole 'Fonziemania' thing. Just human inconsistency, I suppose? Oh well.

Boy, this is important stuff, isn't it??

Peace.

I agree with nicole. I think that it jumped the shark when Fonzie jumped the shark.

I think it is ironic that the phrase "jump the shark" came from the Happy Days episode when Fonzie jumped the shark and yet this is not listed as an option.

I loved this show as a kid, but for me personally, it started to suck (or JTS) when Fonzie went from a tough cool guy in the first 3-4 seasons to a total whimp in seasons 5-10.

Does everyone remember in the first few seasons when everyone FEARED the Fonz? when he was this outsider who Richie would ask for advice on chicks? That's the Fonze I loved. Not the singing, gay, I love to teach, love to eat my veggies (puke), b.s.

Call it 80s days. When all the characters dress, and have their hair fixed like it's 1982 instead of 1952 - Ted McGinley, Joanie's poodle poof are just some examples. A kindler gentler Fonzie also made it lame. And how much more overtly slutty can Jenny Piccolo be? She's not bad so why aren't these guys jumping on her shark?

How do you jump the shark? let me count the ways: (1) Potsie sings (2) Ralph Malph tells "jokes" (3) Spunky Joanie hits puberty and forgets how to act (4) Mork appears from another planet (5) The studio audience ruins any hopes for comic timing (6) Mickey and Minnie Malph (7) 5 Ft Nothing Fonzie intimidates all comers (8) Chuck Cunningham departs from planet earth (9) The Tuscadero sluts (10) Garry Marshall shows nepotism with annoying sister Penny, launching 15 minutes of fame that lasts 30 years and culminates with awkward cameos at Laker games (11) No talent Scott Baio shows up w/ period inappropriate coiffure and annoying Wa Wa catch phrase (12) Ted McGinley drops in to further the suffering (13) Fonzie and Mrs. C have embarrassing May-December chemistry (14) Fonzie develops magical, mystical powers (15) Fonzie opens an office in, a bathroom? (16) Cousin Spike arrives to audience yawns

What was with the total lack of accuracy in the haircuts after the first couple of seasons. Until the Beatles in 1964 absolutely noone had hair anywhere near covering even the tops of their ears...then it took another couple of years to work its way from bohemian/hipster types to the general population.
It made any other attempts at accuracy look farcical.

Chachi caused the show to JTS. He should've been shot dead as part of the storyline to redeem the series as a viable property.

Happy Days still ranks as one of my top 6 favorite shows today and im only 19! My two favorite characters were Fonzie of course and Potsie. The reason for Potsie being one of my favs was because even though he was very nerdy and clueless he gave the show the good feel they had in the first series and also he was extremely funny and in season 8 onwards i felt Potsie should have been in almost every storyline especially with eps dealing with Chachi Roger and Fonzie THE SHOW did jump the shark when Ron Howard and Donny Most left becuase all it focused on was like totally weird characters that came out of nowhere and magically appeared on the show and made Gary Marshall and ABC give them camera time to get attention from the whole world and also they jumped the shark when Al Molinaro joined the cast in Season 4. Al who in my mind was at least 100 times stupider than Pat Morita was who in my mind was the funniest of the two restaurant owners. Al was stupid not funny at all and really made no sense being on the show from Season 7 onwards

Live studio audience - Fonzie living at the Cunningham's - Richie using more and more "slogans" - Chachi ---- all indicitive of a show on the way out and leaving bad memories. Instead of leaving when it was good, it hit rock bottom and ended up as a joke.

The first two years of this show were the best television ever offered. It was so Norman Rockwellesque, a touch of Americana. Just the perfect blend of innocence, humor and charm. Then, after season 2, the shark started having little babies, and more and more sharks filled the water in each passing year. Jerry Paris went to a live audience. Horrible! It got to the point where all the actors were literally yelling their lines so the people in the back row can hear them, like a bad stage play. I have never seen a series where actors shouted lines like this before. Audiences screaming when actors walked on the set. Over and over this happened. I hated that with a passion. One wants to lose oneself in the series, not be reminded constantly that a fake TV show is being filmed.The worst thing, was the emergence of the Fonzie charactor. I know it helped ratings, but it all but ruined the show. This short little skinny weasle couldnt scare anyone in real life and they had big tough guys backing down from him. Sometimes 2 and 3 guys would run away. What is he? like 5'6 and 150 pounds? Pulleease. Ludicrous. And it got sickening watching him walk in with 2 and 3 women on his arm, (all taller than him of course) yea, most hot chicks like short guys. And judges falling for him during court, etc. He was so much better when he was used sparingly. But for me personally, the worst shark jump was Potsie singing in virtually every episode. Who on Gods Earth ever told this guy he can sing? He has this warble to his voice that grates on me like fingernails on a chalkboard. I cannot stand his voice, it is just awful. I bet it can stop a charging bull in its tracks. I hear he tried for a singing career and bombed. What a shock. And the scripts got horrible. This series went on 6 years too long. Then Ritchie doing a comb over and growing a mustache in the later episodes. Have you noticed how all actors going bald desperately try to overcompensate by growing a mustache or beard? Its sad. The worst episode is the Mork episode. OMG television at its worst. This series had more shark jumping, including the literal shark jumping episode, where this site got its name, where the idiot risks his life to show up a creep. Great message to the kiddies Fonze. I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea. 2 great years, then downhill quickly like going down the sewer.

When "Arnolds" burnt down...

When they failed to explain what happened to Stretch is when it jumped the shark

The show was suppose to be late 50's/early 60's yet some characters had hair too long (chachi).The background staff should have done better with the clothes too (flared trousers/big collars).
Happy Days J T S a couple of ways:
when Fonzie became the show
Richie leaving
and Chachi got really annoying

If Fonzie tastes like vitalis(as quoted by Clay Aiken) does Potsie taste like a Pot Roast? Btw- The thump,thump,thump,a thump,thump song he(Potsie) sang was the pinnacle of the sheer cheesieness of the entire "Happy Days" debacle.....
Jefferson Darcy is GOD!!!!!!!!
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