Here it is, folks, Tuesday again. So here it is, folks, TV Tuesday.

As TV fans, we hear it all the time–”This show has jumped the shark”

For those of you who might not be aware, there is a web site called JumptheShark.com. The site attempts to find the exact moment when a TV show goes from being really good to being not as good. The Jump the Shark refers to the infamous Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis. After that, it was all downhill for the show. (If you head over to the Jump the Shark web site, you can see a huge database of shows and the moment when fans feel they made the fateful jump.)

Right now, fans are debating if a couple of shows aren’t becoming Shark bait. So, this week, we’ll take a look at just when good shows go wrong.

1. What is the worst Jump the Shark moment for a show that you’ve faithfully watched? Did you continue to watch after the show took the jump or did you give up in disgust?
I was a big fan of thirtysomething when it came out. I WAS thirtysomething at the time and it seemed to parallel my professional life; not the exact job lines, but the same situational portrayals that came up on the show. Then, the infamous “two guys in bed, kissing” episode. That was the last time I watched it. I’m not necessarily against gays, I just didn’t think that particular scene added anything to the story line at the time. The show died shortly thereafter.

2. Is there a show that you’re currently watching that you think has Jumped the Shark? Any show that currently is putting on a life vest and strapping on water skis?
Like I’ve said before, I don’t watch much network TV, so I can’t comment much on that. Of the shows I do currently watch, none of them have had a “jump the shark” moment.

3. Is there a show that has never taken the jump?
Oh, yeah. Hell, yeah. I think the original Star Trek series never jumped the shark. It was way ahead of its time, which explains why it lives so long in syndication. Also, I don’t think that M*A*S*H never jumped the shark; even though pretty much the entire cast was changed throughout the course of the show. Another show that never took the jump (or maybe took the jump every week!?) was Quantum Leap.

4. Is there a show that got close to jumping but then came back?
I can’t think of any right now; probably because I don’t watch too much network TV any more.

5. What elements do you think most contribute to a show making the jump?
The original writers leaving (or getting fired) and the replacement writers simply not being as good. They then have to come up with completely improbably story lines to keep fans going. Even the best actors can’t improve on bad story lines and bad script writing.