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Ways a TV Show Can "Jump the Shark"  
WORSTS 

Tags: jump, shark, TV, show, series, bad, end, canceled, television

These are some of the different ways a show can jump:

	Same Character, Different Actor - Most often, when a new actor is hired to fill the same role of a departed one. However, this category has also been applied to new actors hired to play the role of a new character that is essentially the same as the original. - Dick York for Dick Sargent
	New Birth - One of the characters gives birth. - Mabel Buchman is born
	Killing Someone Off - A character's departure is explained with his/her death. This can be due either to the actor/actress who filled the role leaving the show, or a real-life death. - Mischa Barton in The OC
	Puberty - Children who are members of the cast enter adolescence and/or approach adulthood. - Kevin Arnold's voice changes
	Singing - Non-musical members of the cast (or those never thought previously to have performing talent) sing, etc., during an episode. - Cleveland Rocks!
	Live! - A series that is usually pre-recorded is presented live. - ER
	Saying "I Do" - Two main characters are married. - Jeannie weds Master
	Having Sex with Each Other - Two main characters have sex, particularly if their romantic tension was deemed part of the show's appeal. - David and Maddie
	The Movie - A movie is produced of a current (or recently former) TV series. This can apply to movies made expressly for the small screen or big screen. - X-Files and Aqua Teen Hunger Force
	Moving Towns - The main characters move from their familiar surroundings, usually to new surrounding some distance away. However, this can also apply to short moves (such as within the same city), in which case the house and (sometimes) other main settings are all that change. - Laverne & Shirley head for LA
	Special Guest Star - A notable celebrity — frequently, one who is not normally an actor or actress — makes a guest appearance. - Nancy Reagan on Diff'rent Strokes
	"A Very Special..." episode - The very special episode, often to colloquially describe a situation comedy episode that either deals with a serious or controversial social issue or is unusually dramatic in some way. - Tonight, on "a very special" Blossom...
	New Kid In Town - Also referred to as the Cousin Oliver syndrome, when a new character (often, a young child) is added to the cast, in response to former child actors who have entered adolescence or adulthood, and/or to revive falling ratings. A variation of this is when a primary Character has a baby. - Scrappy Doo
	Crazy New Haircut - The appearance of a cast member is significantly altered. While fans will often cite a female character's cut long hair and resulting hairstyle (hence the name), fans also have noted such features as new mustaches or significant change in wardrobe. - Felicity cuts it short
	Exit...Stage Left - A core character of the series departs. Most frequently, this is in response to the actor who played the role leaving the series; however, this is rarely used if the actor in question dies (in which case this is written into the storyline and applied to the character as well). This is also occasionally used to refer to changes in the show's creative staff. - Chrissy says goodbye to Janet and Jack
	Color - Often applied to 1960s shows, whose run spanned both the black-and-white and color television eras. - Mayberry is so green

Lister: ListAfterList Wiki Contributors
Source: JumpTheShark.com

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