Happy days scribe defends shows jump the shark episode. Although it happened in season 5 for happy days, i must disagree with it being then that the show jumped the shark. See the episode where fonzie jumped the shark on happy days. We have happy days to thank for this catchy phrase to describe when a show has lost its luster and desperately tries to regain it. All successful shows eventually start to decline, but this was not happy days time.
Fonzie henry winkler jumps a shark in the iconic happy days scene. It supposedly refers to an episode of the tv show happy days in which fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis, which hein believes was the point at which the series. Sep 03, 2010 fox still contends happy days was far from past its prime when the fonz jumped the shark. Also, the episode does hold some kitschy entertainment value and an impressive display of winklers talent. Happy days, that shark, and why it was jumped newsday. In a more perfect universe, then, the catchphrase for a cultural phenomenon going into decline would be thats when chachi showed up. Whether or not this idiomatic jumping the shark assessment is a fair one is up to happy days fans as episode writer, fred fox jr. Ill suited 2007 tv episode in the epilog, ron calls kim in the middle of the night to ask if certain things he remembers are real or dreams. Henry winkler shares the story behind the jump the shark.
Jul 20, 2016 the phrase comes from an episode of happy days, where, fonzie, in his everpresent leather jacket, goes water skiing, and, well, jumps a shark. Happy days gave us this, with the fonz himself as the driving force behind that unforgettable moment in tv history. Though the phrase jumping the shark is now used to define the moment when something successful begins to go downhill, happy days remained a popular show for years after the stunt and. I still dont believe that the series jumped the shark when. Part 3known in pop culture lore as that time when fonzie jumped the shark. After fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis in one fateful episode, fans felt the show went into a quality tailspin. In one episode, arthur fonzarelli, otherwise known as the fonz, literally water skis over a shark. Ironically, it is this moment makes the viewers realize that the show has finally run out of ideas. Richie must choose either a 5year hollywood contract or college in milwaukee while the fonz accepts the california kids challenge to perform a dangerous water ski jump. Why was the episode where fonzie jumped a shark in happy days, considered such a bad moment in television history. At this point in the show, happy days isnt crappy, its at its peak.
The term originated after an episode of the hit television series happy days. The simpsons jumped the shark in one of its best episodes. A twohour special to commemorate the shows 30th anniversary featuring various clips and a cast reunion at arnolds drivein. I still dont believe that the series jumped the shark when fonzie jumped the shark. Marion ross reflects on happy days, shark jumping, frisky business and more. Happy days didnt jump the shark after fonzie jumped the. In a seventh season episode of hospital drama greys anatomy, the. The 16episode first season reflects your vision for a sitcom about the recent past that gently debunks the myth of a more innocent time, via. Besides jumping the shark, what happened to chuck cunningham has been one of the biggest television mysteries in the history of television. The episode was billed as an audacious and thrilling piece of. Happy days fonzie jumps the shark, creating an expression for. Jan 26, 2016 here are 11 tv shows that jumped the shark. Henry winkler on his infamous jump the shark moment video. It was at this point that viewers became disenchanted.
With ron howard, henry winkler, marion ross, anson williams. A 70s sitcom about life in the 50s, the shows title was at once literal. Publicity photo of fonzie henry winkler and richie ron howard from happy days. That is now a terms used for shows when damage is done and it never recovers. On the 20 september 1977, families across the united states tuned into their tv sets ready to watch the latest episode of happy days. In the threepart hollywood, happy days literally jumped. Apr 20, 2020 to jump the shark is a term originally used as a metaphor for when a television series has passed its sellby date. Instead of jumping the shark, should we be talking about the shamrock.
Jumping the shark didnt jump the shark september 8, 2010 7. Though the phrase jumping the shark is now used to define the moment when something successful begins to go downhill, happy days remained a popular show for years after the stunt and people still talk about the episode today, nearly four decades later. Bob brunner, a writerproducer on the classic abc sitcom happy days who named. The episode title is a humorous reference to the phrase jumping the shark, coined when fonzie did a water ski jump of a shark pen on the television series happy days. The phrase jump the shark is based on a scene in the fifth season premiere episode of the 1970s american tv series happy days titled hollywood. Happy days really didnt jump the shark after this episode aired. This expression originates from the episode of happy days in which fonzie, dressed in his trademark leather jacket, literally jumps over a shark on water skis.
Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Happy days is an american sitcom television series that aired firstrun from january 15, 1974 to september 24, 1984 on abc, with a total of 255 halfhour episodes spanning eleven seasons. Oct 30, 2019 happy days gave us this, with the fonz himself as the driving force behind that unforgettable moment in tv history. May 18, 2019 what is the correlation between the tv show happy days and the popular expression jumping the shark. The veteran director talks about the good times on. In this episode, fonzie is the coolest dude on the show on television, really and jumping a shark is actually a parody. The show remained on the air for six more seasons 164 more episodes and ranked in the nielsen top 25 for five of those six.
