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If you’re a TV watcher, you’ve probably heard the phrase “jump the shark” to explain a series’ demise. But the Happy Days writer who inspired the phrase isn’t too happy with its place in the pop-culture lexicon.
Fred Fox, Jr. wrote the episode of Happy Days in which the Fonz, yes, jumps over a shark on waterskis. This scene, many argue, signaled the show’s descent. Fox begs to differ in an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times:
All successful shows eventually start to decline, but this was not “Happy Days'” time. Consider: It was the 91st episode and the fifth season. If this was really the beginning of a downward spiral, why did the show stay on the air for six more seasons and shoot an additional 164 episodes? Why did we rank among the Top 25 in five of those six seasons?
He claims he doesn’t remember who on the writing staff dreamed up the shark-jumping itself, but nobody protested when the idea came up. And, at the time, the episode was a big hit. Even still, Fox, who went on to write for hits like Family Matters, certainly has a dubious claim to fame. TV Guide even chronicles “jump-the-shark” moments from hundreds of TV series.