Fonzie Jumps The Shark

Sep 20, 2024

Dive into the iconic moment when Fonzie jumped a shark on *Happy Days*, a scene that became synonymous with the decline of television quality. Discover how this absurd stunt transformed Fonzie into the show's main attraction and laid the groundwork for the phrase 'jump the shark.' The hosts also explore how this moment plays into broader TV tropes and the evolution of storytelling, contrasting it with shows that improved over time. Plus, the unexpected connection to Robin Williams and the cultural impact of quirky idioms are discussed!

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

The Origin of 'Jumping the Shark' in TV History

02:31 • 2min

The Transformative Impact of Fonzie's Shark Jump

04:32 • 3min

Exploring TV Tropes: Shark Jumping and Story Evolution

07:20 • 4min

Rerun: Henry Winkler, an accomplished water-skier, had asked the producers of ‘Happy Days’ if he could showcase his skills on the sitcom. On 20th September, 1977 his wish came true - in a shark-jumping sequence so absurd it would forever be linked with the irreversible artistic decline of long-running TV series.

To ‘Jump the Shark’ was a phrase coined some eight years later by college roommates Sean Connolly and Jon Hein, and has since inspired other pop culture idioms including ‘growing the beard’ (a TV show that gets better with age) and ‘nuking the fridge’ (a ‘jump the shark’ for movie franchises, named after Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull).

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal Winkler’s star power as the top turn on Happy Days, and explain why Robin Williams’ appearance in the show *wasn’t* a dream. Do they say ‘eeeeeeeeeeey’ a lot? Exactamundo!