In this show, one of the main characters, fonzie henry winkler, performs an absurd stunt jump over a caged shark while water skiing. The phrase is used to describe shows that have peaked and are in decline. May 09, 2020 ohh, that jumptheshark episode was terrific. What truly is the jump the shark moment of happy days, if not the actual shark jump. During his college years, hein and his friends started using jumping the shark as a shorthand for the pivotpoint where a tv shows audiencepandering impulses push it permanently offcourse. The phrase derives from a scene in a season 5 episode of the 1970s sitcom happy days in which the character fonzie jumps over a shark while on water skis. Contrary to popular belief, when the fonz jumped the shark on happy days, it hardly marked the demise of the show, the episodes writer says. At the beginning of season 2, chuck just disappeared. Created by garry marshall, the series was one of the most successful of the 1970s, an idealized vision of life in the mid1950s to mid1960s midwestern united states, and starred ron howard as young richie. The phrase comes from an episode of happy days, where, fonzie, in his everpresent leather jacket, goes water skiing, and, well, jumps a shark.
Something is said to have jumped the shark when it has reached its peak and begun a downhill slide to mediocrity or oblivion. Surprisingly, fonzie wasnt the first character to jump an actual shark. In 1987, jon hein and his roommates at the university of michigan were drinking beer and had nick at nite playing in the background. A longtime colleague of garry marshall, the emmy nominee had a hand in the shows landmark jump the shark episode. Why happy days and the fonz never truly jumped the. Jumping the shark is the moment when an established longrunning series changes in a significant manner. Arthur fonzie fonzarelli became a breakout character on the 70s sitcom happy days. Happy days is an american sitcom series that originally aired on abc from 1974 to 1984. In defense of fonzie jumping the shark, which is not the jump.
Its said to have been coined by jon hein, who has a web site, and now a book detailing examples, especially as applied to tv shows. Aside from being overthetop, the scene was criticized as betraying fonzies character development. What is the correlation between the tv show happy days and the popular expression jumping the shark. Happy days didnt jump the shark after fonzie jumped the shark. Nov 08, 2012 bob brunner, a writerproducer on the classic abc sitcom happy days who named henry winklers fonzie but also as legend has it suggested the character jump a shark in a nowinfamous 1977. Some of the other characters in the show rubbed off on the kids too, or at least their trademark sayings. Why was the episode where fonzie jumped a shark in happy days. Happy days actually started declining two episodes before the infamous shark jump, with the introduction of chachi.
This is a list of episodes from the eleventh and final season of happy days. Happy days writer defends jump the shark moment tv guide. Happy days was wildly popular until it jumped the shark. Watch the scene above and just try to tell us that. A surreal moment from happy days gave us the phrase. Aug 22, 2014 at this point in the show, happy days isnt crappy, its at its peak. So, hollywood part 3 did not trigger a downward ratings spiral. According to comedian jon hein, happy days went too far in the september 20, 1977 episode hollywood. It supposedly refers to an episode of the tv show happy days in which fonzie jumps over a. Happy days opened its fifth season with a threepart episode titled. Writer who nicknamed fonzie, wrote jump the shark episode. The last thing he asks is if she waterskied over a shark, a reference to the episode of happy days where people thought the quality of the show had changed. The phrase derives from a scene in a season 5 episode of the 1970s sitcom happy days in which the character fonzie jumps over a shark while on waterskis.
Lets watch fonzie jump the shark one more time for garry. This gimmick strayed absurdly outside the original storyline of the sitcom. Wodehouse, the character of angela clears one of the. When henry winklers happy days character, the fonz, donned a pair of water skis and jumped over a shark in a display of bravado, a new idiom was born.
In this show, one of the main characters, fonzie henry winkler, performs an absurd stunt jump over a. In defense of fonzie jumping the shark, which is not the jump the. The term jumping the shark was coined after fonzie jumped the shark and the series ratings never recovered. In the threepart hollywood, happy days literally jumped the shark. The show became part of popular culture in america, and to this day, people still use a phrase that was inspired by a happy days episode. That was fonzies leap into legend and language when he jumped the shark on happy days in september 1977. It was at this point that viewers became disenchanted with the show and its days were numbered. On his birthday, were reflecting on his achievements, including giving us the phrase to jump the shark. During his college years, hein and his friends started using jumping the shark as a shorthand for the pivotpoint where a tv shows audience. This is a list of episodes from the fifth season of happy days. Happy days was where the expression jump the shark was born.
The 10 biggest jumptheshark moments in tv history paste. Bob brunner, a writerproducer on the classic abc sitcom happy days who named henry winklers fonzie but also as legend has it suggested the character jump a shark in a. Three decades later, the writer of that episode insists. Happy days premiered on television on january 15, 1974. The idiom jumping the shark, which refers to the moment when a television show begins to decline in quality or popularity, stems from a scene when fonzie literally jumps over a shark while water skiing. Happy days didnt jump the shark when fonzie jumped the shark. Jumping the shark may be a fun and lingering trope in popular culture, but its truth in relation to the happy days episode from which it gets its name is questionable. We had discovered that henry was very good at waterskiing, so that was one of the reasons why it came to be. A surreal moment from happy days gave us the phrase jumping.
This can range from something relatively small like the introduction of a new gimmick, all the way up to the magnitude of a fullon genre shift, in an attempt to stay fresh. It supposedly refers to an episode of the tv show happy days in which fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis, which hein believes was the point at which. Happy days creator garry marshall on the fonzs jump. Happy days fonzie literally jumps over a shark we have happy days to thank for this catchy phrase to describe when a show has lost its luster and desperately tries to regain it.
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