Jumping the Shark

Jumping the Shark is when a tv that show you were engrossed in, usually a long-running one, has seen better days. You may even discontinue the series after a certain season because of how it has gone downhill from what it once was, or you might keep watching and waiting only to be disappointed in the end.

What favorite shows of yours jumped the shark?

I was prompted to make this thread as I reach the final episodes of The Story of Yanxi Palace. I was riveted watching this show every night for the past few months. Visually it was a work of art, it had this large and thrilling cast of great actors and was full of twists and turns, lots of good characters playing 3d chess with one another. It's game of Thrones in Imperial China. I thought this series was close to perfect, until somewhere around episode 58 or 60 so. I dislike the new addition of Concubine Shun, she was too similar to other rivals Yinglou had in my opinion, but not done as well. As I understand it, a whole lot more scenes were planned for this character that were cut out because of time and other potential controversies, and we got less than half of what was originally intended. She was ultimately not fully developed unfortunately and what we were left with was a potentially really interesting supporting character that was really unconvincingly portrayed in my opinion.

They also killed off a character I liked. Yanxi is no stranger to letting characters die, and they have made some really dramatic exits that served to enhance the plot I might add. But in the case I don't think that this character's death made sense, and they deserved a better end frankly.

They also appear to have dropped some plotlines that they planted the seeds for earlier in the show that had promise. From what I heard creators had to rush to fit it all Into 70 episodes, and it's starting to show I must admit. I'm into episode 64 or 65 now, and the series suddenly fast forwarded ahead like 20 years, and everybody is gray with beards now. I was so disappointed by that crunch, and wonder if maybe this one has finally jumped the shark.

That's enough about me though. What are your shark stories?

Agents of Shield. The initial feelings started in S3 with some directions of its plot and characters I didn't agree with. I gave the show one more chance with S4 when it introduced Ghost Rider and I loved the first half of the season, but then the second half it focused on some alternate reality and the I just wasn't into into the villain at all. I watched a bit of S5 where the cast went to space stuff happens, but didn't really pay attention and then I more or less didn't keep up with it.

Doctor Who. S1-4 were amazing, 5-7 were Something Else but cool in their own way, 8 started to get bad but 9 and 10 almost saved it, 11 was just something I already forgot, and 12 I haven't bothered finishing. It tried too hard eventually and it just borkd.

Also Game of Thrones but y'all know we watched past S6 because we just had to see it to the end. :/

Yup, Game of Thrones is a perfect example. A lot of people were upset by the ending, but the TV show I think actually was going into cardiac arrest some time before the finale in season 8. In fact i'd say it died actually back in season 6, and was a white walker after that. Seasons 1-5 was the golden age to this aged thrones.

Another one that I am addicted too, but is notorious for it's filler is Inuyasha. And the final act in my opinion is only watchable in Japanese. I prefer the Japanese sub to the dub overall, but my initial thoughts were that the English dub was still pretty good, until the cast changed over. For instance while David Kaye was a good Sesshomaru and a worthy alternative to the great Ken Narita, the actor they used for the dub by the final act was just ghastly, and I think the sense of the characters got lost.

Bay said:

Agents of Shield. The initial feelings started in S3 with some directions of its plot and characters I didn't agree with. I gave the show one more chance with S4 when it introduced Ghost Rider and I loved the first half of the season, but then the second half it focused on some alternate reality and the I just wasn't into into the villain at all. I watched a bit of S5 where the cast went to space stuff happens, but didn't really pay attention and then I more or less didn't keep up with it.

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I remember being really excited for it, then being really disappointed with the early episodes and quitting. A friend told me to give it a second chance and I had enough time to binge through until Winter Soldier affected it and I started to really enjoy it (although really the second Bill Paxton appeared they had me). Unlike you I think my patience fell off with the first time travel storyline - mostly because it almost completely discarded that alternate reality's effect on the characters. I enjoyed some of the most recent season, they're properly in space and its a bit more fun before the plot gets in the way. I actually enjoyed the inhumans plot so it took a while to get over the fact that they were just discarding storylines and never picking them up. I'll watch the final season though, it looks like a lot more entertaining time travel romp - kinda like Timeless (cancelled too soon, RIP) crossed with the show. Not a rewatch able though, even though Powers Boothe as a villain was the best tie-in to Avengers they did.

I'm going to take back the accusation of jumping the shark with regard to Yanxi Palace. I'm getting down to the last episode and it's started to excite me all over again, some of the old villains who had laid quiet for years are back to their old tricks, and the plot has really thickened! Man, that evil eunuch is a strong villain like a bloodier version of Steerpike or Little Finger. He and the empress are magnificent characters and good actors!