UFO Shark-Jumping?

[I think I jumped the UFO list shark a couple of years ago with my home-made
"son of Straker" graphic. -Paul]

Q. What is jumping the shark?

A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite
television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now
on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the
Shark." From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.

The term "jump the shark" was coined by my college roommate for 4 years,
Sean J. Connolly, in Ann Arbor, Michigan back in 1985. This web site, book,
film, and all other material surrounding shark jumping, are hereby dedicated
to "the Colonel."

The aforementioned expression refers to the telltale sign of the demise of
Happy Days, our favorite example, when Fonzie actually "jumped the shark."
The rest is history.

Jumping the shark applies not only to TV, but also music, film, even
everyday life. "Did you see her boyfriend? She definitely jumped the shark."
You get the idea.

We have begun by chronicling the history of television. We are
incorporating shows from the new season slowly but surely. Some shows are
not listed...yet!


First Show 1969
Last Show 1973
Genre Sci Fi
Network BBC
Slot Day
Slot Time
Jumped The Shark when... Votes
Never Jumped 30
Colonel Foster and the steambath 1
Second Season 1

Other Thoughts:

a.. Never jumped. Awesome british sci-fi, though a bit slow to evolve at
times. Left the air much too quickly, as the rank-and-file viewer just
didn't get it.
b.. Forget Hawaii 5-O and Mission: Impossible, THIS is the best TV THEME
SONG ever, bar none! Despite its flaws, UFO is the only TV series I own in
toto on videotape. And I watch the episodes again & again. The key isn't
really the scripts or plots -- even the alien-invasion stuff seems kinda
secondary. But the BACKGROUNDS & BACKDROPS -- they're the main draw. No show
has EVER depicted the "future" as completely as UFO, from the house and
apartment interiors, to the groovy cars & fashions, to Staker's wig -- etc.
The series can be enjoyed on that level alone. In one telling scene, Mike
Billington (Col. Foster) rocks out at a party to the Beatles' "Get Back." Of
course, the Fab Four actually had a big comeback with their Anthology
discs -- and UFO "predicted" this. Visually, this is one of the few shows of
the era that looks better than ever on video or laserdisc. The attention to
detail in the sets & model work is extraordinary -- and the sfx are of
course legendary. And frankly, I say shame on fans who bad-mouth Ed Bishop
and the cast as wooden. Check out the episode where Straker & some crew
members are trapped on the sub & running out of air -- or the one where an
alien crisis forces him to allow his young son to die. Ed Bishop's
restrained yet intense performances in these two shows is really quite
astounding & 100% believable. Kudos!! Major gripes: since SHADO is a
top-secret organization, why emblazon its emblem on all the uniforms &
hardware? And why set the base under a film studio, where sound/camera
equipment could easily catch something on tape? Despite this, UFO is an
all-time groove & well worth re-discovering by today's X-philes and Trek
fans.

More thoughts about UFO at http://www.jumptheshark.com/u/ufo.htm

Thanks for the explanation! I can think of a few other personal instances.

Star Trek: Third season, after "The Enterprise Incident" with that
interesting shot of the three Klingon-built Romulan warships materializing
around the Enterprise. After that it wasn't just the same.

Lost In Space: After the two-part "The Keeper" episode.

Michael





_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com