<P> Popularized by radio personality Jon Hein in the 1990s and early 2000s, the phrase derives from a scene in a fifth - season episode of the sitcom Happy Days in which the character Fonzie jumps over a shark while on water - skis . This was deemed a ratings ploy, for it was outside of the original thrust of the sitcom . </P> <P> The usage of "jump the shark" has subsequently broadened beyond television, indicating the moment when a brand, design, franchise, or creative effort's evolution declines, or when it changes notably in style into something unwelcome . </P> <P> The phrase jump the shark is based on a scene in the fifth season premiere episode of the American TV series Happy Days titled "Hollywood: Part 3," written by Fred Fox, Jr., which aired on September 20, 1977 . In the episode, the central characters visit Los Angeles, where a water - skiing Fonzie (Henry Winkler) answers a challenge to his bravery by wearing swim trunks and his trademark leather jacket, and jumping over a confined shark . The stunt was created as a way to showcase Winkler's real - life water ski skills . However, the scene also was criticized as betraying Fonzie's character development, since in an earlier landmark episode, Fonzie jumped his motorcycle over fourteen barrels in a televised stunt; the stunt left him seriously injured, and he confessed that he was stupid to have taken such a dangerous risk just to prove his courage . </P> <P> For a show that in its early seasons depicted universally relatable adolescent and family experiences against a backdrop of 1950s nostalgia, this incident marked a turn . The lionization of an increasingly superhuman Fonzie, who was initially a supporting character in the series, became the focus of Happy Days . The series continued for seven years after Fonzie's shark - jumping stunt, with a number of changes in cast and situations . </P>

Where did the term jumping the shark derive from
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