The phrase "jumped the shark" is used to talk about tv shows that have gone past the point of interest and it refers to the episode of Happy Days when Fonzie jumped the shark. At that moment, Happy Days was a shell of it's former self, lost in ridiculous, gimicky plots.Having said that, I think House is about to jump my personal shark. I tried to watch it last night, but found that for the most part, I just don't care. House is cranky, Wilson continues to pacify him, Cuddy sighs a lot, patients get cured in the last five minutes thanks to some amazing revelation. It's just a little boring and predictable.
I stopped watching Grey's Anatomy about the time Katherine Heigl's character was having visions of her dead fiance. I stopped watching Heroes around the end of season two when you couldn't tell who was good, who was bad, or what year you were in. Ugly Betty lost me when the writers seemed to be pulling plotlines from bad '80's soap operas.
Book series are like that for me too. After a certain point, some series just lose me. I've stopped reading at least three that just got so bloated and convoluted, I couldn't keep from rolling my eyes.
How about you? How long do you stick with a book or tv series? Any shows you've given up on recently?
I was really into Bones for a while, but then they started to get weird with Booth's brain tumor and his hallucinations. (Stewey from Family Guy in interrogation? What was that all about?) Anyway, I'm totally over the show now. I can't even watch the reruns.
ReplyDeleteYep, you can usually tell when a show's about to go under. And how sad is it that I remember that episode of Happy Days? It was the beginning of the end.
I adored the Evanovich books--like the first 4 or so. Then I kept reading to see who she would choose and stopped when I realized she would never choose. Never.
ReplyDeleteIf the characters aren't growing and changing,I move on.
I gave up House and Heroes both this season when I realized that I was not excited about their season premieres anymore. Still love Grey's Anatomy though, (Bones, too).
ReplyDeleteI've given up more than a couple of book series on the way, most notably the J. R. Ward Brotherhood of the whatever (Whatever Brotherhood); at the beginning of book 3, I still had to refer back to the glossary every other page, way too convoluted for me.
I still wait eagerly every year for June and a new Stephanie Plum book (change and growth are overrated in that series, I want goofiness and adventures ~ although I want her with Morelli in the end). I also buy all the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark-Hunter books (I even have the tattoo that marks me as a Kenyon Minion) but I haven't read any since Acheron. I buy the paperbacks and let them sit until I'm ready. It'll happen.
Don't milk it. A YA series I pimped the heck out of... book 4 left me screaming "oh enough already!" It's rare for me not to slug on through to the end. I got one chapter deep and quit.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of authors who get success are kind of cornered into going on... and on... and on. And I can understand that. My adult WIP series-- I could write in that world forever. But I guess I am hoping the characters know when to stop.
And personally... I find it almost impossible to stick with one protagonist for more than one or two books. I need resolution or you're just failing me and the character.
You know, I don't really have personal Sharks. If I get into something--if it really hooks me from the start--I tend to be a pretty loyal fan even if it begins to falter. (ie: grey's)
ReplyDeleteThough, when I get really busy writing, I guess that could be considered my shark because that's when everything else takes a back seat and only the things I can't seem to live without get my attention...
(hello run-on sentence!)
Once again, exactly WHAT GWEN SAID.
ReplyDeleteI will still watch Gray's, but I'm not at the point where I HAVE to watch it.
ReplyDeleteSurvivor was skunked for me after the first All Stars because basically people were sneaky and knew how to play the game. Although, I've come back for Survivor Heroes vs. Villians and it's exciting again. Amazing Race was like that too, how many times around the world before the wrong people figure out the gimmicks.
I bought Rhevenge's book (Black Dagger Brotherhood), I haven't managed to finish it. I think the series should've stopped after Z's book ... but I probably will keep reading. My shark isn't as vicious ... it's like one of those whale sharks who eat krill. I'll leave if you annoy me, but I'll keep giving you a chance. :)
Oh, for me it's when every single season ends with a massive cliffhanger. There was this wonderfully trashy series in the UK called Footballers' Wives, which husband and I both loved for its fabulously over-the-top insanity. But then they started ending every season with a huge cliffhanger (people trapped in gas-filled garages etc) which was then instantly resolved in the beginning of the next season, and it just irritated us because it was so clearly a ploy to get us to tune in next time.
ReplyDeleteI hate that in books, too, if each and every chapter ends on a hook. Subtle hooks are one thing; hooks that scream "keep reading!!!" are quite another. I don't like being obviously manipulated.
Immi
I give up on books at any point I feel it gets ridiculous--it could be 3 pages, 30 pages, or whatever...
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